PS Issue 2 2012 - Torrens Valley Christian School

TVCS
Welcome
PS
Welcome to the first edition of the Torrens Valley Christian School (TVCS) – Post Script or Past
Scholars (PS). This newsletter is to keep all our Past Scholars from all years connected. The definition of PS as in Post Script means - a paragraph , phrase etc, added to a letter that has already been
concluded and signed by the writer; Any addition or supplement , as one appended by a writer to
a book to supply further information. This seems to be apt, as you have concluded your time here
at Torrens Valley Christian School, this chapter has closed, new chapters in your life have opened.
As an author adds a Postscript to their story, it is for you to send in your items and photos to share
and add your own Postscript to your story. PS also, stands for Past Scholars, which fits well with our
youthful Past Scholars, considering that our oldest Past Scholars only left 22 years ago.
A New Logo For a New Era
Celebrating 30 years of TVCS
Past Scholars Newsletter
On the 17 September 2009 a new Logo for Torrens Valley Christian School was launched to celebrate our 30th Anniversary.
The Logo honours the past but gives a fresh approach to our future. We were very pleased that
the original designer of our school logo, Mr William Vaastra, was both delighted and supportive of
this significant update.
The Logo components are:
• The Fish Symbol that is completed by the child’s embrace suggesting more of an intrinsic, personal, spiritual relationship.
• The Adult Figure offers a protective, embracing stance, appearing strong yet gentle, creating the
notion of guidance, support, nurture and protection for the child.
• The head is inclined suggesting caring and watchfulness and is symbolic of a parent/ guardian/
teacher and also of Christ.
• The Child Figure with arms outstretched and legs ajar presents a joyful, playful, positive and innocent impression. Its inclination is both outward, carefree and confident while also posturing
inward, seeking the company and care of others.
•
Each of the three elements are also crosslike in structure with the collective shape reminiscent of the
three crosses on the hill at Calvary. The new Logo has a clear sense of a faith centred community,
with an underpinning impression of family and is a more meaningful and relevant representation of
the school community.
2012
‘11
EDITION
EDITION TWO
ONE
1
PS
TVCS Past Scholars Newsletter
CONTENTS
Welcome............................................2
Farewell from the Principal........3
Old Scholars News:
Mike Wayne......................................4
Eliza Camac........................................4
Leighton Boyd..................................5
Matthew Glaetzer...........................6
Staff News:
Mr John Fox........................................7
Mrs Barbara Denny.........................9
Reunions
Birth, Deaths & Marriages
Contact Us
....................................8
If you would like to go on the Past
Scholars mailing list or need to
update your details, please
go to the website:
www.tvcs.sa.edu.au
2
Welcome to the second edition of the Torrens Valley Christian School–Post Script or Past Scholars newsletter, TVCSPS. It was very exciting to launch our first edition in November 2011 and what a great response
I received for you. Thank you for the
emails of encouragement that were
sent; I hope from these small beginning
this publication will grow and be a delight to our Past Scholars.
It has been a year of consolidating and
trialling new approaches to our Past
Scholars. We have been working on
our database trying to track down your current email and
contact addresses. We have successfully held a First reunion
for the Class of 2010 this year, the other reunions for the
Class of 2007 and Class of 2002 have not generated a level
of interest to be able to host an evening for those years but I
am forever an optimist and believe that, in time, momentum
will increase and we will have regular reunions occurring. If
you are interested in being involved in that process please
send me an email.
Our Principal Nigel Bennett will be leaving at the end of 2012
and Torrens Valley Christian School has moved into a new future with the announcement of our first female principal, Mrs
Julie Prattis, from Trinity Christian School, Canberra. Our first
School Chaplin, Mr Chris Roberts, will be leaving us after 5
years at TVCS, to pastor at a church in Willunga. Mrs Barbara
Denny, who many of you will remember as our dedicated
school cleaner is retiring, along with Mr John Fox our legendary and much-loved VET Coordinator and Tech teacher will
also retire at the end of this year, after 16 years at TVCS.
