We are delighted to announce that we have been selected as one of The Educator's
5-Star Innovative Schools for 2022. This award recognises schools who have demonstrated innovation and creativity, driving the education industry forward. From teaching approaches to learning spaces and curriculum design, the Innovative Schools report recognises institutions that are shaping the educational landscape of the future.
Over the last eighteen months, Siena has introduced a comprehensive and innovative strategy focusing on three key areas relating to innovation:
Fostering of collaborative partnerships with Monash University and Swinburne University:
During 2022, university mentors worked with our Year 10 STEAM students to design and develop small-scale Formula One cars. Students followed a pathway of engineering and manufacturing disciplines: design, analyse, test, make and race. They were also provided with real-world technology such as 3D printing, 3D CAD engineering design and virtual wind tunnel simulation software. Students participated in a final presentation of their trade displays and raced their cars on a twenty-metre track powered by CO2 canisters. This program also aimed to develop skills in problem solving, project management, communication, presentation, teamwork, innovation, self-reflection, collaboration and design: skills in demand by industries the world over.
The introduction of our STEAM Careers Breakfast series to students in Years 9 to 12 to encourage students to embark on a career in STEAM:
During the inaugural event, students were involved in round table conversations with professionals from the Science and Engineering fields. The 2022 Science Week theme, Breaking the Glass Ceiling provided students with the opportunity to examine why women are underrepresented in STEAM careers.
The development of the Veritas Centre: a new state-of-the-art STEAM building:
Instead of teaching content and skills in isolation, STEAM combines scientific inquiry with the use of technology, engineering design and problem solving, creativity of art, and mathematical modelling to support student comprehension and understanding of the real world. The Veritas Centre will house an Innovation Hub providing hands-on learning opportunities, artistic and technological exploration through design, prototyping and testing, including a presentation facility.
We firmly believe in the power of innovation to equip young women with the skills and dispositions for a purposeful life. To do so, we commit ourselves as leaders and educators to innovation, knowing its inherent value to the pursuit of continuous improvement and a culture of excellence.
