Message from the President

Our 125th year has been busy!  The Gala Dinner held at Leonda was a great night and a fantastic way to celebrate the milestone, and there was a terrific Wyvernian turnout.

The combined reunion and archive exhibition were also great hits!  Thanks to the College for organising the event, and to those that came along.  Apart from the stories the combined reunion saw the development of a bust of CF Walker which is to be donated to the College by well renowned sculptor and Wyvernian Carl Valerius (Class of 1961).  We hope to have the bust on display at the College by the end of the year.  Thank you to Carl for his hard work and generosity.

We are looking forward to the finale to the 125 year celebrations with the Carnival.  All are encouraged to come and join in the fun.  The Carnival will finish with fireworks at the end of the night!

In this edition of the eNews we are also pleased to feature some Wyvernians that have returned to teach at the college.  These former students are now back inspiring future generations. Thank you to Ryan Berg (Class of 2001), Sam Economou (Class of 2006), Tara McDougall (Class of 2005) and Phoebe Mellody (nee Pho) (Class of 2005), for taking the time to tell us your stories.

We mourn the loss of Rev Herbert Stevens, Principal from 1990 to 1993 and look back on his significant contribution.
One more Reunion left to go this year – the 1 year reunion – Class of 2014!  I look forward to a huge turnout!

Please feel free to contact me with your ideas for future editions.  Let me know of someone you think we should feature – could be a past teacher or one of your fellow Alumni. 

We are also currently planning for next year’s reunions and would welcome your involvement.

Stuart Castle
President Wyvernians

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Class of 2014 Reunion

The Class of 2014, 1 Year Reunion will be held on Thursday 20 August in the Cato Centre.

6.30pm - 9.30pm

This is a free event, but bookings are required for catering purposes.

Bookings can be made via Trybooking.

Vale Rev Herbert (Bert) Rhead Stevens AM

The Kingswood College Council, Principal, staff and alumni community are deeply saddened by the passing of Bert Stevens, past principal and highly respected member of the Kingswood College community. Bert died peacefully in his sleep last weekon Thursday 16 July aged 93.

Rev Herbert (Bert) Stevens was Principal of Kingswood from 1990 – 1993.

Bert is remembered with great fondness and admiration by the Kingswood College community.

Click here to read the full article

Kingswood College Community Carnival

Saturday 10 October 3pm - 8pm finishing with fireworks

The highlight of a year of celebrations, the Kingswood College Carnival is the culmination of our 125 years program of events.

The Carnival will have something for everyone including a fantastic range of stalls, activities, rides and entertainment for kids of all ages – big and small.

A fun afternoon out for the whole family the Community Carnival will finish with a spectacular fireworks display at dusk.

Gates open at 3.00pm and everyone is welcome!

125 Years Reunion

On Sunday 19 April the College held our 125 Years Combined Reunion at the Box Hill Golf Club.  The event was a huge success gathering Alumni from classes of 2000, 1995, 1990, 1985, 1980 and as far back as the 1940s.

It was a great chance for Alumni to reminisce and catch up with old friends over lunch.  Six of past Principal CF Walker’s children were in attendance and they shared some memorable footage of the College’s early years.  Also in attendance were past teachers and two of the College’s past Principals, David Scott and Annette Bennet.

A highlight of the afternoon was an impromptu singing of the School Song!  (Refer to the 125 years book, page 175 for the lyrics!)

Carl Valerius from the Class of 1961 is a sculptor and brought a clay model of C.F Walker to the reunion, to perfect the model before having it cast in bronze and donated to the College. It was a privilege to see Carl in action being guided by Robert Walker’s careful eye to ensure the model is as close to his father’s image as possible.

There are lots more photos to view on our Wyvernian Facebook page.

Amanda Berryman
Alumni Coordinator

Gala Dinner

On Saturday 25 July our College community enjoyed a magical evening at Leonda by the Yarra to celebrate 125 years of education.

A fantastic attendance from parents, staff and alumni was accompanied by beautiful food and great entertainment.  The band Chunky Jam had the room dancing from the very first set and a great time was had by all.

Lots more photos will be available on Facebook.

