PHILIP NICHOLSON – SCHOOL COUNCIL CHAIRMAN
What does it take to open a brand new school?
More than 100 meetings and planning days, more than 200 emails, more than 30 reams of paper, countless phone calls, a team of dedicated people, a community with a need supporting us all the way, a vision, determination, commitment and faith.
On the 27 October 2005 a public meeting was held to determine the level of support from the Craigieburn community for a secondary college in the area. It was from this meeting that a committee was formed to establish Hume Anglican Grammar.
The first committee meeting was held on the 15 December 2005. In just 26 months Hume Grammar opened it’s doors and welcomed the very first students on 4 February 2008.
The committee consisted of Fr David Still, Carmel Hunter, Tom Derham, Dawn Gordon, Diane Stewart, Annette Leonard, Aliya Shami, Shirlene Nicholson, and myself.
Even though we didn’t know entirely what we were embarking on we were able to source the expert knowledge of several people who became instrumental in the establishment of Hume Anglican Grammar. Fr John Lever and Des Parker were the first to assist us in our journey. What knowledge they have between them is remarkable.
Along the way we gathered momentum, word was spreading, the need for additional support was both apparent and forthcoming. For this we thank the following people, Trevor Hunter, Mark Hoysted, the Principal of Bacchus Marsh Grammar, Andrew Neal and his team, the Headmaster of Trinity Grammar Rick Tutor, and his team, To all of you we thank you as your generosity and support has been overwhelming.
Thankyou to Michael Farrugia and his team at Noone Imageware who have done an enormous amount of work with us to develop, fit and supply our uniform. Many meetings, phone calls and emails as well as your patients and support when the opening was delayed twelve months.
It has been an answer to our prayers and we are indeed privilege to have engaged Andrew Mackenzie as our foundation Principal. Andrew, together with the strategic planning committee of Rick Tutor, Tom Derham, Kirsty Brown, Mark Hoysted and myself, ensured that all of the work over the past two years was finalized to guarantee the opening of Hume Grammar. A particular thank you for that steering committee and the overwhelming support and generosity provided, by them and Trinity Grammar.
Also many thanks to our local politicians Maria Vanvakinou and Liz Beattie, the Hume City Council, our regional bishops, Philip Huggins and Stephen Hale,arch bishop Dr Philip Freier, KLMS, VRQA, Stocklands, Simon Merrigan from Millar and Merrigan and our three local papers, the Leader, the Star and Hume Weekly. You know what they say “any publicity is good publicity.” And we certainly have had some publicity. We also thank the Melbourne Anglican for their support and articles.
Without the support of the Jason Real Estate we would not have had the visual presence in the community that we have had for the past two years. So for that we are eternally grateful.
Of course without enrollments we don’t have a school. So thank you to all of our foundation families who have had the faith, and commitment to stay with us and shared our journey over the past couple of years. Along with the families we thank and appreciate the teachers that have joined us as they have also stepped out in faith and become part of this incredible journey.
There have been two reasons for the establishment of Hume Grammar. Firstly the Anglican Parish of Hume. This parish is one of, if not the smallest parish in the diocese of Melbourne. It has struggled along for 20 years without the major growth that this suburb and surrounding area has experienced. There are a number of reasons behind this which I won't go into today.
The question was asked "how do we grow a struggling parish?" The answer was very clear "Fill a need". It is this reason that is the second. Craigieburn needs a choice of secondary education. With these two things in mind one of the smallest parishes took on one of the biggest challenges and projects that the Melbourne Diocese has seen in long time.
And guess what? We did it!! This link between the parish and the school however, is fundamental to the ongoing growth of Hume Grammar along side and in conjunction with the Parish of Hume. The two are now integrated and reliant on each other.
This can never and will never be separated, for one our constitution won't allow it and neither will anyone who has been involved or will be involved in either the parish or the school from this point forward.
How did we do it? Folks I take you back to my opening paragraph.
More than 100 meetings and planning days, more than 200 emails, more than 30 reams of paper, countless phone calls, a team of dedicated people, a community with a need supporting us all the way, a vision, determination, commitment and faith.
Where to from here? With the same support, vision, determination, commitment and faith we need to move forward in establishing Hume Anglican Grammar as a quality educational choice for Craigieburn.
We pray that with the commitment of the Diocese of Melbourne, the Anglican School's Commission, the Parish of Hume and you, the family of Hume Grammar we can do that in a timely manner. I call on everyone in this room to continue your support so that we can with earnest complete what we have started. Time on this site, as we all know is limited, so much work is still to be completed and we cannot rest on our lorals, we must keep going. The fact that since opening Hume Grammar has grown by more than 10% is testament that Craigieburn both wants and needs us.
The Parish Council/Vestry is meeting with Bishop Philip Huggins next month to ensure the future of the church, and therefore Hume Grammar, here in Craigieburn. But we still need everyone to continue their support as we move forward and relocate both the church and the school on a permanent site within the Craigieburn area. I thank you all for this continuing support in the establishment of Hume Grammar for the benefit of generations to come.
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