Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School and Datong High School Sister School
Partnership
 School logos appear
 Sound of PEGS choir singing Hallelujah
 Footage of James Wu and crowd on Great Wall
 Footage of First visit by PEGS to sister school – arriving at the school
 Footage of PEGS student, Evan Tsang in Infinity Centre library
 Footage of PEGS Infinity Centre sign
 Voiceover: “ Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School has maintained and developed a vibrant and rewarding sister school relationship with Shanghai’s Datong High
School for over 25 years. “
 Footage of PEGS students and Datong students walking on Datong running track
 PEGS students walking as a group in Shanghai
 Footage of flag-raising ceremony at Datong High, tug of war with Datong students,
 Principal Tony Larkin: “We aim to make the study of Chinese a genuine and enduring experience. Together, PEGS and Datong High, are two schools from two countries, with one purpose; to improve student learning, and to broaden the global perspective of our students and teachers.”
 Footage of early PEGS students singing at Datong concert
 Voiceover: “PEGS has been offering Chinese since 1971. The school has been a pioneer in Chinese education in Australia, with school leaders adapting the curriculum to acknowledge the growing global significance of China. The sister school relationship has been a vital part of this.”
 Chinese teacher giving calligraphy lesson
 Chinese students playing musical instruments
 PEGS student on exercise equipment with elderly Chinese man
 Antony Dapiran: “I first visited China on a Penleigh and Essendon Grammar
School trip in 1991. I thoroughly enjoyed my exchange experience at Datong
Middle School. In fact, I was so inspired by the trip that I have been coming back to
China ever since and have built my career here.”
 Footage of Antony giving a speech at Datong assembly a s a student & inset of
Antony speaking in front of Beijing’s CCTV building
 Footage of PEGS students singing at a concert in Datong
 Voiceover: “The multidimensional sister school partnership offers many invaluable opportunities for our students:”
Footage of PEGS and Datong students talking
 Scenes of of Beijing: Summer Palace, Forbidden City, Great Wall
-Voiceover: “Insights into Chinese culture through China study tours.
-Opportunities to further enhance language skills through sister school exchanges and a pen pal program
-The chance to form friendships with their sister school mates through Music and
Soccer tours, as well as the Shanghai Science Expo
Footage of PEGS student writing characters with elderly Chinese lady in a Chinese park”

Various slides of PEGS students engaged in sister school activities
Voiceover: “The ability for students from PEGS and Datong to experience the advantages of learning from teachers from both countries through teacher exchanges; all of which creates an internationalised education experience.”
 Alex Abella, filmed in PEGS Biology Laboratory: “Teaching at Datong High School in Shanghai in 2004 brought into sharper focus for me the things that I value most about the teaching profession.”
Footage of Chinese students doing exercises at Datong
Alex continues: “Although the cultural differences were stark initially, it was those universal values which I brought home with me. The universal values of friendship, forming strong relationships, and a thirst for inquiry.”
 Footage of Year 12 PEGS Chinese class
 Voiceover: “The motivation provided by engagement with the sister school has assisted in the retention rate of students studying Chinese – This year 30 students are enrolled in Units 1 &2 of VCE Chinese Second Language, and in Units 3 & 4 there are 33 students.”
 Gary and Clare O’Meara sitting in PEGS Infinity Centre Auditorium
Gary: “I studied Chinese at PEGS in the 70s – this paved the way for my Chinese teaching career. I’m delighted that my daughter Clare also decided to study
Chinese here and to take full advantage of the activities with our sister school.”
 Scenes of Shanghai – 1987 and 2014
Clare: “I’ve now completed a Diploma in Modern Languages and in September, I’m off to Beijing to do a Chinese language course. I’m looking forward to a Chinaoriented career.”
 Footage of PEGS students in classroom with Datong students; concert at Datong
 Voiceover: “PEGS students of all ages now look forward to following in the footsteps of their brothers and sisters, and in some cases their parents, in participating in the China Study Tour.”
 PEGS student Zachary Lee-McGowan - sitting in his classroom: “My older sister
Cleo has been to Datong High School on a study tour trip. My other sister Eliza is going on an orchestra trip. I hope to go to Datong when I get older.”
Pegs Chinese orchestra music begins
 Footage of PEGS Chinese orchestra
 Voiceover: “PEGS has a growing alumni that has made China a focus for their careers. Former PEGS students can now be found working throughout China in corporate law, real estate, education, consultancy, business and so on.”
 Footage of PEGS Infinity Centre, staue on the Bund in Shanghai
 Former student Cindy Gottinger filmed in Beijing, Various slides of China study tour in background, Chinese orchestra music continues: “Studying Chinese at PEGS with its rich language and cultural program, which includes activities with the sister school at Datong, helped inspire me to continue studying Chinese at university. I’m currently working in the brand management division at
Volkswagon Group China, where I put my Chinese language skills to good use every day.”
 Slide of PEGS China tour students on Tiananmen Square

 Voiceover: “The sister school partnership came about, most importantly, due to the strong desire within both schools to provide students with the opportunity to broaden their cultural awareness and enrich their language learning opportunities.”
 Slides of students having a Chinese meal; students and teachers with bikes on Xi’an
City Wall
 2013 PEGS China tour participants sitting on couches in front of Chinese paintings
 Comments from 2013 PEGS China tour participants: Vidya: ‘Seeing all the students do their morning exercises …other students “oh yeah”, Rowena: “outside our window, you could see like a thousand people, it was so crazy.”
 footage of Datong students running onto oval to begin the Flag-raising Ceremony
 Rowena: “They were so welcoming. I was so nervous but they just welcomed me straight in, straight away and I just felt at home.”
 Madeline: “It was a great motivation, um, to continue our Chinese studies”
 Cleo Lee-McGowan sings Dahai, accompanied by PEGS Chinese orchestra
 Slide is shown:
“The key factors that have enabled us to establish and sustain this valuable sister school relationship are:”
 Link to school policy and vision

Strong leadership support

Linked with language program

A team approach

Shared vision and common interest with partner school

Based on the principle of reciprocity

Ongoing and regular communication

A focus on planning of activities and collaboration
 The song ‘Dahai’ continues in background
 Voiceover: “The sister school partnership is an enduring bridge between the two schools, providing students from both countries access to each other’s cultures.
PEGS students know they are part of a global village and will continue to be at the forefront of Australia’s engagement with China throughout the Asian Century.”
 Footage of Chinese students kicking a football
 Slide of the sunrise on the Yellow Mountains in China
 Slide of PEGS students at the Yellow Mountains, wearing Chinese overcoats
 Singing continues, another scene of the sunrise then fades to black