AME School

Association of Modern Education School
Location
Canberra Australia
Information
Opened	1972
Closed	1996
Head of school	Bernie Perrett
Grades	Kindergarten–10

The Association of Modern Education School (or AME School) was opened in early 1972 and ran as an independent community based school in Canberra until late 1996.

Planning for the foundation of the school began around 1970 and the school took over the disused government school buildings in the Canberra suburb of Duntroon, which had recently closed. The AME school first opened in February 1972 with Robin McConnell as headmaster. The school was a progressively run educational institution, which sought to foster an atmosphere in which kids were encouraged to develop their own particular talents, instead of sticking to a rigid set curriculum. The school enrolled students from Kindergarten to year 10.

Being socially and politically progressive, the school attracted an interesting and eclectic mix of students, many being the children of ANU academics and staff. Australian Senator Susan Ryan and former UN chief weapons inspector and diplomat Richard Butler were amongst the community of parents. Parent participation in the school curriculum was encouraged, strengthening strong ties and friendships between the school and families. Kids called teachers by their first names, which was unusual for the time at government schools in the ACT. The school was featured in the book Good Australian Schools and Their Communities, published in 1973. The AME school also pioneered the teaching of the Japanese language in ACT schools, with the employment of Saeko Ogi as Japanese teacher in 1973.

In 1974, Bernie Perrett took over as headmaster and remained at the school until early 1994. 1974 also marked the start of the long step to develop the school on a new site at Weston. During early 1978, the school moved from Duntroon to more permanent newly purpose-built school buildings in the Canberra suburb of Weston. Facilities at the new school were improved over those in Duntroon. The new school buildings were also largely constructed of wood to give the design and structure of the new school an organic feel. Some AME students were involved in Canberra's punk music and alternative arts scenes.

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