Round Square Collaboration with Barker College

MLC School is proud to be a Round Square School celebrating 20 years of involvement in the Round Square organisation in 2023. As part of this we are involved in the wider Round Square community including schools across NSW, Australia and the world. This year Barker College is joining the Round Square community and last week MLC School students worked alongside Barker’s new Round Square committee to introduce the Round Square IDEALS, discuss projects and develop future goals.

MLC School hosted 12 Barker College Year 10 students who make up their Round Square Committee alongside two teachers last Wednesday afternoon. The afternoon saw MLC School students from across Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12 work with the Barker College students as an introduction to being a Round Square School, how Round Square works at MLC School and our individual experiences. From after lunch into the afternoon, the event was comprised of presentations, activities and planning sessions regarding how Round Square can be adapted for Barker College and brainstorming the Round Square IDEALS and their role in our wider school community.

All Round Square activities and events are based around the 6 IDEALS of Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership and Service alongside the 12 Round Square Discoveries. We discussed how these focus areas interlink and how they can be imbedded in classroom and co-curricular learning alongside Round Square events.

Presentations included the 2022 International Conference in the UK as well as the upcoming 2023 International Conference in Kenya, our recent International Women’s Day Postcard event and Round Square through the period of COVID-19 lockdowns. Activities and discussion groups covered current and future Round Square initiatives, the groups’ areas of interest and key current issues as well as where to start with being a Round Square School. It was an amazing opportunity for discussion and collaboration with both schools being inspired with new ideas for future Round Square projects. For MLC School, as an experienced Round Square School, we were able to see new perspectives regarding Round Square and events we hold here.

It was a fantastic afternoon of fun, discussion and enthusiasm for Round Square and a great demonstration of the value of the Round Square community outside of MLC School.

– Elizabeth (Year 12)
Round Square Captain