ST MARY’S Swan Hill has 100 reasons to celebrate.
The school is throwing a big celebration this weekend, commencing today, to commemorate their school’s centenary, with the school opening in 1919.
School principal Kate Quin said the students were excited about celebrating the school’s milestone.
“We’ve got a time capsule and they’re really excited about that,” Ms Quin said.
“Each class has put a page in together in a journal that’s capturing their thoughts on the essence of 2019.”
She said memorabilia included in the capsule included a current newsletter and copy of The Guardian, school uniforms, a canteen menu, parent handbooks and other handbooks and an annual report to the community.
To celebrate the opening of the time capsule in 25 years, when the school turns 125, confetti, balloons and glitter have also been added.
“When it’s opened in 25 years, we hope it will be a celebration,” Ms Quin said.
Ms Quin said the students and teachers were also participating in a daily quiz with the questions focussed on the school’s centenary.
Ms Quin said in celebrating the milestone, the students had learnt a lot about the school’s history.
“Through their religion lessons, but it’s been like an inquiry-based project around history and celebrations, and it’s been our celebration here,” she said.
She said it was an exciting time for the school.
“I think the significance of it, even for the children and the staff, is probably starting to hit home in a way that you’re never going to have that chance to celebrate such a special occasion in your school’s history,” she said.
“To be part of it is actually something that’s really memorable and something that the children will remember that they were here when that 100-year photograph was taken.
“We had a centenary mass when we commissioned our statue and unveiled it.”
Ms Quin started with the school in the 1980s, having taught at St Mary’s for more than 30 years.
Her long list of highlights at the school during that time have been the ongoing connections with students and parents and seeing the students grow to their full potential.
Another highlight for her was the move of the school from High Street, Swan Hill, to their current location on Murlong Street.
“It was certainly memorable. We were working in very confined spaces at the other school,” she recalled.
Ms Quin said the new site was just dirt when they arrived, but had since turned a shade of green with the school community involved in planting grass and trees.
She said the Josephite nuns played at huge role at the school, who were associated with the school from 1923 through to 1996.
“So they’re a huge past of the history,” Ms Quin said.
Another staff member excited to celebrate the centenary is deputy principal Ginny Gook.
She is the school’s longest serving teacher, commencing her teaching career with St Mary’s in 1978.
“I’ve had a number of different roles over the years,” Ms Gook said.
She has served as a school principal, as well as a special education and wellbeing leader.
“The biggest highlight is the relationships that I’ve been able to develop with staff, parents and with the children,” she told The Guardian.
“It is about the relationships and being able to make a difference in the lives of the children that have been through the school and to see them grow.”
Ms Gook said the students played a huge part in the way the school had developed over the years.
“Every time I drive past, you feel so proud of the way the school looks and the way it’s been,” she said.
