Ruby started Calrossy while she still lived more than 12 hours away from the Tamworth-based school.

Ruby began eCalrossy last year as she embarked on the start of her secondary education. The 13-year-old calls Gumpopla Station, Packsaddle, home. It’s 135,000 acres of grazing country, 285 kilometres north east of Broken Hill, around 150 clicks from the Queensland border. Up until Calrossy Ruby was doing School of the Air but that all changed when her mum, Rebececca, heard about eCalrossy. She knew straight away the distance education program was the answer for Ruby for making the transition to secondary school.

“It’s an amazing option I loved having her here for Year 7, as a mum having her home for 12 months longer was great. She had 12 months to get her head around high school and we helped her navigate that at home,” says Rebecca Pearce.

The plan was always for Ruby to join her older sister, Charlotte, as a Calrossy Boarder. Charlotte is now in Year 10 at the school. After a great year that plan was fast-tracked for Ruby, with her keen to explore the sporting opportunities in Tamworth. Ruby is now a Year 8 Boarder at Calrossy.

Unlike any other distance education option Calrossy’s program offers real learning in real time, where the “distance” students have a weekly timetable, with lessons taught by Calrossy’s specialist subject teachers. Rebecca says the eCalrossy advantages are real.

“It is face to face, the technology and the teacher connection is brilliant. You get full engagement of students and teachers” Rebecca says.

Ruby agrees. “I like that you get to see the other students over the screen and it’s easier to communicate and harder to get distracted.” Her favourite subject was art and distance was no barrier to creating. “We were sent the materials at the start of the year and we can see the other students and their artwork.”

Rebecca said eCalrossy had a huge positive impact on her family. Freeing her up to spend more time with her two younger daughters, Lucy and Matilda, and help run the family business. 

“Distance education can be demanding as a parent, but with this Ruby was 100% independent. It set her up for her future schooling and provided a true reflection of where Ruby was at academically.”

As a trained teacher, Rebecca describes the quality of learning happening through eCalrossy as “exceptional”.