Cire Community School is expanding its reach with a new campus in the heart of Lilydale to provide a positive alternative for young people struggling in mainstream education.
The new site in John Street will be a welcome extension of the Mount Evelyn campus which has almost reached capacity for its Year 7 to 12 students.
The recent approval from the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) to operate the Lilydale campus has topped off a particularly significant year for the Community School which introduced Year 5 and 6 at its Yarra Junction campus and also expanded to the City of Casey with a secondary school campus at Berwick.
The school is a core part of Cire Services Inc., one of the largest not-for-profits in the Yarra Ranges and unique to the region.
Cire’s CEO Gus Seremetis said the new Lilydale campus will help meet increasing demand among vulnerable youth for a positive alternative to mainstream education, realistic pathways to employment and training and the confidence to work towards a positive future with optimism.
“Cire is an established school of choice in this specialist sector,” Gus said.
“Based on the Berry Street model, we have a strong reputation for our holistic approach to meet the individual needs of each student and our trauma-informed practices. We are proud of our dedicated team of qualified staff with specialist expertise in the sector and for some, lived experiences.”
The school’s standing is reflected in its enrolments which have almost tripled since it commenced at Yarra Junction and Mount Evelyn in 2015 with a total of 99 students. In 2021, the school has 286 across its three campuses.
Cire Executive Manager Education Peri Dix said young people can struggle in mainstream education for all kinds of reasons.
“Cire aims to minimise the risk of students disengaging from their education, or help re-engage them, by providing alternative opportunities to learn and grow and become successful adults,” she said.
Cire enjoys a strong reputation and track record for engaging students who have previously struggled; some have not attended school for up to 18 months or more.
Successful outcomes include students transitioning to TAFE and further education, employment including apprenticeships and traineeships, and returning to mainstream school.
Cire Community School’s success is underpinned by specialist wellbeing teams and dedicated staff on each campus where each student is respected as an individual with unique needs.
“Our flexible and innovative approach is reflected in individual learning plans for each student, enabling them to achieve at their own pace and in their own way,” Peri said.
Cire Community School campuses offer a welcoming environment to ensure students have a sense of belonging, purpose and growth and are supported in their learning, wellbeing and life goals.
The expansion to Lilydale aligns with Cire’s Strategic Plan to source opportunities, particularly focusing on areas of need and growth that complement existing campuses in the Yarra Ranges.
Powered by its mission to meet the identified needs of people of all ages and help empower them through flexible education and training opportunities, Cire’s other core operations are Cire Early Learning (formerly Cire Children’s Services), Cire Training, an award-winning Registered Training Organisation (RTO), and Cire Community Hubs.
For those interested in learning more about what Cire Community School has to offer, please call 1300 835 235 or visit www.cire.org.au
