History:
St Mark's is a co-educational Catholic primary school established in 1974 in Dingley, in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. St Mark's is in the parish of St Joseph's, Springvale, and is under the guidance of the Order of Minor Conventual Franciscans.
Description:
St Mark's has over 450 children enrolled at the school in Years Prep to 6. The school is located on Lower Dandenong Road, Dingley, directly opposite Braeside Park. The school and the parish share the site with a new church blessed and opened in April 1999. The school has spacious grounds, with the entire property securely fenced.
The school of St Mark's exists to share, nurture and transmit values for living and to promote a faith relationship with Jesus. The staff strive to ensure our students are adequately prepared to meet the challenges that await them. Many of our students will be going into jobs that don’t presently exist, using technology that has not even been invented. Education, like most fields, is constantly changing and striving to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.
Academically children need to develop as independent lifelong learners and this ability is essential, as they will constantly need to acquire new skills. However, it is paramount that as educators we ensure the development of the total child.
As a Catholic school we have a mandate to ensure that the children in our care develop a personal relationship with God that is centred in a community, which gathers to celebrate the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Each child at St Mark’s is seen as an individual, a child who needs to achieve and know the feeling of success. This personal sense of worth is developed when we assist students, through challenging activities, to understand responsibility, set goals and be motivated, and where we provide a secure, safe environment and pastoral programs that model Jesus’ love for everyone.
Features:
At St Mark's, Dingley, we aim to provide the most up-to-date and comprehensive curriculum for our students. All school buildings have been recently refurbished and incorporate flexible learning spaces. Teaching and learning is based on the guiding principles within the Contemporary Learning context of the Catholic School framework and there is comprehensive monitoring of student learning from Prep - Year 6.
Information technology and learning technologies are both incorporated into the program. These recognise the importance of technological experiences, providing students with opportunities to gain skills necessary for their future. Information technology is integrated into all aspects of the curriculum, with all students having access to technology, and Years 5 & 6 accessing a 1:1 laptop program. All desktops, laptops and iPads are networked and connected to Wi-Fi, with access to email and the Internet. Within the contemporary learning model students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning, and to use technology as a tool to enhance their learning.
At St Mark’s we believe that Physical Education/Health are essential to the total development of the child. Each class has weekly specialist Phys. Ed. lessons. The Year 5/6 classes have a camp with an outdoor education focus, inter-school Sport during Terms 1 and 4 and the opportunity to compete in the swimming squad, the cross-country squad and sport clinics from outside agencies. This offers opportunities for children to reach district and state levels in a variety of sports. Bike education & life saving is offered to Years 5 & 6 and the swimming program from Prep to Year 4.
A Performing Arts teacher provides a balanced program to develop, create and encourage an enjoyment of The Arts in all children. Where appropriate, an integrated approach is used to incorporate these skills, and presentations at assembly offer the opportunity for children to perform. A major school concert is conducted every two years.
At St Mark’s the LOTE program is Japanese, which provides a practical experience for students to learn about Japanese culture and to become familiar with the Japanese language, society and tradition. The program is offered to students in Years 3–6.