TERM 3 2019 SUPPORTING IVANHOE
STAY I N G C O N N E C T E D
TERM 3 2019
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HAVE YOU HEARD? WELCOME TO THIS ISSUE
The Brown and White Acknowledgements Design: Lauren Poetschka Copy:
Alex Bacskos Geoff Brown Mirella Busso-Lee Linda Paltoglou Peter Swain Tim Swain
Photos: Josh Boland Dean Phipps Email alumni@ivanhoe.com.au or contact Linda Paltoglou at Ivanhoe Grammar School PO Box 91, Ivanhoe 3079, Australia Phone (03) 9490 3508
The Brown and White is a quarterly newsletter for alumni and supporters of Ivanhoe Grammar School.
This year has seen a continuation of the highly successful and engaging reunion program run by the Old Ivanhoe Grammarians Association (OIGA). We are pleased to report that our largest ever reunion was of the Class of 1989, with the above picture showing the 1989 cohort who are also current Ivanhoe parents at their 30 Year Reunion. Overall our reunions are very well attended and represent a great opportunity for alumni to catch up with their former classmates and teachers.
linkedin.com/ groups/4828929
On the sporting field the Old Ivanhoe sporting clubs continue to have success. Special congratulations are extended to the Old Ivanhoe Cricket Club, led by Ryan Pearce (’01), for a fantastic season with all three teams playing off in the Grand Final for the first time in the Club’s history. The First XI won the Premiership (the Kelly Shield) in the Northern Metro Cricket Association in emphatic fashion after dominating the regular season.
oldivanhoe.com ivanhoe.com.au
Best wishes to the Old Ivanhoe Football, Netball, Soccer and Water Polo Clubs for the rest of their
Staying connected facebook.com/ OldIvanhoeGrammarians instagram.com/old ivanhoegrammariansofficial
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Welcome to The Brown and White. The focus of this new publication is alumni and other supporters of Ivanhoe Grammar School, such as donors and past parents. We thank our Principal, Gerard Foley, for the opportunity to communicate with you in this way.
THE BROWN AND WHITE
respective seasons. Good luck to those teams competing in finals matches over coming weeks. Also on the sporting front, we are currently looking at the potential for an alumni basketball team as well as a new women’s soccer team. Watch this space for further information. We encourage all alumni to support our clubs as it is a great way to reconnect. In other exciting news, the Old Ivanhoe Law Society (OILS) is launching a new website including a series of professionally produced podcasts. Membership of the OILS is exclusively for Old Ivanhoe Grammarians, and offers our young alumni the opportunity to network and be guided by seasoned professionals in the legal sector. For more information, please email alumni@ivanhoe.com.au We look forward to seeing you at one of our OIGA Centenary celebration events during 2020. Look out for more details online and in future editions of The Brown and White. Until next time, Wayne Vanderwert (’89) President OIGA Peter Swain (’75) Head of Development
SUPPORTING IVANHOE
Vale Astrida Cooper 8 February 1958 – 25 July 2019
New Alumni Coordinator
Astrida joined Ivanhoe Grammar School in January 2012 as Director of Development. Her commitment and belief in philanthropy for educational institutions was immense and her ability to engage and connect with all members of the School community was one of her great gifts. Astrida’s attention to detail, her genuine warmth and welcoming smile will be remembered by all who met her.
One of the recent changes in the Development Team has been the appointment of Mirella Busso-Lee to the position of Alumni Coordinator. Mirella started at Ivanhoe Grammar School in March 2019 and has quickly settled into her role with the important tasks of managing our reunion program, connecting with younger alumni through social media and liaising with current Year 12s, our alumni of the future.
During her time at Ivanhoe, Astrida raised awareness of the importance of giving programs. She established eight new scholarships and numerous prizes, enhanced the Bequest Program, and was a member of the Principal’s Executive, playing a key role in the overall management direction of the School. Together with Geoff Brown (’62), they made for a formidable team in Development and along the way formed a close bond, extending beyond the office to include their families. Countless reunions and road trips to visit alumni in country, interstate and overseas locations, with Geoff as chauffeur when necessary, strengthened their friendship and produced fruitful outcomes for the School.
