Departing Staff: Chris White

Departing Staff

CHRIS WHITE

In Term 1, we farewelled Chris White after 41 years of outstanding service to the College. Below, Chis reflects on those years. Congratulations Chris—and enjoy retirement!

“When I started teaching in 1980, I could never have imagined that I would spend 41 years teaching Physical Education and Art, two of my greatest passions. Looking back numerous changes have taken place in Education at the College in relation to curriculum, teaching practice, class numbers, student pathways, building refurbishments and technology-which has had a significant impact on learning.

Some of the ways that I saw the College evolve over this time but not in order were:

● Change of College address from 52

Brougham St to 31 Curran St ● College façade changed from old red brick to a mix with modern render ● Single room office to a whole new administration block ● Perimeter Wire fencing to steel and electronic gates ● Patchy grass and old gum trees to landscaped gardens with instant green turf ● A few outdoor park benches to more outdoor seating and tables in school yard ● Outdoor PE classroom to warehouse indoor gymnasium with upstairs fitness mezzanine ● Overcrowded book filled library to updated Design and Technology Centre ● Chunky old classroom desks to individual blue tables and comfortable plastic chairs ● Two old art rooms to bright newly appointed and equipped rooms ● Tiny lockers cramped with school bags lining corridors to larger locker banks ● Dim lights and brick walled hall to clean white walls and new posters ● Blackboards and chalk to whiteboards and electronic TV screens in all classrooms ● Textbooks, pen and paper to writing

tablets and personal computers ● School population from the 1000’s – 500s ● Average class sizes from 34 to boutique 24 ● No College sports uniform (tracksuit) to several uniform changes ● Curriculum document changes CSF 1&2,

VELS, AusVels, Australian curriculum to

Vic Curric. ● Single page student reports to ongoing online reporting

Departing Staff

CHRIS WHITE

● Hand-written pink metho smelling worksheets to extensive digital print and video resources ● Single large staffroom to staff offices scattered around campus ● Official rolls marked in blue pen twice daily to electronic recorded rolls each lesson ● Staffroom queues at urn for coffee to latte coffee machine and water bottles ● Mainly teacher directed learning to more student centred and individual online learning modules. Whilst there have been over thousands of students that have passed through the doors, five principals and many staff during my time, my fondest memories of the College are all the wonderful people I have had the opportunity to work with, which is something I will always cherish.

Having the opportunity to coach many different sports teams and being able to share in the enthusiasm, friendliness and achievements of the students was one of my favourite things about the College and is one that I will miss in retirement. Fortunate to have also celebrated in the College’s 100th, 125th and 130th milestones, the College has a rich history that has evolved to meet the emerging needs of the community. I see the transition to Co-Ed as another in its stage of leading Catholic Education into the 21st century.”

Chris White