Concordia College (CC) is an ELC-12

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independe ...

co-educational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

, Lutheran school with campuses located in the Highgate and

Blackwood Blackwood may refer to: Botany * African blackwood ('' Dalbergia melanoxylon''), a timber tree of Africa * African blackwood (''Erythrophleum africanum''), ('' Peltophorum africanum'') also Rhodesian blackwood, trees from Africa * Australian bla ...

areas of

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater A ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

. Established in 1890, the college is a school of the

Lutheran Church of Australia The Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) is the major Lutheran denomination in Australia and New Zealand. It counts 540 congregations and 30,026 members according to official statistics. It was created from a merger of the Evangelical Lutheran C ...

and has been an

International Baccalaureate The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB ...

(IB) World School since January 2001, offering the IB Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes.

History

Concordia College was founded by W. F. Peters, a

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

pastor A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...

in the Victorian country township of Murtoa. Peters purchased a private school founded in 1887 by

T. W. Boehm Traugott Wilhelm Boehm (18 October 1836 – 12 May 1917) was a schoolmaster, founder of the German School in Hahndorf, South Australia, which became Hahndorf Academy then Hahndorf College. History Johann Georg Boehm and his wife Caroline, née K ...

, and re-established it in 1890 as a boys' college and training ground for future pastors and teachers. Lutheran leaders in South Australia moved the college to its present Highgate site in 1905. With the involvement of Pastor P. B. Zweck, Concordia became a

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

co-educational secondary college in 1927, operating under the South Australian District Synod of the

. Today, the college accepts all students whose parents are prepared to support the educational program and Christian ethos. In 2016, Concordia College amalgamated with the neighbouring St John's Lutheran School to form an ELC to Year 12 college, which was followed by a further amalgamation with St Peters Lutheran School at Blackwood in 2023. As a three-campus college, leadership restructuring between 2021 and 2023 led to the creation of a new role, "Head of College", that holds responsibility across all three campuses of the college. The Head of college is supported by three campus principals: Principal - Concordia Campus, Principal - St John's Campus and Principal - St Peters Campus. Over the last two years, there has been significant and ongoing construction activity at both the St John's Campus and Concordia Campus, which has seen the redevelopment of many primary school facilities and the construction of a new ELC to Year 12 gymnasium complex.

Campus and Facilities

Concordia is located on three campuses across Adelaide: Concordia and St John's Campuses are situated in

suburban A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separa ...

Highgate, south of the Adelaide CBD, while St Peters Campus is located in the foothills of Adelaide in

. The Concordia Campus offers education for students in Years 7 to 12, while the St John's and St Peters Campuses both remain as Early Learning to Year 6 schools. The Concordia Campus includes: *The chapel: The

Chapel A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common typ ...

features a

waterfall A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in severa ...

and

fountain A fountain, from the Latin "fons" (genitive "fontis"), meaning source or spring, is a decorative reservoir used for discharging water. It is also a structure that jets water into the air for a decorative or dramatic effect. Fountains were or ...

visible through a glass wall behind the

altar An altar is a Table (furniture), table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of wo ...

, and a

cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a s ...

with a

crown of thorns According to the New Testament, a woven crown of thorns ( or grc, ἀκάνθινος στέφανος, akanthinos stephanos, label=none) was placed on the head of Jesus during the events leading up to his crucifixion. It was one of the inst ...

. The facility doubles as an assembly hall and a performance venue. *The Suaviter: Named from the school

motto A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mo ...

, the Suaviter is one of the original school buildings, and was formerly the chapel. Retaining its

stained glass window Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...

s, it has been converted into a conference and exhibition/display centre with catering facilities, where students participating in the

hospitality Hospitality is the relationship between a guest and a host, wherein the host receives the guest with some amount of goodwill, including the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. Louis de Jaucourt, Louis, chevalier de J ...

curriculum receive training. *The Yangadlitya Resource Centre was opened on 29 May 2006 by

Ningali Cullen Ningali Cullen (1942–2012) was an Aboriginal activist and co-chair of the National Sorry Day Committee. Early life Cullen was born at Ooldea, South Australia in 1942. Along with her brother and one of her sisters, she was taken from her famil ...

