Kerang is strategically positioned on the highway network between Swan Hill, Echuca and Bendigo in the productive northwest irrigation area of Victoria.
The town has a population of over 4000 and the Kerang Technical High School draws its students from the town and the wider district, which has a population of over 12000. The main industries in the area are agriculture, dairy farming, engineering and horticulture so many of our students come from a farming background. The three nearest centres with larger populations are Swan Hill, Echuca and Bendigo, which meet the added needs for goods, services and entertainment.
KTHS draws its students from seven primary schools namely Kerang Primary School, Kerang South PS, St. Joseph’s PS, Kerang Christian School, Koondrook PS, Murrabit Group School and Lake Charm. There is a strong network between the secondary school and the feeder schools with combined Professional Development Days and involvement in the Year 6 to Year 7 Transition Program. Given the geographic spread of the catchment area, a significant number of students travel by bus to school, which means that running after school programs is difficult.
The school began as a Higher Elementary school in 1913 and was proclaimed as a High School in 1919. The technical component was added in 1973 from which time the school has been known as Kerang Technical High School. The Technical Wing has been a strong feature of KTHS. It caters for students in Woodwork, Automotive, Engineering, Welding and Metalwork. The facilities, the enthusiastic ‘Tech’ staff and the pathway offered by the Technical Wing have ensured that it is an important component of the school and community. More recently the school has undergone a refurbishment plan with new food technology and canteen being built and both our red brick building and the Library being upgraded to better reflect the learning needs of the students at KTHS.
KTHS sits in 19 hectares of sporting fields, lawns and gardens. The school has also used 6.2 hectares for its ‘farm’ and this is certainly an asset. McLeod Oval is the main sporting area and an athletics track has been constructed with the joint assistance of the Little Athletics Association. The School’s facilities are available to the community. Thornely Hall is used extensively for Community events as well as school occasions.
The organizational structure of the school is both vertical and horizontal. There are two Houses, which are vertical in structure, led by two House Managers. Students remain in the same Houses throughout their years at school. Home Group meetings are organised through the House system, as is the Athletics and Swimming carnivals. The Year Level Coordinators monitor the progress of the students and deal with the welfare and discipline matters. The school is also divided into Junior and Senior school for curriculum planning and delivery purposes. Two senior members of staff manage the ‘mini schools’.
The school has a teaching staff of 29, a quarter of whom work on a part-time basis. Seventeen School Services Officers and School Council Employees complement the teaching staff as Administrative Support, Librarian and Library Technician, Science Laboratory Technician, Wellbeing Manager, Youth Worker, Integration Aides, Canteen Manager and Grounds and Cleaning Staff.
KTHS has a strong Welfare program overseen by our new Wellbeing Coordinator. A school nurse is shared by Swan Hill and KTHS and the School Psychologist visits the school regularly. The Psychologist is shared by KTHS and the Primary schools in the district. KTHS has its own part-time Youth Worker to further extend the Welfare program and is a part of the Doctor’s in Schools Program.
KTHS has a proud reputation of providing a rich co-curriculum program which caters for the majority of students in the school. There is a high participation rate by students and the programs have been strongly supported by parents. Every effort is made to implement programs/events which cater to individual needs. We have Pathways to V.E.T & V.C.A.L, The Alpine School, Middle School Trips, Year 7 Transition Camp, Year 10 Work Experience, Great Victorian Bike Ride and the Feathertop Hike. Since 2007 KTHS has partnered with The Rotary Club of Kerang, to offer an alternative to the End of Year 12 Schoolies week, with a Community Aid program to Cambodia.
A small core of parents is actively involved in the school. Parents are involved in the school council and nearly all of the sub-committees in the school. There is a very strong and active Canteen Committee which meets regularly and supports the Key Learning Areas in the purchase of equipment. Parents are also called upon to provide transportation to functions where students are involved and this is always a positive contact between parents and the extracurricular programs offered.