In July 2018, Astrida was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and, in the words of her husband Craig, her passing leaves “an unfinished canvas”. Although her shoes will be difficult to fill, Astrida’s legacy and love of Ivanhoe Grammar School have laid the foundations to ensure that the School and our students remain at the forefront of independent education. Geoff Brown continued to ‘steer the ship’ during Astrida’s illness, with Peter Swain (’75) assuming the role as Head of Development from May 2019. Peter, Geoff, Mirella Busso-Lee (Alumni Coordinator) and Linda Paltoglou (Astrida’s sister and Development Administrator) are building on Astrida’s outstanding work and have several exciting initiatives underway. One such activity is the launch of the Old Ivanhoe Grammarians Association Centenary Scholarship, which coupled with an extensive reunion program, will be a key part of the OIGA centenary celebrations in 2020.
Mirella joined us from Parade College, Bundoora where for the last eight years she managed the Old Paradians’ reunion program and events. In her first few months, Mirella has introduced several initiatives, including Year 12 information sessions where alumni interact with students and share information about OIGA sporting and other clubs; setting up the OIGA Instagram account to enhance our social media presence; and assisting with updating our alumni communications strategy, which is key to increasing alumni engagement and reunion attendance.
TERM 3 2019
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REUNIONS
Buckley Boys / Brown Era Reunion 2018
Class of 1989 The Ridgeway Campus 30 year reunion What a fantastic effort by Wayne Vanderwert (’89), President of the OIGA and current Plenty parent in gathering over 100 of his cohort and 30 current and former staff members to Buckley Hall on 10 May 2019. The room was decorated with memorabilia from the boys’ time at Ivanhoe Grammar School, which included many photos and uniforms from the personal collections of both Wayne and also 1989 School Captain, Peter Parker. Wayne also provided videos of the 1989 Ivanhoe Swimming and Athletics champion teams, as well as the Year 12 Assembly, all of which were shown on the big screen during the night. Peter Parker addressed the group with many anecdotes of the era, and reinforced the importance of staying connected and supporting each other. Simon Le Plastrier spoke on behalf of current and former staff; his genuine fondness of this group indicated that it must have been a wonderful year.
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Many classmates travelled from interstate for the event. A special mention to William Wong and his wife Lynn who travelled from Hong Kong. William was in fact so eager to attend the event, he made the trip to Ivanhoe 12 months earlier for the 1988 reunion as well! Adam Jenkins arrived in his School blazer and tie, while Michael Berryman was sporting his Year 12 jacket. Each of them certainly looked dapper in their old uniform. Twenty-five members of the group are current or past parents at Ivanhoe Grammar School. The 1989 cohort is clearly well connected with the School. Suffice to say, a great night was had by this illustrious group, although with many continuing their celebration elsewhere after formalities concluded in Buckley Hall, some of their memories of the night may not be so clear!
With the School’s Community Prefects greeting them at Chapel, our Buckley/Brown boys got off to a great start for their annual reunion last November. They thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to meet some current students prior to the Service. Over lunch, Principal Gerard Foley had the pleasure of presenting Life Memberships to John Emery (’55), Peter Williams (’56) and Geoff Vaughan (’55) on reaching 80 years of age. Geoffrey Davey (’45) and Colin Rowse (’46) are now Living Treasures after becoming nonagenarians during the year. It was pleasing to see the increasing number of younger Brown Era boys attending this reunion and hopefully this trend will continue at the next event on 28 November 2019.
Class of 1969 – Fifty Year Reunion Being 50 years older did not deter a small group from the Class of 1969 taking a brief tour of the School before adjourning to School House for lunch with the Principal and long serving former staff member, Nigel Kendall. Geoff Brown (’62) and Michael Smith (’69) represented the OIGA. It was great to see folks travel some distance to be there, including School Captain Peter Love from Trentham, Peter Gates from Geelong and Harry Jenkins Jnr from Jan Juc. Ian Scott gave us the Yea connection and current parent Chris Gliddon, good mates Ian Bennett and John Holden, Graeme Jane, Mark Penttila, Richard Evans and Colin White all enjoyed the day.
REUNIONS
Class of 1979 – 40 Year Reunion
Class of 1999 – The Ridgeway Campus 20 Year Reunion
Class of 2009 – The Ridgeway Campus 10 Year Reunion
Mid March saw members of the Class of 1979 gather to celebrate 40 years on from School. The 1979 School Captain Greg Barnett and Richard Errington flew in from Sydney, and Steven Griffith from Brisbane. But the long distance traveller was Peter Ritchie who came from Hong Kong. Many of the group are past parents and Greg Smythe, Greg Taylor and Chris Knorr still have children at the School. Andrew Barnes defied the passage of time and attended in full School uniform as though he had never left! Principal Gerard Foley brought the group up to date on School matters before they adjourned elsewhere to what was to become a very late night!
