Building a school commmunity

St Martins Lutheran College celebrates 40th anniversary

St Martins Lutheran College is spending 2022 marking its 40th anniversary. A recent celebration dinner brought members of the school community from the past four decades together and staff and students, past and present have been taking long walks down memory lane as the 40 year journey of Mount Gambier’s only Lutheran education facility looks back at just how they have developed and celebrating the many people who have been a part of creating the school that has a sense of community, like no other.

Alan Connah – St Martins Lutheran College principal

Why he joined the St Martins Lutheran College community, what he sees as the strengths of the school and where to going forward “I was first attracted by the family friendly feel of the college and the true sense of community. As a Lutheran I was also attracted by the fact that it is a Christian school in the Lutheran tradition. “I believe our strengths as a college are that we are a caring, friendly and inclusive community, which endeavours to provide for the learning and wellbeing needs of each child. We work hard to deliver a contemporary holistic education which offers a range of different pathways to graduation.

“Christian values and positive relationships are at the centre of everything. Our desire is to provide students with the opportunity to discover and develop their individual interests and talents, so that they can pursue their dreams and make a positive difference in the world.

“I think the main difference lies in our purpose as a school, which is to be ‘a welcoming, caring, Christ-centred learning community where students grow, flourish and are inspired to make a difference’.

“Our key priorities are that our students feel safe, cared for and that they belong. That they are supported and challenged in their learning to achieve their best. That our teachers, programs and learning environment will inspire them to pursue their interests and develop important skills for life. That each student will have the opportunity to develop an understanding of Christian living in keeping with our school values of: Respect, Compassion, Growth, Faith, Encouragement and Hope.

“In August last year the college adopted a new five-year strategic plan with three main focus areas: whole college wellbeing, contemporary teaching, learning and curriculum and college facilities. On the back of this, the college has just finalised a new Campus Master Plan which provides for the development of a range of exciting new facilities over the next few years.

“As we celebrate our 40th anniversary as a school, the college is entering an exciting phase with a bright future. We are very grateful for the support that we receive from our school families, college friends and the wider community. We thank God for the many blessings that we have received.”

Halle & Bella – St Martins Lutheran College students

Why the current students have treasured their time at the school
Both Bella & Halle have completed their entire schooling at St Martins Lutheran College with Bella tackling her Year 11 studies in 2022 and Halle working towards graduation as a Year 12 alumni

Bella – Year 11 student (pictured right)

“St Martins has changed a lot since I began in Reception. The library was the first big change along with the Year 5 and 6 classrooms. The Year 4 classrooms were built, followed by the expansion of the Middle and Secondary School with new classrooms, art, and cooking facilities and most recently the new Trade Training Centre classrooms.

“My fondest memories of my time at St Martins would be the Year 4 camp to Monarto Zoo and Kangaroobie in Year 5, being School Captain in year 6 and performing in the Year 6 musical production The Amazing Adventures of Super Sam. In 2019 I got to travel to China with the college and that was an incredible experience I won’t forget. Being the St Martins 500th student was also pretty memorable.

“The teachers who have had the biggest influence on me would have to be Mrs Versteegh who taught me in both Year 3 and 6, she taught me to be organised and hardworking, Mr Bradley for always making everyone laugh while also keeping us in line, Miss Van der Berg because she is positive, encouraging, honest and pushed me to be the best I can be. All of my teachers over the years have had an impact on my education and the person I am today.

“I would recommend St Martins for families looking for a school for their children because of the amazing community. At St Martins everybody knows everyone and supports and encourages one another. It’s like a big family. St Martins small class sizes and strong community has allowed me to develop strong relationships with my teachers and peers and has enabled me to work closely with them to achieve my personal goals.”

Halle – Year 12 student (pictured left)

“The biggest changes I have seen is the growth in the Senior School and the new classrooms I use daily.

“My fondest memories throughout my time at St Martins are the annual sport days, especially when I was captain in Year 6 and 12, as we won both years. Year 5 camp has also been a memory that stuck with me, as a result of the fun I had with all my teachers and peers participating in many activities.

“I have been extremely lucky to have many positive experiences with all my teachers throughout my schooling. In particular, my Year 4 and 5 teachers, Mrs Burch and Mr Bond as they assisted in developing my confidence in a fun way. Mrs McDonnell and Mrs Tarca helped me to comfortably transition into Senior School and Mr Minuzzo and Mr Shepherdson have also played a huge role in the enjoyment of my last year at school.

