Our Action Plan
Dear Coaches and School Leadership,
Our team’s research by surveys revealed the best way to sustain this program was to have a dedicated coach who
would inspire not only students and parents but also the Leadership Team of the school. To do this, she has
needed to be proactive. Most schools begin FPS because one teacher believes in it and introduces it. However, in
order to embed the FPS Program in the extra-curricular life of the school, the new teacher had to maintain her
strong belief in the program’s potential to inspire and challenge bright students, train herself to become a very
proficient coach and gain strong support from other trained teachers as well as the School Leadership Team.
The following events are significant ones that helped embed the FPS Program at our school.
1994 Our school attended National Finals for the first time This success inspired other students and teachers.
1995 Mary Lane became an Australian evaluator and helped organise coaching and evaluation seminars.
1996 As a NSW spokesperson she helped organise the first Study Days for students in NSW. Later, many of these
events were hosted by our school.
1997 Mary Lane organised for Principal Dr Leoni Degenhardt to write to the FPS National Director suggesting
Australian Finals should move around the states.
1999 After a number of minor places, the school came 1st in the Senior Division of GIPS and was invited to IC.
2001 Mary Lane evaluated for the first time at IC (other occasions followed for GIPS booklets, CmPS projects
and Scenarios). From very early she helped train many coaches and evaluators, also learning from them.
2003 Our school hosted, on behalf of NSW FPS Committee, the first National Finals held outside Victoria.
2005 School was host for National Finals a second time. Integrated Learning students in Year 7 completed a
CmPS Project which came 2nd at National Finals. Class GIPS competition began for Year 8 gifted students.
2007 Mary Lane accepted position of CmPS Coordinator for Australia.
2009 Outstanding student was encouraged to apply for the inaugural FPSPI Scholarship and won it.
2010 After years of promotion of the idea and much discussion, the school named its first Academic Activities
Captain to replace the Debating Captain. Three student leaders since then have been FPS students.
There is strong evidence that Mary Lane was able to
achieve teacher and leadership support from early on.
As well as Dr Degenhardt’s 1997 letter and the hosting
of the National Finals, a 2008 letter from the Chair of
School Council also showed appreciation and support.
Many teachers have agreed to be coaches. Anne Brown,
coach of the first team to win at Nationals was a
frequent tour escort to both Nationals in Melbourne
and IC in USA. Teachers from the wider community
have also been appreciative of Mary Lane’s work. Coach
Martina Rapisarda from Blacktown Girls’ High School
(Grand Champions at IC in Middle CmPS 2008)
acknowledged her great help when she supported her
nomination for the FPSPI Keith Frampton Coaches’
Award in 2008; and Margaret Witts, Kambala coach,
NSW Convenor and Member of the Committee of
Management, stated when completing our survey, “I
have enjoyed being supported by Mary Lane in her
coaching sessions when I was very inexperienced as a
coach”.
There have been slow times, and frustrations. High level
competition success, an important factor in making the
program attractive to students, did not come quickly at
our school so it was important to promote other
benefits. Students were helped to see its ability to
improve their teamwork and general problem solving
skills as they had the opportunity to make like-minded
friends. Secondly, teachers were not always keen to train
to improve their coaching skills, or become evaluators,
but organising for them to go on tour with successful
teams has been a great way to inspire them.
As a result of the events and practices outlined, a
program that began as the interest of one teacher, far
from being a ’one year wonder’ has become an
important part of our school’s last twenty-two years.
We hope we have many
more years of the program
and that our story may help
others achieve continuity.
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Yours Sincerely,
2013 CmPS Team