Namoi Valley Christian School hosted a magnificent celebration on the weekend to mark its 40th anniversary.
Past and present members of the school community as well as local residents gathered at the NVCS campus on Saturday for a fete-style event with plenty of fun and family activities from face-painting to a jumping castle, rock painting, sandcastle creating, hair wrapping, a penalty shoot-out, and EMU Music live performance.
A highlight was a cream pie throwing competition, with NVCS chair Travis Lions and principal Peter Henderson generously and courageously putting up their hands to be the targets for a good cause – to raise money to help with the school’s landscaping.
The Rotary Club, supported by community members, cooked up a delicious barbecue and the crowd gathered for a special cake-cutting ceremony by chair Travis Lions and two of the schools founding members Mike Root and Geoff Wheeler.
Attendees enjoyed taking a trip down memory lane, viewing the old photos and newspaper clippings on display reflecting the school’s special history and contribution to the education of 472 students in the last 40 years.
NVCS started as a tiny seven-student school in 1983, located in an old shop at 45 Rose Street and to today; NVCS has more than 100 students on its impressive campus at 51 Rose Street, catering for prep to Year 8 students with a commitment to continue growing in high school year stages with the construction of a new site and buildings at 28-32 Cowper Street.
In 2023, there might be significantly higher student numbers at Namoi Valley Christian School as well as developments in infrastructure and technology, but the school’s values, purpose and beliefs have remained steadfast over the years, making NVCS a popular education choice for families in both the Wee Waa and Narrabri districts.
Special guests at the weekend’s festivities included members of the community group who originally started NVCS, with Mike and Nancy Root, Rick and Nadine Root, Mike and Wendy Weekes, and Bronwyn and Geoff Wheeler returning to Wee Waa to mark the momentous occasion.
The school was established by the small but passionate group, who wanted to provide an educational setting in which teaching and learning of a high standard were founded on Bible-based beliefs, values, and behaviours, and in which parents had ready access to the decision-making framework.
NVCS said the desires of this original group still forms the basis of the school’s vision today.
Founding group member Geoff Wheeler, who now lives in the Blue Mountains, said it was ‘incredibly exciting’ to attend the 40th anniversary and see how the school has blossomed because “initially there was just this seed of an idea and we just gave it some water and then to come back 40 years later to see what they’ve done, in the intervening time, is just amazing.
“We had the idea and we thought, ‘let’s see if we can do it’ and it came to fruition.”
Grace Smith, Aaliyah Vitnell and Judah Lions.
Nadine Root, who travelled from Toowoomba for the occasion, added, “The thing that I’m proudest of is that they’re moving to high school because we never envisioned that we would move to high school.
“We thought ‘no, Wee Waa is too small’ and they’ve done it.”
Reflecting on the group’s decision to start the school, Mrs Root said, “I wasn’t even a mum yet at that point, the others just really got me excited about the idea of Christian schooling and what it meant…and how it could make a difference in kids’ lives.”
Founding group member Wendy Weekes said some people in the community thought the idea of starting a new school was ‘bold and crazy’.
“We were a bunch of farmers, for crying out loud – farmers don’t start schools,” she said.
“Well, passionate ones who think what they’re doing is absolutely the right thing for their kids – they’ll do anything.
“And I want to add the support for the school from the Wee Waa community is really valued,” said Mrs Weekes who now lives in Southeast Queensland but travelled back to Wee Waa for the celebrations.
“All of us were farmers, and we were parents of pre-schoolers or not even with children yet, but we thought education needed to be in total partnership with parents.
“We wanted a school that was totally compatible with what we thought about raising children with our world values and beliefs, and because it was very possible, we just said, ‘Well, we’ll do it’.
“And so, to start with seven students and to see what it is today – it is incredible.
Back, Michelle and Belinda Smith, front Sophie Borodzicz and Mark Anderson enjoying the balloon creation stand at NVCS fete-style event held on Saturday to mark the school’s 40th anniversary.
“A really important thing – when we started it and were thinking about what we would call it, someone said, ‘well, it’s just Wee Waa Christian school and we said, ‘no’, let’s make our vision a bit bigger than that, it will be Namoi Valley because we want kids from every town in the lower Namoi Valley to be able to come to this school.
“I think for all of us here who were part of that founding committee, we could never have dreamt that it would be like this.
“It’s incredibly exciting and more than a little bit emotional.
“Having been involved with the school for 30 something years, it was a big part of life – our three children (Ashley, Melanie and Cameron) came to the school and then after they’d all moved on to high school, I stayed at the school in an administration role.”
Mrs Weekes praised the school community for organising such a fantastic event and thought the photo display was great.
“I had a look at some of the photos and you think, ‘Oh, what the years have done for good and bad’,” she added with a smile.
“But I think the thing that struck me the most is just all those little faces – I think about the number of children that this school has impacted over the years.
“I think today is wonderful – there’s a lady here today and I don’t think she’s got any direct connection with the school other than that she’s a part of the community and she just said, ‘this little school has been so good for our community’ and I thought that’s lovely feedback.
“There’s been some really lovely feedback from the community.”
Vida Dewson with her great-grandson Mark Anderson. Mrs Dewson said she’s had grandchildren and great grandchildren attend NVCS. Some newspaper clippings she’s kept over the years were used to make the number 40, to mark the anniversary.
Some facts about the school's remarkable history were shared with The Courier:
-1983 first class with seven students,
-1986 Second class started,
-1996 first support teacher appointed,
-2002 new site acquired,
-2004 new school opened,
-2009 library and support room built,
-2011-2013 storage shed, additional shade cover, vegetable gardens and sandpit completed,
-2021 secondary site acquired,
-2021 NSW Educational Standards Authority approval for Year 7 in 2022,
-2022 new rooms on primary site,
-2023 first rooms placed on secondary site,
-472 students in the 40 years,
-33 classroom teachers,
-18 teacher’s aides,
-42 board members,
-eight support teachers,
-eight board chairs,
-countless volunteers.
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