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2000s

The year 2000 was approached with trepidation by people the world over. As it turned out, the ‘Millennium Bug’, which was a source of great anxiety to many, did no eventuate, and the world continued to turn. The Catholic Church celebrated the dawn of the new millennium, Jubilee 2000, with events across the Catholic world. Here in Melbourne, a Jubilee Mass was celebrated at The Rod Laver Arena, on Tuesday September 5. For some reason I can’t recall, I did not join the 13,000 students and teachers gathered that day. One thing I did do, was to record the massive logistical effort to get 1,000 Kilbreda students to our own special train to travel into town; filming the exodus from the tower! Two of our own students had active roles in the Mass, Jessica Rust doing a reading and College Vice-Captain, Nicole Free, doing a vocal solo. On the home front, gardener Eddie Riordan, father of current staff member, Camille, created a special Jubilee 2000 flower bed near the Colonnade. We also hosted the ‘Carriers of the Flame’ Conference, in July, where staff were joined by staffs from other Brigidine schools to listen to a wonderful speaker Sr Una Collins, a Holy Faith Sister from Ireland.

The following year, I had the opportunity to visit various sites of Brigidine significance in Ireland. Cheekily, once the sisters at Tullow understood that I knew the newly elected Congregational Leader Louise Cleary, I was treated like a king and even sat on the great Daniel Delany’s deathbed and tried his glasses on! I feel guilty just writing it! Later in the trip, after wonderful hospitality including a sumptuous afternoon tea there, I headed for Mountrath, where the last Irish Brigidine school was still running. While there I made the acquaintance of Joan Hallissey and we hatched a plan to have our students write letters to each other. Real letters, on paper, in envelopes, the old fashioned way. This tradition has continued on now for nearly twenty years and current students in Rooms 74 and 75 are awaiting the arrival of their ‘real letters’ as we speak!

2002 saw the unveiling of the beautiful stained glass window in St Brigid’s Chapel. With themes from both the life of St Brigid and Kilbreda, it was designed by 1955 College Captain and past staff member Reba Woodwiss csb. Stained glass expert, Mr Vic Burns, then assisted Reba in its construction. Two staff members, Tasha Brown and Michelle Hackett, spent time in East Timor, beginning another tradition which continues to this day.

In November 2002, an era ended as the kitchen area of the Coffee Palace, was remodelled after the opening of the Delany Building. This addition to the Mary Dalton Hall, added state of the art Home Economics facilities and additional sporting facilities including the Circuit Room, store and change rooms.

At the beginning of the 2003 school year, a large number of students and staff attended a peace rally in the city, protesting against war in Iraq. More than 100,000 people joined in with representatives from other Brigidine schools under the banner ‘Brigidine Schools for Peace’. Later, as we moved into our hundredth year, plans were made to celebrate Kilbreda’s Centenary in style. Throughout 2004, various events to celebrate took place, culminating in the Launch of Kilbreda’s Centenary history ‘A View from the Tower’ by Margaret Underwood, the Centenary Dinner, Eucharist and picnic on the weekend of August 7 and 8. In the lead-up, tower tours, where members of the Kilbreda and wider community could ascend the landmark tower, were conducted from February to June, and ‘Views from the Tower: A series of Conversations’ took place on three Fridays in July. Many past pupils and interested friends returned to the College over the course of the year and those involved in organisation were certainly worn out by the time it was all over! Personally, I managed to meet the first documented College Captain, Monica Lawlor (1936) and attended with four generations of Kilbreda relations, being my grandmother, uncle and aunt, wife and daughters. Sadly, my own dear mother, who would have loved the whole thing, had died a few years previously.

A number of initiatives begun in the centenary year include the Centenary Quilt and the on-going East Timor Project. The quilt, which is proudly displayed in the Administration area, was designed and produced by Year 9 & 10 Textiles students and represents the group’s vision of hope for the future. Coordinated by Cathy Maloney, helpers included Rebecca Crellin, Pam Kirby, Jacquie Morley, Fiona Vella and Elaine Lane. Planning was done to implement four 80 minute lessons, which was trialled towards the end of the year. Deputy Principal, Denise Leonard retired from Kilbreda in 2005 after 25 years on staff, 15 as Deputy, 50 years association with Kilbreda and 40 years in Catholic Education.

When Sr Helen moved from Kilbreda at the end of 2006, to oversee Brigidine Bi-Centenary Celebrations, she did so “with a sense of great hope in this strong vibrant school community’s journey forward.” 1 Sr Helen has been a regular guest since her days as Principal and currently lives in the Malvern community. Nadine Edirisuriya addressed the State Parliamentarians including Premier Steve Bracks, as a part of the Building Bridges Interfaith Dialogue In Schools Program, which continues to this day. She was joined in her endeavours by other students including current staff member Lucy Williams (Bush) and Caitlin Bence.

In 2007, Kilbreda welcomed Miss Mary Stack as Principal. Developments that year included the installation of the lift in the atrium, a tank collecting rainwater under the back oval, the red science room and additions to the library and the creation of the undercroft. Brigid’s place was formed and an art project with indigenous artist-in-residence, Vicki Couzens, developed following a visit to Birrarung Marr where Vicki had created a similar installation. This one, incorporating a Brigid’s cross with four sections representing earth, air, fire and water, was created with the input of many students and staff. Around it, a garden was created with indigenous plantings designed by Taryn Lane-Wragg, evoking “memories of the long-gone Mentone pier, and reflects our seaside location with its vertical wave-wall”. 2 Brigidine Day culminated with a performance by Police Band Code One, with moneys raised on the day going to an indigenous school in NT, Wadeye. The Justice and Democracy theme was ‘Building peace one school at a time’  and one of the group’s initiatives was to open a Fair Trade café to raise awareness, selling Fair Trade hot chocolate, tea and coffee.

2008 was an Olympic year and Kilbreda was more represented than ever before with 5 past pupils taking part; Mel Jones 2006, gymnastics, Beth Stutterd-Walsh 2003, synchronised swimming, Tania Luiz 2000, badminton, Catherine Arlove, 1988, judo and Bridie Kean, 2004,wheelchair basketball. Kilbreda hosted an Eco Living Expo and Farmers’ Market in Winter 2008, the brain-child of Assistant to the Principal, Peta Wragg. This initiative reflected Kilbreda’s on-going commitment to sustainability and environmental issues. With sixty stall-holders, the event was very popular among the Kilbreda and wider community and included a session by Chef Guy Mirabella, who demonstrated recipes from his latest book. Year 12 students Nina Jones and Erin Smith were presented with a bravery award at Government House by Governor David de Kretser. During the holiday break, the two off-duty lifesavers rescued a young swimmer who had been dragged 150 metres out on Aspendale beach. Earlier in the year, Japanese students, along with teachers Miho Yamanaka and Boris Griselj, embarked on a language immersion trip to Japan, which has continued ever since and which later led to similar trips for French students to Noumea and still later, Italian students to Italy.

In 2009 synthetic courts and a running track were created on the back oval as a part of the Government’s Economic Stimulus Project following the Global Financial Crisis. 42nd Street was produced in conjunction with St Bede’s with current staff member, singing teacher, Grace Sabbatucci in the lead role. There was much admiration for Principal Mary Stack, who agreed to have wet sponges thrown at her, for a good cause, on Brigidine Day.

1 Kilbreda Annual 2006

2 Kilbreda Annual 2007

Damian Smith

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