The Ridgeway Campus Class of 1999 congregated at Vasko in Ivanhoe on 17 May. Class of 1999 School Captain, Kristian Imbesi, helped get the word out and personally contacted many of his cohort about the forthcoming reunion, to good effect. On the night there was a great vibe in the room with everyone reminiscing and having a great time. Ben Vass had relocated from overseas to Melbourne in the previous few weeks and was thrilled to reconnect with many of his former classmates. Scott Ballantyne (’89) and other current teaching staff Andrew Fox and David Gibbs were in attendance, along with former staff member, Greig Wanless.
The Class of 2009 were out in force with over 60 alumni attending Vasko in Ivanhoe on 23 August. There were many laughs and much camaraderie. Leo Bremanis shared a lovely story about how he met his future wife Eriko (nee Sumitomo) through a Round Square exchange to Tokyo in 2007. Two years later, Eriko visited Ivanhoe Grammar School on a reciprocal exchange and their relationship developed with multiple overseas trips until Eriko came to Melbourne in 2013. Leo and Eriko married in 2018. David Gibbs can take the credit for organising Leo’s original 2007 exchange. He was at the reunion along with fellow staff member Andrew Fox and Principal, Gerard Foley.
Class of 2014 – The Ridgeway Campus 5 Year Reunion
Class of 1999 – Plenty Campus 20 Year Reunion
Class of 2014 – Plenty Campus 5 Year Reunion
Josh Boland did a fantastic job in contacting his former classmates to maximise the turnout for this reunion at Vasko in Ivanhoe on 2 August. President Wayne Vanderwert (’89) hosted the event and School Principal, Gerard Foley, and staff members Carmel Fry and Andrew Fox were in attendance. It was a great opportunity for our young alumni to reflect on their time at school and all that they had achieved over the last five years. Kyle Langford (’14) dropped by “for one lemonade” as he was playing for the Bombers the next day, and his desire to catch up with friends was reflective of the closeness of the year level, resulting in one of our largest ever 5 Year Reunions.
Temple Brewing in East Brunswick was the venue for this reunion on 19 July with nearly 50 per cent of the Class of 1999 in attendance. Lawrence Dalton and Graham White (current staff) and Simon Le Plastrier (former staff) were keen to see how former students like Ben Barnett and Katrina McCredden (nee Griffiths) had changed in the intervening years. Twenty years down the track, the whole cohort seems to have turned out very well! Michael Bacskos (’09, OIGA Treasurer) and Peter Swain (’75, OIGA Vice-President) hosted the event and as always, Temple Brewing proved very popular for both the reunion and the festivities that followed.
Plenty Class of 2014 gathered at Temple Brewing in East Brunswick on Friday 14 June for their 5 Year Reunion. For many, it was their first catch-up since their Valedictory Dinner. School Captains, Rebecca Angelkoska and Matt Pyers, thanked Mirella Busso-Lee (Alumni Coordinator) for organising the event, and staff members including Craig Caracella, James Chappel and Pauline Swain for attending. Save the date: Friday 8 November Class of 2009 – Plenty Campus 10 Year Reunion, Temple Brewing
Thursday 28 November Buckley Boys / Brown Era Reunion, Buckley Hall TERM 3 2019
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HAVE YOU HEARD?
Alastair Symington (‘90)
Ella Holcombe (‘00)
Tarik Frimpong (‘12)
Blackmores, Australia’s leading natural health company, has recently announced Alastair Symington (’90) as their CEO. Alastair comes to this role with a strong background in consumer goods, most recently as Senior Vice-President for Coty, a large manufacturer and retailer of consumer products, including Cover Girl and Max Factor cosmetics. Congratulations on the appointment and best of luck in the future, Alastair!
Ella’s book, The House on the Mountain, was featured on ABC Radio during the lead-up to the tenth anniversary of the Black Saturday bush fires. According to one commentator “It’s not often that a picture book makes you cry, but The House on the Mountain did just that.” The book tells the powerful story of a family that experiences the fires first-hand, the devastating aftermath, and the long process of healing and rebuilding. Ella’s mother, Carol, and father, David (a teacher at Plenty Campus) died at Kinglake as a result of the Black Saturday fires.
