Sherbrooke Community School

An Innovative Government P-12 School

Thank you for your interest in our school. Sherbrooke is a small school with a capped enrolment of 160 students. We are situated in the Dandenong Ranges at Sassafras. Our main building is the historic homestead ‘Clovelly’ which has a variedhistory. Our students come from the Dandenong Ranges and beyond. We restrict our class numbers to 8-10 per primary grade and 15- 20 per secondary year levels. We have no playground restrictions and students are free to mix at all levels. Our students are encouraged to develop as free thinkers with responsibility for themselves, and to their school, and their local and global communities. We have no uniform policy, but we have a dress code. Students are able to wear their choice of clothing, hair colour and jewellery as long as it conforms to our standards of appropriate dress. These standards include: no offensive or inflammatory messages on tee shirts, any revealing clothes and suitable clothing for the weather. It can be extremely hot or cold in the hills depending on the season. We have no bell or warning system to indicate class starting and finishing times as students are encouraged and supported to develop the self reliance to attend and get to class on time.

As a government school we deliver the mandated curriculum and offer two streams of excellence at VCE level. Students are able to participate in our Creative Arts stream and/or our Science stream. We also have a number of available VET courses that include music and multimedia. Extra curricula activities at Sherbrooke are often environmentally based as we participate in many environmental challenges. We are currently engaged in revegetating our school grounds with indigenous species and removing all the non indigenous plants that are seen to be weeds. We are very keen on radio broadcasting at Sherbrooke and many of our students have amateur radio licenses. We also operate an FM radio station from the school premises and can be heard on air at 87.5. The school has sheep on the premises and the students are encouraged to assist in their care and wellbeing. This does not include feeding them vegemite sandwiches but is a frequent occurrence. Honey our merino is very partial to sandwiches of any description and will demand to be let out to forage for tasty unsheeplike treats. We have a chook shed and a small flock of chickens who regularly produce eggs for our hospitality program. Twice a term our hospitality students have a restaurant evening on a Friday. At these events community and family members are served a beautiful three course meal to a particular theme. Cooking, serving and entertainment is all provided by the students and is a very popular event so bookings are essential. Past popular themes have included; French, Christmas in July, Sri Lankanand Indian.

Our vision at Sherbrooke:

Our School Community, Students ,Staff and Parents work together to ensure all students develop a sense of self, understand their role in and responsibility to the local and broader community and are encouraged and supported to reach their full potential academically, intellectually, socially and emotionally.

Our values

  • A sense of community
  • Mutual respect
  • Individuality
  • Trust
  • Positive relationships
  • Cooperation
  • Innovation

Our Beliefs

  1. The school environment should be safe and nurturing, where students are able to express their individuality.
  2. Our small school provides the best opportunities for all students
  3. Education is a shared responsibility between home and school
  4. Parental involvement in the school is welcomed and valued
  5. Student voices are heard
  6. All teachers will provide differentiated learning experiences to cater for individual needs and learning styles
  7. Assessment including teacher, peer and self is ongoing and non-competitive
  8. Students are global citizens with social responsibilities

Success at Sherbrooke

Success at Sherbrooke is based on individual achievement. Students set personal goals with assistance from teachers based on academic and personal needs. Students regularly reflect on their own learning progress and present their annual progress to a panel in the round table process.

The Enrolment Process

If you are interested in enrolling your child/ren at Sherbrooke the following process is undertaken:

  • Complete the attached expression of interest form. This should be brought to the school when you are come for a tour. Tours start at 8.55am and begin with attendance at the whole school meeting in the hall. Please call the office to book your tour.
  • You will be informed when a trial period is about to commence. All prospective students are asked to complete a trial of at least one week. At this time we will require copies of school reports for the preceding year. If your child has special needs we will require a copy of all reports relating to the disability.
  • Trial periods are held in the first week of term for that term.. Trials for year seven are held in May for the following year
  • Following the trial period and on receipt of school reports the placement committee will meet to decide the placements. Families will be notified as soon as placements have been finalised. The placement committee looks at the current school cohort and how new enrolments will suit the overall student mix.
  • Student numbers at Sherbrooke are capped at 160 and class sizes are restricted.

Parent Commitment

Sherbrooke is a community school and we take our commitment to both our local and global communities very seriously.

We are focussed on sustainability and are involved in many activities such as recycling, revegetation and solar energy.

We work to increase our sustainability by adopting practices that support this aim.