, one of the first female indigenous Concordia College students (class of 1954). The college was given permission to use the name "Yangadlitya" (meaning "for the future") by the elders of the Kaurna people, who are the traditional custodians of the land on which Concordia stands. *Murtoa: Named after the town

Murtoa, Victoria Murtoa is a wheat district town in Victoria, Australia, situated around Lake Marma on the Wimmera Highway, north-west of the state capital, Melbourne. The town is in the Shire of Yarriambiack local government area. At the , Murtoa had a pop ...

, the original location of the school, and built in 2010, this building includes a television studio and media-editing suite as well as several multipurpose classrooms. The music centre has been expanded into the building featuring new practice rooms. Built by Sarah Constructions, it features a design similar to the Yangadlitya building, including a

skybridge Skybridge may refer to: * Skyway or skybridge, a type of pedestrian bridge * Jet bridge or skybridge, a retractable connecting bridge between an airport and an aircraft * SkyBridge (people mover), a people mover in Rome * Skybridge (TransLink), a ...

connecting the two. * The Hamann Wing: The original building of Malvern College purchased by Concordia for the relocation to Adelaide. Later renamed after former headmaster Professor H.P.A. Hamann, it is a heritage listed building. *The Tech Centre: Facilities for

woodworking Woodworking is the skill of making items from wood, and includes cabinet making (cabinetry and furniture), wood carving, joinery, carpentry, and woodturning. History Along with stone, clay and animal parts, wood was one of the first mate ...

metalworking Metalworking is the process of shaping and reshaping metals to create useful objects, parts, assemblies, and large scale structures. As a term it covers a wide and diverse range of processes, skills, and tools for producing objects on every scale ...

plastics Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptab ...

and

electronics The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...

. *The Gymnasium: A large gym area (used for

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

netball Netball is a ball sport played on a court by two teams of seven players. It is among a rare number of sports which have been created exclusively for female competitors. The sport is played on indoor and outdoor netball courts and is specifical ...

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

, etc.) with a weights room, classroom, changing rooms, administrative facilities, and foyer. *The Atrium (formerly Maths Centre): Senior classrooms. *The Nautilus Centre: Opened by Hieu Van Le AC, 35th Governor of South Australia in 2017, the science building includes laboratories, classrooms and associated offices. It has a swinging

pendulum A pendulum is a weight suspended from a wikt:pivot, pivot so that it can swing freely. When a pendulum is displaced sideways from its resting, Mechanical equilibrium, equilibrium position, it is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that ...

which was purchased by the Ajaero family. *The Peter Schmidt Music Centre: Practice rooms, a computer room and an ensemble room. Named after former Head of Music, Peter Schmidt *The Drama Centre: Originally the school gym, it is now a performance area with lights, sound and video facilities. *The Concordia Cafe: An externally managed business from which students can purchase food and drink items at recess and lunch.

Curriculum

Primary School and Early Years Learning

Inquiry-based learning in the Early Learning Centres follows the Early Years Learning Framework and International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP). All programs within the Early Years are underpinned by the Reggio Emilia Philosophy, in which children have opportunities to participate in structured programs that promote experiential and play-based learning experiences in a constructivist and relationship-centred environment. The Primary School Curriculum in Reception to Year 6 follows the

International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) is an educational programme managed by the International Baccalaureate (IB) for students in grades Kindergarten to Fifth grade. While the programme prepares students for the IB Middl ...

(IB PYP), where students engage in pastoral care programs and have opportunities to participate in various co-curricular activities.

Middle and Senior School

The Middle School Curriculum in Years 7 - 10 incorporates the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP). Students in years 7 and 8 undertake a common course, except in 'Language B', where they choose from German or Chinese. An after-hours Special Interest Music Program is available to selected students in Year 8. Students in Years 9 and 10 are able to make subject choices in

The Arts The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation. They encompass multiple diverse and plural modes of thinking, doing and being, in an extremely broad range of media. Both h ...

and

Technology Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in medicine, scie ...

learning areas. Years 11 & 12, students are taught per the curriculum of the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE). The IB Diploma Programme was offered as an alternative until 2022 when it was terminated due to lack of interest. Students in the Middle and Senior Schools also have various opportunities to pursue VET courses and interests beyond the traditional school setting.