Amanda Berryman
Alumni Coordinator

Alumni to Head of Sport - Ryan Berg

I was proud to receive an academic and musical scholarship to Kingswood College. The place looked very different back then and my Year 7 homeroom was the current downstairs Art room! Sport was everything to me and I still have such great memories of competing against other schools in Footy, Cricket and Soccer. Athletics was another highlight for me and I did what I could in the pool for Swimming. I would do anything to be a part of the EISM and Champs teams and was proud to be involved in both most years. I loved being at Kingswood. There was something special about it that I couldn’t explain at the time. I knew I was in a great place, but being young and never attending another high school, it was hard to describe. There was just this sense of knowing there was something about the way the school was run and the opportunities we had that were better than what was out there beyond our fences.

My role is currently Head of Sport which I love. The essence of that role is basically to ensure all students get a chance to participate in a sporting activity one afternoon each week. Making sure the venues, coaches, buses, umpires, team lists and equipment are all organised so that kids can have fun is why I come to work each day.

Click here to read the full article

Alumni to English & Humanities Teacher - Sam Economou

I joined the College in 2004 in Year 10. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the College and relished the opportunity in Senior School to pursue my interest in English and the Humanities. In Year 12 I undertook Drama, English, English Literature, History and International Politics. I was lucky enough to secure a Premier’s Prize in International Politics and graduated dux with an ENTER of 99.10. What I enjoyed most about my time at Kingswood College as a student was being able to learn under exceptionally passionate and knowledgeable teachers who encouraged me to pursue the subjects that I loved.

I returned to Kingswood College at the start of this year, teaching English and Humanities. It is wonderful to be back in the place that enabled me to achieve so much and to work with our current students to help them achieve their potential. Many of the teachers who guided me as a student are still here and it is an honor and a privilege to be able to have them once again help me learn and improve every day.

Click here to read the full article

Alumni to English & Psychology Teacher - Tara McDougall

After finishing Year 12 at Kingswood in 2005, I went on to study Music Performance, then Literature, Psychology and Secondary Education. My position at Kingswood allows me to explore each of these different areas daily, which I am very grateful for. I teach English and Psychology in the Middle and Senior Schools, and direct the College’s Vocal Ensembles. The singing component of my position allows me to participate in College musicals, and I was very fortunate to be an Assistant Director of Hairspray this year. As a student I was always involved in productions and feel honoured to be able to guide students through the complexities of such an experience.

When I first started teaching at Kingswood, I was asked if I had a preference of which House I was placed in. As a Walker Wyvernian it was a quick decision, now a few years later I am proud to be Head of Walker House.

Click here to read the full article

125 Years Celebration Book

Celebrating 125 years of education at New College, Box Hill Grammar School and Kingswood College, this book is a must-have memento for your coffee table.

The book is available for purchase from our College Reception for $45, and will also be available at the combined Reunion.

Alumni to Prep Teacher - Phoebe Mellody

I wrote a short article for the Wyvernian eNews when I started working at Kingswood College in 2010 and now it’s 2015…time flies! My three sisters, Miriam, Naomi, Hannah I were all Kingswood students. I have fond memories of my time as a student at the College. Kingswood provided many opportunities for me to participate in music, sport, leadership activities and so on. When I finished Year 12, I studied a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education at The University of Melbourne. I applied for several jobs and was fortunate that Kingswood employed me! I am incredibly grateful to Mrs Anne Bennett for giving me my first job. I am currently the Prep teacher. I love working in the early years because the children are enthusiastic and eager to learn and explore new things. I consider it a privilege to play a part in their schooling journey. I like working collaboratively with students, staff and families. My husband Steve is also a teacher. Let’s just say, report writing time in my house can get a bit crazy! I often get asked if it’s strange working with some of my school teachers…yes, it was a bit weird at first, but I actually find it weirder having taught some of my teachers’ children! I have established lifelong friendships with many of my colleagues, including some of my teachers like Mr Dillon and Ms O’Keeffe. Teaching can be a very challenging and demanding job, but watching children master a skill,  celebrating their achievements with them and working with staff and families is what makes my job so rewarding and fulfilling.

Click here to read the full article

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