Once again I say thank you, I appreciate and am thrilled to
hear of the wonderful adventures our Past Scholars are up
to, from many different locations all over the globe and their
involvement in an unimaginable variety of occupations and
callings. I have some interesting articles already for our next
edition looking at our Past Scholars in the missionary field.
Please continue to send in your comments, stories, and photos for the magazine. If you are passing by at any time please
call in and see us. I would love to be able to show you around.
Sue Learey
Community Development Officer
S
Farewell from the Principal
Dear Friends of TVCS
PS
It is quite likely that by the time you read this, I will be a Past (old) Principal just as you are a Past (old)
Scholar. After nine years at TVCS, it is time for me to move on and leave this wonderful place to Mrs
Julie Prattis, whom I know God has brought to serve Him at this little pearl of a school in Hope Valley.
The little story of the ‘Pearl of Great Price’, in Matthew 13, tells of a man who gave up all he had and
sold it to buy the pearl. When we were in Darwin last year, for an International Conference on Christian education, I saw just how true this story is to the economy of Australia. The question will always
be, is being educated at Torrens Valley Christian School really worth it? Was it for you? If you have
discovered that the pearl of wisdom & knowledge is found in Christ, and that it was demonstrated
every day around the school, then you have a treasure which is eternal.
My passion in coming to Torrens Valley was to ensure that the school I left was on about the main
thing- a distinctive, grace-filled, selfless Christian view of the world.
Every Past Scholar will be able to relate stories of events and situations where things were not that
great and some will even want to forget some TVCS moments. However, these times are just the
reason that Jesus came along. Transformed young lives and maturing older folk are both inspiring to
recall. I remember great moments, exciting times, tragic events and many times of great laughter in
the Office & Staffroom. The Principal experiences proud moments and unbelievable sadness, often
in the same week. Yet the gospel makes sense of it all.
Thank you for your support, friendship, kindness and help as we have improved TVCS over the past
nine years. In many ways the school is better but in the important things, it hasn’t changed at all.
I would like to commend Mrs Sue Learey (Editor) for her courage in starting this new role at Torrens Valley Christian School. As Community Liaison and now Development Officer, Sue has helped
strengthen the foundation of our school, through its many links to Past Scholars and families. This
long-term perspective is so important and I want to say how blessed Torrens Valley is to have Sue
Learey in this position.
The cost of attending Torrens Valley is worth every cent and I trust you will one day have a chance
to return to the school, work or volunteer at TVCS or even enrol your lovely, young child and enjoy
the school you remember from the ‘old days’. I will look forward to seeing you again and recalling
moments like sharing devotions on a hill in the Flinders Ranges.
God bless to you in your next stage of life,
In His Service
Mr Nigel Bennett
TVCS Principal
2004-2012
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Old Scholar News
Mike Wayne (2002)
PS
I’ve been keeping myself very busy; I manage a business unit for an Oil & Gas company. It involves
a lot of travel all around the world & I’ve spent more time on a plane than in my own bed, but it’s
worth it. Some of my school teachers might remember that I always had a dream to drive racing cars.
They always said I needed a real job, so I got one of those but always aimed to follow my dream. It’s
been going pretty well with that dream and I have raced in America and Australia.
Currently in the 2012 Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship, Mike is in 6th place in the National Points listing.
Eliza Camac (2007)
Congratulations to Eliza Camac the 2012 South Australian Apprentice of the Year.
Employment, Higher Education and Skills Minister, Tom Kenyon has announced watchmaker Eliza
Camac as the 2012 South Australian Apprentice of the Year.
Eliza Camac, one of only two watchmaker apprentices in South Australia, is employed by Aaron
Lawrence Jeff Brown Watchmaker and Jeweller.
