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Contact: Jenni Brockman Phone: 804-443-3357 Fax: 804-443-6781 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tappahannock (December 9, 2002) - The two schools share the same name, college preparatory mission and many of the same values. Now, through a new faculty exchange program, teachers from St. Margaret's School in Australia and St. Margaret's School in Tappahannock are exploring those similarities and learning from some interesting differences. 
Photo left:
Jan Richards, a teacher from St. Margaret's School in Berwick, Australia, spent three weeks at St. Margaret's School in Tappahannock as part of a faculty exchange between the two schools. Her host was SMS teacher ViAnn Farmer of Miller's Tavern.
"It's broadened my knowledge of curriculum, given me a chance to observe other teaching styles, and allowed me to learn so much about American culture," said Australian teacher Jan Richards. Richards, Year 12 Coordinator and Head of the Home Economics department at St. Margaret's in Berwick, recently concluded a three-week exchange in Tappahannock. Her goals included learning more about graduation ceremonies, alumni programs, fundraising and international education--all areas in which the American school could offer ideas and potential models to its Australian sister institution. Fundraising, for example, is a relatively new concept for Australian private schools, which receive government subsidies. But as those subsidies decrease and their facility needs increase, schools find themselves needing to approach parents, alumni and friends for donations. To accomplish her goals for the exchange, Richards met with a wide variety of SMS faculty and staff, attended classes, and generally participated in the life of the school. She will return to Australia with more than 20 pages of typed notes and plans to ship home two large boxes of brochures, handbooks and other reference materials. In addition, Richards shared Australian culture with the SMS community. At an all-school town meeting, she told Tappahannock students about their counterparts on the other side of the world, and encouraged them to participate in the two schools' student exchange program. She also enjoyed a home stay with the family of SMS teacher ViAnn Farmer in Miller's Tavern. Richards particularly liked trying such local specialties as crabcakes and biscuits, going to the supermarket, and celebrating a traditional American Thanksgiving. Farmer spent nearly a month at Richards' school earlier this year as the Tappahannock school's first faculty exchange participant. The American and Australian St. Margaret's are joined by their membership in the Queen Margaret of Scotland Girls' Schools Association, a group that includes 11 schools in 7 countries named for the Scottish saint. The Australian school, located in the far suburbs of Melbourne, serves 650 day students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. |
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