Emilie Hines, Year 12
We have now gone through five weeks of school and are poised to enter the sixth. Even so, little time has passed compared to what the majority of Secondary School students are feeling. I’m sure we are still adjusting to all these new changes; we have seen new students, new teachers, new timetables and new registration systems. We also have a new Secondary School Principal and Campus Director, Dr Hughes, who kindly agreed to an interview with LGB Express and disclosed all the major changes that he plans to facilitate in future. Now we are going to investigate these proposed changes, some of which will be ready to stun you after the Half Term break.
According to Dr Hughes, the reconstruction of the courtyard outside the Vieille Maison will be finalised after the Half Term break. The courtyard will consist of a fountain surrounded by five trees to symbolise the five populated continents of the world (Asia and Oceania will be represented by one tree). The presence of the trees is meant to emphasize the “greenness” which has long been the tradition of the LGB Campus. The trees will also aim to expand the students’ views and thoughts on the world.
The central courtyard in front of the Grand Bâtiment will be finished by September 2016. One of the aims concerning the central oval is to plant “Alexander” at its centre. Dr Hughes explained that “Alexander” is the mythical tree of LGB which was the primary trademark of the campus back when Marie-Therese Maurette was principal in the 30s and 40s. The tree in question can only be planted at a certain time of the year and, even then, only if the conditions are willing. Therefore, it is the school’s intention to plant the tree during the month of November 2015. Once it is planted, benches will be placed around it and a light will be installed at its base.
The next big project on the way is the complete renovation of the bottom floor of the Salève which will be done during the summer of 2016. It will have a visible impact on the campus as a whole; a robotics laboratory, a design centre and a kitchen to practice world cuisine will be built to create a STEM Centre for interdisciplinary projects. All these new additions will be open to use for all students in the Primary, Middle and Secondary School.
More planned occurrences before and after this are the redesigning of the curriculum for Years 9 – 11 over the next three years and the “Life through Learning” celebrations in June 2016. The Years 9 – 11 curriculum will be revised to evoke 21st century skills. Teachers are being trained in these skills during the PED Days and LGB will be working with universities around the world to develop this in carefully planned steps. The “Life through Learning” celebrations will take place during the last week of school in June 2016. The general idea, according to Dr Hughes, is to get all the years groups, Years 9 – 13, involved in the celebrations.
All these changes are undoubtedly going to greatly benefit the school community and will encourage students to think about and potentially criticize the world around them. Students will be more open-minded and will start asking themselves what they can do to contribute to LGB as well as the planet as a whole. The future changes that this school will experience are almost certainly going to have a positive effect on the students and will undoubtedly develop the imaginations of all who will perceive them. As Dr Hughes stated during the interview, “I want this school to be a place where students can dream”.