“St Martins is the perfect school for all children because of its inclusive and safe environment suitable for everyone.

Eloise Beveridge – Former St Martins Lutheran College deputy principal

Why St Martins Lutheran College had such an influence on her as a young teacher and how it impacted her career going forward – a career that sees her highly regarded in the national Lutheran education system.

“The community of St Martins is what stood out to me the most. As a young teacher, living away from family, I felt very quickly that my ‘other’ family became those that I was around in the school community. Twenty-two years later I am still fortunate to be in touch with some of those special people and even have the grandchildren of Tracey Auld as students of my current school in Mildura. “It was a privilege to serve at St Martins in the role of Deputy Principal and I have been shaped by that opportunity for my professional career, even today. As a young administrator at the time, I will always be grateful for the opportunity and experiences that St Martins gave to me and in return hope that I was able to provide leadership and service that has helped the college too.

“Working alongside John Alexander, as the principal, I will never forget the day that we received approval to offer the secondary years at St Martins. The years of demographic studies, consultation and paperwork for school registration and approval was all worth it in that moment. We knew that St Martins was special, and the community was special.

The school offered an education where each child was valued and accepted and a high academic standard, we felt that our students deserved the right to stay in
that setting for a seamless P-12 education.

“Secretly, I think my love of learning space design began all those years ago, in the design and planning for the first of the secondary buildings.

“St Martins was where I began my career in Lutheran education. Fast forward 22 years and I am still in Lutheran Education, thanks to St Martins. The Christian love and care of the staff, the students and the parent community will always be close to my heart. Lutheran education allows us to provide a quality education for children in a setting that welcomes everyone, to push the boundaries and think outside the box to offer a learning experience that sets the scene for life. St Martins did that for me as a young educator and as an individual.

“St Martins embodies the values of Lutheran Education Australia. Having taught and held Leadership roles across three states of Australia I will always hold dear to me the staff bond that we shared, the uplifting and encouraging times of chapel, the community events and the ability to support each child to be the best they can be. Recently I led a workshop for 500 Lutheran educators from across Australia focussed on developing our vision for learners in Lutheran schools across the next 20 years. Without a doubt, what I learnt and experienced at St Martins has shaped me as a leader and Principal and has shaped the desire for us to provide children with a place to love, a place to learn and a place to feel they belong…that is St Martins.”

ON THE COVER: Founding staff member Shirley Crook, deputy principal & head of junior school Robyn Teakle, Eloise Beveridge, head of middle school Damian Bradley, administration Tracey Auld, with former staff Karen Blok & Cherylynn Perryman.

Jason Buckland – Former St Martins Lutheran College chaplain now Middle & Senior School Christian Studies teacher

What role has St Martins Lutheran Coillege played in his life

“ I have been unofficially involved at St Martins Lutheran College since 2002 when I married my wife Jen. Officially I became the School Chaplain in 2008, the first year that the college had a Year 12 cohort. I served in that role until 2019, and have been teaching Christian Studies in the Middle & Senior Schools since.

“A major highlight was the opportunity to be part of a Habitat 4 Humanity Build with 4 students in Cambodia in 2013.

“The introduction of Veta Morphus, a Certificate III course in Christian Ministry and Theology has also bee a major highlight; being able to watch students really grapple with their faith and be encouraged to grow in their faith during their latter years of college.

“The sense of community is a key strength of SMLC. The connections between staff, and the connections between students in various year levels really helps to bring people together. Times have changed recently with the pandemic, but the opportunites to gather together as large community were key strengths.”

St Martins Lutheran College key dates

• 1982 – on February 7, St Martins Lutheran Primary School opened at the St Mary’s site, Pick Avenu,e with 33 students on the first day.
• 1987 – the construction of a new school facility at its current site on St Martins Drive, was complete.
• 1995 – given the growth of student enrolments, the school began the process of double streaming classes throughout the primary years.
• 2004 – St Martins Lutheran Primary School became St Martins Lutheran College and expanded to include secondary students, with the first class of Year 12 students graduating in 2008.
• 2010 – the college celebrated reaching 500 enrolled students.