Following on from his film success as one of the dancing gas lamp lighters in the Hollywood smash musical Mary Poppins Returns, Tarik Frimpong (‘12) has made his West End debut in Disney’s Aladdin in the role of Prince Abdullah, as well as performing in the ensemble. Tarik’s opening night in Aladdin was in early June 2019, and the show featured breath-taking sets, mind-blowing special effects and over 350 lavish costumes. Well done, Tarik!
Staff Supported Scholarship
Jack Van Staveren (’09)
Geoffrey Raby (‘71)
Our School Principal, Gerard Foley, recently hosted an afternoon tea to thank staff for their contribution to the Staff Supported Scholarship which gives current and former staff the opportunity to contribute towards a scholarship for a student who could not otherwise attend Ivanhoe Grammar School. Donors received an update on both the growth of the corpus, which now exceeds $120,000, as well as a report on our inaugural Scholar’s excellent progress through school. Our Scholar completes Year 12 in 2019 and has expressed extreme gratitude for the support received over the past three years.
Jack Van Staveren (‘09) and Hudson Sharp, current Ivanhoe student and son of Glenn (‘89), are currently performing in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School Of Rock - The Musical, which has been touring China and more recently Brisbane. Jack and Hudson are playing father and son as part of this smash hit, which has received rave reviews everywhere it opened. In 2018, Jack and Hudson also teamed-up at the Arts Centre in Dream Lover: The Bobby Darin Musical, so keep your eyes out for their next big production!
Congratulations to Geoffrey Raby (’71) on becoming an Officer of the Order of Australia in the recent Queen’s Birthday Honours List. A member of the School’s Gallery of Achievement, Geoff was recognised for his “distinguished service to AustraliaChina relations through senior diplomatic roles, and to multilateral trade policy development.” Geoff has held many important international positions, including that of Australian Ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China from 2007 until 2011. He is currently the Chairman and CEO of his own Beijing-based business advisory firm.
WHAT’S NEWS WITH YOU? 6
THE BROWN AND WHITE
We want to know! Send us news of your accomplishments and life changes to: alumni@ivanhoe.com.au
HAVE YOU HEARD?
Lynden McLaughlan (’86)
Dr Damion Drapac (’06)
Snippets
Lynden McLaughlan (’86), who attended Ivanhoe Grammar School from 1983 to 1986, passed away unexpectedly on 24 March 2019 while vacationing at Lake Tahoe, California.
Ivanhoe Grammar School is mourning the loss of Damion Drapac (’06), following a road accident in April. He was cycling to a club racing event at Sandown on Anzac Day when he was killed in a crash involving a car.
Following his graduation from Ivanhoe Grammar School in 1986, Lynden studied Science at La Trobe University, majoring in Mathematics and Computer Science. He then spent several years traveling the world, working as a professional rafting guide, ski instructor and briefly as a London bike messenger.
An outstanding student, Damion attended Ivanhoe Grammar School from 2002 to 2006 and was later followed by his brother Giulian (’11). Damion was a Duke of Edinburgh Scheme participant, was awarded a Distinction in the Australian Mathematics Competition and represented the school in Tennis, Soccer and Skiing.
Associate Professor Jason Tye-Din (’89) from Walter and Eliza Hall Institute has been working on research that has the potential to revolutionise the current testing regime for coeliac disease.
He married Kristina in 1998 and settled in the Bay Area of California, where he successfully combined his entrepreneurial spirit with his passion for both people and real estate, steadily building his own Bay Area property portfolio and construction company over the past 20 years. Lynden was a lifetime athlete, competing as a swimmer, triathlete and kayaker. In the United States, he notably hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, covering all 2,200 miles from Maine to Georgia during a very snowy winter with only a backpack and pair of donated snow shoes. He will be fondly remembered for his love of family and friends, as well as generosity of spirit, optimism and the boundless energy he brought to every activity he undertook. Lynden leaves Kristina and two children, Alex and Lea, aged 15 and 12 respectively.
Damion completed degrees in Nutrition and Dietetics and Applied Science (Honours) at Monash and RMIT University respectively. Having completed a Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery at Deakin University, Damion commenced working as a doctor at the Austin Hospital. The Drapac name is synonymous with cycling and the family has done much for the cycling community in Victoria and across Australia. Damion, an elite cyclist, was an active member of Cycling Australia and the Brunswick Cycling Club. In addition to cycling and his career in medicine, Damion also ran a successful business involving the buying and selling of vintage bikes and parts. Damion was a devoted son, brother and partner, and was expecting his first child with his partner Mariko, who graduated from Ivanhoe Girls Grammar School in 2007.