Eliza Camac had started work in the watchmaking industry during a gap year, going on to complete
a Certificate III in Watch and Clock Making. Mr Kenyon said. “Ms Camac stood out as being inspirational and passionate about her trade. Her enthusiasm will no doubt make her a great ambassador
for the watchmaking industry, as well as encouraging other young people to take up an apprenticeship or vocational education training,”
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S
Leighton Boyd (2004)
PS
After finishing Year 12 at TVCS in 2004 I had the privilege of travelling to the USA with fellow TVCS
mates Joel Juncken, Nathan Barker along with other Australian Christian School Basketball players. Mr
Tucker and Mr Loechel were great leaders during the trip, which saw us play basketball against 8 US
high schools while still have time to take in amazing sights. I remember visiting Washington DC being
a highlight and also very cold!
I went straight into study in 2005, commencing a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation Management at
University of South Australia’s Mawson Lakes campus. University was great and after doing casual
work during University for SASRAPID (SA Sport and Recreation Assoc. for People with Integration
Difficulties) received my first graduate job – a 12 month contract with SASRAPID organizing various
sports programs like swimming, indoor cricket and soccer for some awesome young people.
A highlight during my time at University was being part of the leadership of a Christian group on
campus called Evangelical Students (ES). I made some great friends and had a fantastic support
network around me. If you are heading to University I can recommend getting involved, head to
www.es.org.au for all the information. Another highlight was that in 2005 through ES that I met Pip,
who is now my wife! We were married at the end of 2008 and after living for a few years caretaking
Flinders Street Baptist Church, we have just moved to Belair to be caretakers of Nunyara Conference
Centre. Pip and I enjoy attending church at Hawthorn Church of Christ, just down the road from
where we live.
In 2007 I went on a short term mission trip to Malawi with a group called African Enterprise (AE),
which has lead to the work I’m doing today. In Malawi I met a team from AE called the FoxFires,
who then toured Australia in 2008 and asked me to help host them. That tour put me in touch with
Youth for Christ (YFC) who I now work for, running school seminars across South Australia! It has
been great to return to TVCS and run a few seminars during the past few years working with YFC.
Head to www.yfc.org.au to read about YFC or search for ‘Lightside’ on Facebook to see pictures and
updates.
Outside of working for YFC I have continued to enjoy playing basketball and am currently part of
the leadership at SA Church Basketball Club, which is a district basketball club based in Adelaide.
Our motto is ‘more than basketball’, we believe in basketball excellence, but more importantly in
putting people first and developing character. Get in touch if you would like to get involved as a
player, coach, manager or as chaplain - the club email is [email protected]. I’m excited
about the future and hope to be involved for many years to come.
God bless,
Leighton Boyd
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Matthew Glaetzer (2010)
PS
Since graduating TVCS in 2010, it has certainly been an eventful time in my life. I chose to complete
year 12 over 2 years as the training load I was under did not allow me to tackle a full load of subjects.
While finishing off my year 12 in 2011, I was also focusing on my cycling and see if I could make the
Olympic team.
The year started with me making the senior World Championships in my first year as a senior which
was a great achievement in itself. I ended up finishing 11th in the Individual Sprint after facing Sir
Chris Hoy in the Quarter finals.
I finished my year 12 with an academic score of 91.8 but through the bonus points given through
Marden Senior College (where I completed year 12) my overall score was 98.3! I now sound much
smarter than I actually am which is awesome!
The year 2012 came around and I had my gap year to really give 100% into my attempt to make
the Olympics. The year started great with me again making the World Championship team. We
were extremely successful in the Team Sprint with us qualifying in 3rd place but was then moved up
into 2nd place due to the Germany doing an illegal exchange part the way through their race. This
meant we were now riding for the World Championship and my other two team mates and I were
pumped and ready to tear it up. We qualified 0.3sec slower than the French so it was going to be
tough but coming into my part of the race we were 0.13sec down and after my lap we won and
became World Champions by 0.001sec! That is the smallest margin that the timing system measures
in track cycling.
After that performance my chances of making the Olympic team really went through the roof and I
ended up taking the place of my 28 year old team mate and at the age of 19 became an Olympian!