Music

Concordia College offers an extensive music program from Reception to Year 12 which encourages students to learn musical instruments and participate in ensembles, band groups, choirs and more. Groups include a range of Concert Bands, Big Bands, String and Percussion Ensembles, Wind Ensembles, Senior and Jazz Choirs and String Quartets. These ensembles perform in a number of services, concerts and other performances, both internally and externally throughout the school year. Concordia's music program has seen a number of ensemble groups participate in ABODA,

Generations In Jazz Generations In Jazz (often abbreviated to GIJ) is an annual weekend jazz festival held in Mount Gambier, South Australia. It is held in May and brings together many young jazz musicians from all over Australia and New Zealand. History The Ge ...

(GIJ) as well as interstate and overseas performances.

Arts and Design

Students at Concordia College also have opportunities to engage in a range of comprehensive arts and design programs. Subjects offered within these areas include Visual Art, Art Design, Design, Technology and Engineering, Food Design, Media, Photography and Digital Technologies.

Co-Curriculum

Co-curricular programs and activities offered include national subject competitions,

career counselling The career is an individual's metaphorical "journey" through learning, work and other aspects of life. There are a number of ways to define career and the term is used in a variety of ways. Definitions The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' defin ...

and work experience, excursions, field camps and instrumental music tuition. Other extra-curricular programs include Middle School, Year 9 & Senior School choirs, the annual College musical, Big Bands, School Orchestra, Concert Band, Music Ensembles (Concert Vocal, String, Percussion), Chapel music, Chess Club, Debating, Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Pedal Prix, Snow Trip, Writers' Club, Mind and Body Club, Electronics Club and House competitions.

Student Leadership

Students from any year level may participate in the College Student Forum (a

Student Representative Council {{Unreferenced, date=July 2014A students' representative council, also known as a students' administrative council, represents student interests in the government of a university, school or other educational institution. Generally the SRC forms par ...

) and students in Year 12 may become a School Captain, Deputy School Captain, Student Leader or House Captain. Students may also volunteer for respective leadership roles in their year level, such as an Ambassador in Year 9, Middle School Leader in Year 10, Peer Support Leader in Year 11 and Action Leader in Year 12.

Musicals

Concordia students may participate in the annual College

musical Musical is the adjective of music Music is generally defined as the The arts, art of arranging sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Exact def ...

. The musicals were performed at the Scott Theatre until 2009, then moved to the Hopgood Theatre for the musical Grease. The Sound of Music in April 2014 was the first Concordia musical to be held in the College Chapel. While Godspell was also held in the chapel, the 2016 performance of Hairspray was once again in the Hopgood Theatre. The performances are generally held in March or April. A long-established tradition, these musicals are a showcase of the music and drama departments. In 2020, all performances of the College Musical were cancelled due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...

, but a performance in the College Chapel without an audience was filmed. Musicals presented have included: Others in previous years have included: '' L'il Abner, Carousel'', ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical theatre, musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion (play), Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flowe ...

'', '' Annie Get Your Gun'', '' The Boy Friend'', ''

Fiddler on the Roof ''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and musical theatre#Book musicals, book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Russian Empire, Imperial Russia in or around 190 ...

'', ''

The Pirates of Penzance ''The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. Its official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 1879 ...

'', '' Calamity Jane'', Viva Mexico, '' Ruddigore'', '' HMS Pinafore'', Can You Imagine, '' Free As Air'', A Penny For a Song, God So Loved, Where Is God, '' Anything Goes'', Tom Sawyer, '' Salad Days'', and ''

Trial By Jury A jury trial, or trial by jury, is a legal proceeding in which a jury makes a decision or findings of fact. It is distinguished from a bench trial in which a judge or panel of judges makes all decisions. Jury trials are used in a significa ...

''.

