Round Square
The Hutchins School is committed to being internationally-minded by understanding and embracing diversity in all its forms, and by respecting and celebrating this diversity in order to foster a peaceful, just and sustainable world. Hutchins is proudly the first Hobart school to become a member of Round Square – a prestigious global network of high calibre schools excelling in character education, experiential learning and global citizenship.
What is Round Square?
Round Square is an internationally diverse network of more than 200 like-minded schools in 50 countries on six continents that connect and collaborate to offer world-class programs and experiences, developing global competence, character and confidence in students. Round Square schools are like-minded in their shared understanding of the hardwired link between character education and academic success.
What are the Round Square IDEALS?
As a Round Square school, we embrace the principle of IDEALS and embed them in our academic and pastoral programs across all sub-schools.
International understanding
Hutchins students learn to see themselves as global citizens and to look beyond gender, class, race, language, nationality and culture to understand human nature. Understanding that the most powerful force in advocating and promoting international understanding is exposure to different cultures, we aim to undertake a range of exchange, conference and collaborative activities with other schools throughout the Round Square global network and beyond. Students from all nationalities and cultural backgrounds are welcomed into our school community where they learn to appreciate, value and respect diversities.
Democracy
Freedom of thought and speech is greatly encouraged at Hutchins where appropriate forums provide opportunities for democratic student involvement in the operation of various programs. We are active in preparing students to develop strong sense of responsibility and take on leadership roles at all ages and stages. We promote kindness, fairness and equity in all we do.
Environmental stewardship
Hutchins students learn about the fine balance needed to maintain a healthy interdependent relationship between human beings and the planet. They are expected to demonstrate an active interest and concern for all natural environments, to be aware of proven problems and to play a practical role in tackling environmental issues. We envisage students as active participants in our transition to an environmentally sustainable school. Students are encouraged to become environmentally aware citizens and are therefore equipped and motivated to ensuring an environmentally sustainable future for all.
Adventure
Hutchins students are offered activities that foster a spirit of adventure and allow them to discover that they are capable of more than they might have imagined. These include challenged-based outdoor programs as well as other co-curricular activities such as debating, dancing, chess and career development in which students are challenged by new experiences, setting and then stretching to reach a personal goal in other hobbies and areas of interest. Students are encouraged and challenged with the Round Square motto ‘there is more in you than you think’.
Leadership
Hutchins students learn that true leadership is serving others and is found in those whose convictions are rooted in personal responsibility, kindness and justice. Opportunities for student leadership under the Round Square framework are fostered, and a high level of responsibility is passed onto students individually and collectively. We support the idea that leadership has many facets and that learning to be a leader is inclusive as part of a journey of personal growth. It is our belief that all boys are first and foremost leaders of self and this philosophy underpins many of the expectations we place on all boys. Leadership is therefore inculcated as part of the development of leadership of oneself and then of others.
Service
The service program at Hutchins has evolved over decades of engagement by students in a multitude of service activities. Service learning encourages students to seek out individual opportunities to serve, giving tangible expression to our Christian values. Each Hutchins student is taught the importance of making a positive contribution to the world with a sense of their own worth and character, and a well-developed sense of citizenship. Students in Senior School are expected to perform a substantial number of service hours, either in school-sponsored, regional or international projects.
Contact
For more information about Round Square at Hutchins, please contact Global Learning Co-ordinator Mr Erik Marr at Erik.Marr@hutchins.tas.edu.au.