John Curtin College of the Arts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John Curtin College of the Arts |
|
|---|---|
John Curtin College of the Arts — Executives
|
|
| Address | |
|
90 Ellen Street
, Australia
|
|
| Coordinates | 32°02′55″S 115°45′26″E / 32.0487°S 115.7573°E |
| Information | |
| Other names | JCCA |
| Former name | John Curtin Senior High School |
| Type | public co-educational partially selective high school |
| Motto | Learning for life |
| Established | 1954 |
| Educational authority | WA Department of Education |
| Principal | Travis Vladich |
| Chaplain | Jeremy Wheaton |
| Enrolment | 1,817 (Semester 1, 2022) |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Colour(s) | Navy blue and white |
| Yearbook | Encore |
| Website | |
| Type | State Registered Place |
| Designated | 23 November 2001 |
| Reference no. | 15744 |
John Curtin College of the Arts, originally called John Curtin High School, is a public high school in Fremantle, Western Australia. It's a co-educational school, meaning both boys and girls attend. It's also partially selective, which means some students are chosen for special programs.
The college offers a general education for students from the Fremantle area. It also has special programs for talented students in arts and soccer from all over Western Australia. These programs include visual arts, media arts (like TV and film studies), music, contemporary dance, ballet, drama, and musical theatre. As of early 2022, about 1,817 students attended the school.
Contents
School History and Development
How the College Got Its Name
The college is named after John Curtin, who was a local Member of Parliament and the 14th Prime Minister of Australia. The school was built to bring together two older, crowded schools in Fremantle: Fremantle Boys' and Princess May Girls' schools.
Building the School
The first stone for the school was laid on October 29, 1954. Classes started in February 1956, even while more parts of the school were still being built. The whole project was finished in 1958. In its early years, the school used several other buildings around Fremantle as extra classrooms.
An older building, a two-storey brick Manual Trades Block, was built around 1943 on the same site. This was used for manual arts classes. Later, in the 1960s, a new science building was added with money from the government. A new arts centre was also built in 1987.
Special Programs and Recognition
John Curtin College of the Arts has many Gifted and Talented programs. These include drama, contemporary dance, music, ballet, music theatre, visual arts, and media arts. There's also a special program for soccer. For academic subjects like English, mathematics, science, and humanities, the school offers "Engage, Extend, Enrich" (EEE) and "Challenge Pathway" programs.
In 2001, the college was recognized as an important historical site and was placed on the State Register of Heritage Places. In November 2006, the school celebrated its 50th birthday with a big gathering.
Recent Additions to the Campus
In 2015, the college added a new section. This included an extension to the science building, new classrooms for dance and mathematics, and new offices for teachers.
In June 2025, the college opened a brand new Music and Media Block. This building is called Mia Moorna – House of Sound and is located next to the Curtin Theatre. It has two large rooms for orchestras, classrooms for Media Arts and Music, staff offices, and an outdoor amphitheatre.
Land History
The Old Cemetery
The land where the college oval is now used to be Fremantle's first official cemetery. It was used from 1852 until 1899. The last burial there was in 1917. Over time, the cemetery was no longer used. In the 1930s, many headstones were moved to Fremantle Cemetery. Families had to pay to move their relatives' remains. It's thought that the remains of up to 200 bodies might still be buried under the oval.
World War II Base
During World War II, when Japan entered the war, four anti-aircraft gun positions were set up on the part of the site near Ellen and East streets. The former cemetery became a base camp for soldiers who operated these guns. It was an important part of Fremantle Fortress, helping to defend the port.
College Leadership
The College Board
The John Curtin College of the Arts Board helps guide the school's future. They help make important decisions about policies, manage money, and support the school's main goals. They also help promote the college in the community and check how well it's doing.
- Roz Lipscombe
- Preslava Vouteva
- Michael Smart
- Paola Polistena
- Soula Veryradier
- David Clarke
- Ann-Marie Ryan
- Michael Holmes
- Sally Harban
- Fiona Tholet
- Julia Mary
- Judy Hendrickse
Associate Principals
The Associate Principals help lead different areas of the school:
- Gavin Bradshaw - Associate Principal of Connection and Pathways
- Evan Floyd - Associate Principal of Initiatives and Directions
- Judy Hendrickse - Associate Principal of Creativity and the Arts
- Nicole Turner - Associate Principal of Agency and Operations
- Fiona Tholet - Associate Principal of Learning and Growth
Famous Former Students
Many people who went to John Curtin College of the Arts (or its earlier versions) have become well-known:
- Gillian Alexy – actress
- Murray Bartlett – actor
- Rachael Blake – actress
- Jim Brown – politician
- Roseanna Cunningham - Scottish politician
- Tiah Delaney - model
- Hughie Edwards – a former Governor of Western Australia
- David Holmgren – helped create the idea of permaculture
- Brad Jones – soccer player
- Stuart MacLeod – musician from the band Eskimo Joe
- Graham McKenzie – cricketer
- Paul Mercurio – actor and dancer
- Simon O'Brien – politician
- Tanya Oxtoby – soccer coach and former player
- Marco Paparone – Australian rules footballer
- Kelly Paterniti – actress
- Bon Scott – musician from the band AC/DC
- Anthony Skorich – soccer player
- Kavyen Temperley – musician from the band Eskimo Joe
- Ta-ku – musician
- Sam Worthington – actor
Notable Staff
Some well-known people have also worked at the college:
- Peter Collier
- Michelle Roberts
See also
- List of schools in Western Australia