Sport

Concordia College is a member of the Sports Association for Adelaide Schools (SAAS), and the Independent Girls Schools Sports Association (IGSSA). The sports offered at the college include: basketball, cricket, cross country, football, hockey, netball, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis and volleyball. Students also have the opportunity to participate in: * Knockout Competitions – the college enters teams in statewide competitions in sports such as basketball, netball and volleyball. * Sports Day – a whole school athletics event, held annually in March at the Santos Stadium with a focus on participation. * Interschool Athletics SSSSA – (combined boys/girls) in Term 1; Achilles Cup (Boys) and IGSSA (Girls) competition in Term 3. * Swimming Carnival – a school event for Years 7 – 10, held in the last week of the school year at Unley Swimming Centre. * Interschool Swimming Carnivals – organised by SSSSA (combined boys/girls) and IGSSA (girls only) * House Sport – Lunchtime netball, volleyball, and chess for which students may earn house points * Interschool Chess – the college participates in inter-school chess through the South Australian Junior Chess League

IGSSA Premierships

Concordia College has won the following IGSSA premierships. * Football - 2019 * Volleyball (6) - 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020

House system

As with most Australian schools, Concordia College utilises a

house system The house system is a traditional feature of schools in the United Kingdom. The practice has since spread to Commonwealth countries and the United States. The school is divided into subunits called "houses" and each student is allocated to on ...

. There are currently four houses, three named after three of the streets surrounding the college and the fourth, Malvern after the neighbouring suburb. Students represent their house in a number of activities, including Sports Day, Swimming Carnival and lunchtime house sports. Students earn points for their house through participation in these activities, and the house with the most points at the conclusion of the school year is awarded the House Shield.

Alumni

* Ernest George Moll, Australian poet * Vern Schuppan, Motor racing driver *

Ron Nagorcka Ron Nagorcka (born 1948) is an Australian composer, didjeridu and keyboard player. Nagorcka has been an important figure in the Australian experimental music scene for some 40 years. Since 1988 he has been living in Tasmania. Based out of Tasman ...

, Contemporary composer, didjeridu and keyboard player * Errol Wayne Noack, First Australian National Service conscript to be killed in the Vietnam War *

John Noack John Frederick Noack (born 16 May 1944) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Geelong in the Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as ...

, Australian rules footballer for Sturt and Geelong *

Jay Schulz Jay Schulz (born 18 April 1985) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League from 2010 to 2016. A high marking forward, he previously played for Rich ...

, Full Forward for Port Adelaide and Richmond * James Aish, Midfielder for Fremantle Football Club *

Cameron Bayly Cameron Bayly (born 11 October 1990) is an Australian professional racing cyclist. He won the mountains classification of the 2015 Herald Sun Tour and the third stage of the 2016 Tour of Taihu Lake. Major results ;2014 : 3rd Overall Tour de K ...

, Cyclist for OCBC Singapore Cycling Team and Search2Retain Cycling Team * Kayla Itsines, Personal trainer, entrepreneur, and author * Connor Fearon, Cyclist for Kona Gravity / Enduro Team *

Odette England Odette England (born 1975) is an Australian-British photographer whose artwork has been exhibited internationally. She often uses family photographs in her practice. England's work is held in the collections of the Museum of Contemporary Photogra ...

, Contemporary artist and photographer * Mason Redman, Australian rules footballer for Glenelg and Essendon * Amy Clark, Journalist/Podcast host * Ryan Harrison, Labor Candidate for Unley in the

2022 South Australian state election The 2022 South Australian state election was held on 19 March 2022 to elect members to the 55th Parliament of South Australia. All 47 seats in the House of Assembly (the lower house, whose members were elected at the 2018 election), and half th ...

* Tom Johnson, 7News Tasmania Journalist * Oscar Zi8gzag, professional Geoguessr * Iswinder Singh, Sikh Preacher

Associated people

* Agnes Marie Johanna Dorsch, teacher * Carl Friedrich Graebner, headmaster 1905-1939

References

External links

* {{Authority control Lutheran schools in Australia Private primary schools in Adelaide Private secondary schools in South Australia International Baccalaureate schools in Australia Educational institutions established in 1890 1890 establishments in Australia High schools and secondary schools affiliated with the Lutheran Church Elementary and primary schools affiliated with the Lutheran Church