Back To Burwood
29 October 2009
Pictures brought people back to the early 60s to today.
Vision Australia remains dedicated to helping children develop independence in all aspects of their childhood.
Decade coordinators cut the cake to celebrate the day.
Vision Australia went "Back to Burwood" to celebrate the significant contribution of the Vision Australia School in educating children who are blind or have low vision in Victoria on 24 October. The event also marked the end of Vision Australia's role in providing direct education services.
Approximately 500 past and present students, staff and families joined in the celebrations, which was filled with sunshine and much reminiscing with friends, colleagues and teachers from the early 1960s to today.
The formal ceremony was hosted by Vision Australia's CEO Gerard Menses who introduced guest speakers: Matron Esme Dunnel, Head of Education and former CEO Peter Evans, and Chair of the Vision Australia Board, Kevin Murfitt. He invited decade coordinators to cut a cake with him and staff and students to sing the school song with pride.
Visitors met in the halls, classrooms, playground and over afternoon tea to relive and celebrate the achievements and contributions of the school through videos and presentations, roll calls, tours of the school grounds, photographs and memorabilia. Outstanding talents from the school music programs provided wonderful music throughout the day.
The spirit, connections and conversations shared on the day were well beyond the expectations of organisers and will be remembered for a long time.
The future offers new challenges as Vision Australia supports younger people who are blind or have low vision by working with education services in all states to improve education opportunity and choices.
Vision Australia will also continue to help children develop independence in all aspects of their childhood through child and family support services, early childhood development, therapy services, counselling and literacy programs.
Thank you to all key staff involved in the event:
- Louise Curtin and her team the Back to Burwood Work Group - John Capes, Garry Stinchcombe, Barb Williams, Jamie Kelly, Jordie Howell, Michael Marshall, Michele Prentice and Michelle Whibley for creating the program, and the many activities that brought people together during the day.
- Robbie Sainsbury-Vale for helping pull together the logistics and catering.
- Kate Gniel for leading the Back to Burwood Committee and managing the event.
- Rita Townsend Booth for organising the over 30 volunteers and more than a dozen current staff as volunteers.
- Principal Sue Coull and Burwood staff who provided essential support for every aspect of the program from setting up, to hosting the visitors, facilitating the decade room gatherings and cleaning up at the end.
- The property and facilities team from Kooyong and St Kilda Rd who prepared the Burwood site.