Our team ended up coming 4th in the Team Sprint and I praise God for enabling me to be at the
highest level of sport in the world at this early age as an athlete.
Matt Glaetzer
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S
TVCS Staff News
PS
In 2012 we acknowledged Enid Grace for 25 years of outstanding and dedicated service to our
school community.
We have several teaching staff moving on from Torrens Valley Christian School. Jan Broughton, who
some of you will remember as Jan Inglis is now owner and manager of a Bed and Breakfast in the
Adelaide Hills, Sharon Davies has moved to another Primary school, and, as mentioned earlier, Chris
Roberts, our first School Chaplain will be pastoring a church in Willunga, and Nigel Bennett, our
Principal, will also be moving down south to Pilgrim School, Aberfoyle Park.
2012 has also brought around the retirements of Barbara Denny and John Fox, who have both included some farewell comments.
John Fox
Greetings,
It is with a measure of sadness I have decided to write my retirement letter. I am now in my 16th year
of service at Torrens Valley Christian School and it has been a fantastic 16 years serving the Lord
God Almighty and Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour and serving the great students at our school.
There have been so many highlights throughout the years in my VET program with 25 students who
have studied my VET subject receiving a SACE Merit, for me, this has been especially rewarding and
deep within my soul it has put my own KPI’s, (for me), up there. To have eleven students win the Australian Vocational Student Prize and four of those winning the Prime Ministers Award for best VET
student in Australia is extremely satisfying, and with the bonus of the prize money they received.
Other highlights included two students winning the Defense Technical Scholarship and six students,
finalists in the State Training Awards with one student winning the category for best School Based
Apprentice and one pending on 14th of September at the gala dinner and presentation.
I have been extremely blessed to have been able to use my initiative and have been allowed to
work outside the square in gaining study courses and developing career pathways for all the students who have chosen to study VET at our great school. Many students have gone on to study
at University and gain their degrees within their field of fascination, having been introduced to the
subject matter in my VET program at school. Two examples that spring to mind is Beth who having
studied Environmental Management during VET went on to gain her Doctorate in Environmental
Sciences at Flinders Uni and Meg having gained her Diploma in Enrolled Nursing during VET at
school went on to gain her Degree in Midwifery at Flinders Uni, these are very special outcomes.
Many students have been able to gain their
Certificates 1, 2, 3, 4 and Diploma’s in my VET
program in fields of study that have peaked their
interest. The many School Based Apprentices
(ASbA) that I was able to sign up, who have now
become fully qualified tradies has been a very
special privilege.
I have been fortunate to be able to bring in, well
in excess of $150,000 in VET grants which has
been well spent in supporting our VET students.
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PS
With my networking contacts I have been instrumental in gaining full employment for many of our
graduate students over the years which has been particularly satisfying.
Having the privilege of guiding 3 groups of students overseas on their study tours so that they could
enjoy and learn about the culture and life style has been a special blessing.
One of my great joys was to raise funds by asking people for donations for students (whose parents
were financially stressed) to pay for their VET courses.
I have been thrilled and honoured to teach Tech at TVCS which is also a great passion of mine, to
have each year 7 student construct a laminated breadboard all made out of recycled timber collected from building sites (with permission) thus making great use of our resources and to teach the
students to be good stewards of our environment was very important to me. I estimate that I have
brought in well in excess of $20,000 worth of timber which has been a wonderful blessing to our
school and eased the budget constraints. Also with this timber I was able to stay open and give of
my time every Tues. and Thurs. lunchtime and every Tues. after School, for the children to come
and construct their own projects that they wanted to build eg, dog kennels, skateboard ramps, doll
houses, coffee tables, love hearts etc. This was very special for me, to offer this opportunity to the
students and to instill in them a passion for Tech.
Every Thursday after school it was my privilege to run my Guitar making sessions building electric
guitars with the students and to have these students win first prize in the Royal Adelaide Show for
their instruments. A great highlight was the visit of the Prime Minister to my guitar making session in
2008.
