A term of new beginnings
1 July 2011
Warmest winter greetings at the end of a very busy and happy term.
Recently, as many of you know, two very special official openings were celebrated by the College.
On 20 May, the official opening of the Yiramalay/Wesley Studio School on Leopold Downs Station in the Kimberley, Western Australia, took place with a gathering of over 250 people from the Wesley community in Melbourne, the Fitzroy Valley community and others from distant parts of Australia. The opening was a joyous occasion for everyone involved and a special feature on the opening can be viewed via the College website.
This year, students at the Studio School are the first to undertake the new National Diploma framework for learning. This framework for learning in the senior years gives equal value to academic learning, industry learning and personal social learning across cultures.
The second significant event, on 6 June, was the official opening of Stage 2 of our College Sports development at Glen Waverley. This multi-purpose sports complex comprises 2 indoor netball/basketball courts, 3 practice volleyball courts, 1 show volleyball court and multi-purpose badminton courts, as well as a weights and conditioning room, sports staff offices, first-aid room and change rooms. It also includes four new outdoor flexipave tennis and netball courts, and a new undercover paved walkway complemented by seating and gardens. Wall graphics are also planned to be completed next semester. This, too, was a very happy occasion and it also marked an important milestone in Wesley’s contemporary development.
Moubray Street Precinct redevelopment and launch of Capital Campaign
Later this year, Wesley will embark on its most significant redevelopment at the St Kilda Road campus since the Nicholas brothers rebuilt the College in the 1930s. The College Council and staff have been working with Cox Architects, over the last three years, on the redevelopment of the Moubray Street Precinct encompassing the Menzies Wing, Adamson Hall and the Music School and plans are nearing their final stages
A state-of-the-art, four-storey Music School will be built and the historic Menzies Wing and Adamson Hall will be completely refurbished during 2012/2013.
In the lead up to Wesley’s sesquicentenary in 2016, the Wesley College Foundation has launched a major Capital Campaign to raise $10m over the next five years to assist the College in funding this project through tax deductible donations. I am very pleased to announce that, to date, the Foundation has raised in excess of $3.5m in donations and pledges from parents and alumni to support the Moubray Street Precinct redevelopment. As Wesley College does not receive capital funding from the Government, it is essential that the College secures financial support through its Foundation for major projects. The recent exception was “Building the Education Revolution” (BER) funding for Stage 2 of the College Sports Complex at Glen Waverley.
To the parents who have already donated, I thank you on behalf of the College Council and I look forward to our fundraising campaign assisting us to achieve our aspirations over the coming months and years ahead.
Further details of this project can be found on College website
With best wishes to all for a safe and happy term break.