We expect a commitment from parents who wish to enrol their children at Sherbrooke. That commitment is:

  • To support Sherbrooke’s vision statement
  • To support Sherbrooke’s welfare and discipline policy
  • To facilitate regular attendance
  • To meet their financial commitments to the school
  • To become involved in the school community in some capacity

Student Commitment

Students at Sherbrooke are encouraged to develop a sense of responsibility, empathy and accountability. We endeavour to develop in our young people a dedication to the environment and a sense of responsibility to be responsible for their own actions regarding sustainability both in their own home, local community and the school. Our students are deeply involved in the management of our school site and many students take responsibility for the care and feeding of our livestock as well as monitoring the vegetation and ensuring we keep the grounds free from rubbish and weeds and non indigenous species, except the longstanding rhododendrons which are part of the historical setting of Clovelly.

Students are expected to make their own decisions about what to wear to school each day as we have no uniform policy. Students must also take responsibility for attending classes on time and ensuring they are punctual after breaks.

We expect our students to make the following commitment to Sherbrooke:

  • I will show respect to all members of the school community and beyond
  • I will work to the best of my ability
  • I will attend school regularly
  • I will observe the dress code
  • I will participate in all aspects of school life

From Olinda to Belgrave

MONDAY TO FRIDAY

Mt Dandenong
Lookout / Olinda / Sassafras / Sherbrooke
Junction / Belgrave / Trains to
City Depart
Belgrave
AM SERVICE
- / 9.45 / 9.50 / 9.53 / 10.05 / 10.17
10.35 / 10.40 / 10.45 / 10.48 / 11.02 / 11.17
11.30 / 11.35 / 11.40 / 11.43 / 11.58 / 12.17
PM SERVICE
12.30 / 12.35 / 12.40 / 12.43 / 12.58 / 1.17
1.30 / 1.35 / 1.40 / 1.43 / 1.58 / 2.17
2.30 / 2.35 / 2.40 / 2.43 / 2.58 / 3.17
4.48 / 4.53 / 4.56 / 5.08 / 5.14
8.01 / 8.05 / 8.10 / 8.13 / 8.23 / 8.41

Timetable data is for personal use only and is subject to theterms and conditions of use
Last updated: 02 Jul 2010.

From Belgrave to Olinda

MONDAY TO FRIDAY

Trains from
City Arrive
Belgrave / Belgrave / Sherbrooke
Junction / Sassafras / Olinda / Mt Dandenong
Lookout
AM SERVICE
6.12 / 6.19 / 6.28 / 6.31 / 6.37 / -
6.41 / 6.55 / 7.04 / 7.07 / 7.15 / -
9.56 / 10.08 / 10.17 / 10.20 / 10.25 / 10.32
10.56 / 11.05 / 11.14 / 11.17 / 11.22 / 11.29
11.56 / 12.05 / 12.14 / 12.17 / 12.22 / 12.29
PM SERVICE
12.56 / 1.05 / 1.14 / 1.17 / 1.22 / 1.29
1.56 / 2.05 / 2.14 / 2.17 / 2.22 / 2.29
2.56 / 3.05 / 3.14 / 3.17 / 3.22 / 3.29

Timetable data is for personal use only and is subject to theterms and conditions of use
Last updated: 16 Jun 2010.

From Olinda to Belgrave

SATURDAY

Mt Dandenong
Lookout / Olinda / Sassafras / Sherbrooke
Junction / Belgrave / Trains to
City Depart
Belgrave
AM SERVICE
8.55 / 9.00 / 9.05 / 9.08 / 9.18 / 9.32
10.00 / 10.05 / 10.10 / 10.13 / 10.23 / 10.30
11.00 / 11.05 / 11.10 / 11.13 / 11.23 / 11.32
PM SERVICE
12.30 / 12.35 / 12.40 / 12.43 / 12.53 / 1.10
2.00 / 2.05 / 2.10 / 2.13 / 2.23 / 2.30
3.30 / 3.35 / 3.40 / 3.43 / 3.53 / 4.12
5.00 / 5.05 / 5.10 / 5.13 / 5.23 / 5.32

Timetable data is for personal use only and is subject to theterms and conditions of use
Last updated: 16 Jun 2010.

From Belgrave to Olinda

SATURDAY

Trains from
City Arrive
Belgrave / Belgrave / Sherbrooke
Junction / Sassafras / Olinda / Mt Dandenong
Lookout
AM SERVICE
8.07 / 8.20 / 8.29 / 8.32 / 8.38 / 8.45
9.27 / 9.35 / 9.44 / 9.47 / 9.53 / 10.00
10.29 / 10.35 / 10.44 / 10.47 / 10.53 / 11.00
11.27 / 11.35 / 11.44 / 11.47 / 11.53 / 12.00
PM SERVICE
1.27 / 1.35 / 1.44 / 1.47 / 1.53 / 2.00
2.47 / 3.00 / 3.09 / 3.12 / 3.18 / 3.25
4.07 / 4.20 / 4.29 / 4.32 / 4.38 / 4.45

Timetable data is for personal use only and is subject to theterms and conditions of use
Last updated: 16 Jun 2010