Another very special task I set for myself was to resource our new Tech Dept with state of the art
machinery and equipment, to this end I set about seeking donations from some of Adelaide’s leading philanthropists. To date I have raised $46,000 and with this money I have purchased most of
our equipment and machinery for the benefit of our students. I was very pleased to have the skills,
opportunity and ability to do this.
I have been extremely privileged and deeply honoured to work with such a great group of students,
I have always given my best and have been sustained by the Lord God Almighty who has guided
and supported me all the way.
This past 16 years has been a very special journey for me and I thank the Board and all the students
for allowing me to serve them in such a special way. Ephesians 2: 10 For we are God’s workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us (me) to do.
And to my Creator God from whom all blessings flow and to all the fantastic students who have
come across my path, I give thanks.
John Fox
VET Coordinator
Tech Teacher
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S
Barbara Denny
PS
I started at Torrens Valley Christian School 29 years ago when there were only two log cabins, which
were used as classrooms, library and office. The toilet block was a single brick building consisting of
high school girls, high school boys and staff. On the side of the building was a small room used for
cleaning gear, storage, sports gear and gardening tools.
There were no paths and when it rained, cardboard was put down as make-shift paths. The toilets
were cleaned with a shovel and hose when it rained. There was no home ec room and classes were
held at my home on Lower North East, Highbury.
Slowly the school grew and I saw the log cabins used for a range of different classes. Once it was
used as a swimming pool when we had a storm and Enid’s library come classroom was nearly left
one foot under water.
The school slowly began to grow and we were running out of room and some of the classes were
held in the back rooms of the Hope Valley Uniting Church. I had to clean them first and then come
back and clean the school.
The school continued to grow and I managed to outlast four Principals and 6 Business Managers.
Each one of them had their own ideas on how they wanted the school cleaned. Talk about making
my job more difficult.
Over the years the students played many pranks on the cleaners, most of them not being able to be
told here. One that always makes me laugh was when someone stole the 4 wheels off the vacuum
cleaner.
I thank God for the opportunity to be able to work for TVCS over the past 29 years. This gave me
the means to be able to support my family during our time of need. I also thank TVCS for educating
my two children, Scott and Marnie, both of which have excelled in their chosen careers. Marnie is a
dental hygienist and Scott is an Inspector with the SA Police force.
I look forward to my retirement where I can spend more time with my 5 grand children and also
enjoy caravanning holidays with my husband.
Barbara Denny
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Births, Deaths & Marriages
BIRTHS
MARRIAGES
Congratulations to Greg & Karina Congratulations Leighton Boyd
Herbert nee Gallasch (Class of 1997) (Class of 2004) and Pip Langdon,
on the birth of Matilda Rose, born married on 29th November 2008.
the 18 July 2012.
ENGAGEMENT
Kimberley Haggett (Class of 2011)
announced her engagement to David Crocker on 15 December 2011
at the Torrens Valley Christian
School Formal at Ayres House.
Congratulations to Tom Atkinson
(Class of 2005) and Leah Wishart
(Class of 2005), married 24 March
2012 (below)
TVCS
STAY IN TOUCH
PS
Congratulations to Ashleigh TielenFry (Class of 2008) and Michael Kasjan, married 12 May 2012 at St Augustine’s Unley
PS
Website:
On our website the dedicated Old Scholars section will enable you to update any changes to your contact details so we can keep in contact with you.
Give permission for your name to appear with your ‘Class of’, so you can see who we still have contact with.
Email:
Email us if there are any questions about reunions There is a dedicated email address for Past Scholars to use:
[email protected]
We invite Past Scholars who are interested to create a group to organize social events and even help plan the
official reunions so that they will be events that you will enjoy.
We encourage you to make contributions to TVCS PS, which we will be emailing out to all Past Scholars. Contributions can be about your successes, career choices, employment, engagements, marriages, and children.
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Telephone:
For direct contact and further details phone Mrs Sue Learey, Community Development Officer on 8265 2077.