Deriving from a mainly pop background, Nikki Wishart (’17) brings a quirky edge to the music scene with her debut single Frère Jacques. South East Melbourne Phoenix (the NBL’s newest team) has announced that Simon Mitchell (’90) will be their inaugural Head Coach. Simon has been the Assistant Coach at cross-town rival Melbourne United over the past four years. Young Tiger, Patrick Naish (’17), made an impressive debut for Richmond in Round 9 of the AFL Season, providing some brightness amidst the gloom of their 67-point loss to Geelong. Alumni parents are reminded of previously announced changes to enrolment procedures at our School. From 1 November 2019, alumni will need to have the application for enrolment submitted to the School prior to the child’s 5th birthday to ensure priority status for all year levels. Have you heard any other snippets of information that we should all know about? Email us at alumni@ivanhoe.com.au
FIDELIS USQUE AD MORTEM TERM 3 2019
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SUPPORTING IVANHOE
2020 - A Century of Support
New Sports Centre
In 2020 we will be celebrating both the centenary of the OIGA and also the Associated Grammar Schools of Victoria (AGSV), through which Ivanhoe competes with other schools in organised sport.
Work has commenced on one of the largest capital projects ever undertaken at Ivanhoe Grammar School, with a Sports Centre being built adjacent to ArtsEdge at Locksley.
We plan to celebrate our centenary in style. In addition to our usual program, we will be hosting reunions in regional, interstate and international locations (London on Sunday 12 January and New York on Friday 28 February). Exact timing is to be confirmed, but Centenary Drinks are planned for the Ridge Café in March and a Centenary Dinner will be held in Buckley Hall in August. Sporting alumni will also be invited to attend one of many AGSV centenary events to recognise our champions of the past. Many would be familiar with The Fidelis Society, which was established to recognise those who have included Ivanhoe Grammar School in their will. More than 50 alumni, past staff and friends of the School have made a bequest and their legacy has created
scholarships, enhanced buildings and supported students in a variety of ways. The most recent Fidelis luncheon was held in May and our Principal, Gerard Foley, thanked the guests sincerely for their enduring support while updating them on future plans for the School they love. To mark ‘A Century of Support’, the OIGA Council has established the Old Ivanhoe Grammarians Association Centenary Scholarship, commencing in 2020. Through the OIGA Centenary Scholarship, which will be awarded to a young person who could not otherwise afford an Ivanhoe education, the selected student will receive 50 per cent tuition fee remission for three years if awarded in Year 10, or six years if awarded in Year 7. This new scholarship will be a focus of our Annual Appeal in 2020 with the hope that the entire School family will support it so that other youngsters can receive the benefits of attending Ivanhoe Grammar School.
This new Sports Centre will feature state of the art facilities including an Olympic swimming pool that can be divided into two water polo pools, tennis courts, basketball courts, a gymnasium and fitness studio, multiple learning areas and a kiosk. This fantastic new facility will place Ivanhoe at the forefront of sports education in Victoria. Great Ivanhoe Grammar School sporting names, such as Jack Benson (1916) and Bill Lyon (’48) will be acknowledged in the Sports Centre. Additionally, we expect that alumni and others will take the opportunity to make a capital contribution to the Sports Centre and be recognised accordingly. If you would like further information about opportunities for naming rights in the Ivanhoe Grammar School Sports Centre, please email peter.swain@ivanhoe.com.au
VALE – FIDELIS USQUE AD MORTEM Gordon Alston 1936 Buckley Boy, Our first Centenarian Jack Bacon 1937 Buckley Boy Howard Barclay AM 1943 Buckley Boy, Gallery of Achievement Jeremy Darvall 1953 Brown Era 8
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Damion Drapac 2006 Fraser Era Ian Gillespie 1942 Buckley Boy Christopher Gloyne 1953 Buckley/Brown Era Grant Hales 1979 Brown Era
Max Johnston 1948 Buckley/Brown Era Geoff Jones 1957 Buckley/Brown Era David Masson 1974 Brown Era Ian McGarrigle 1970 Brown Era
John McGill 1952 Buckley/Brown Era Lynden McLaughlan 1986 Sligo Era Darren Pittard 1957 Brown Era Morison Thwaites 1944 Buckley Boy