Werribee Secondary College turns 60

Werribee Secondary College former students and employees front row (L-R): Norman Manuela, Lynne Jones, Casey Hart and Alison Sidiropoulos; back row (L-R): Kelly Maher, John Pisano, Jenny Coker and Shaun Brien. Photo by Damjan Janevski.

When Kelly Maher graduated from Werribee High School in 1984, she vowed never to come back.

Little did she know that a few years down the track, she’d work there as a library technician.

“It was really exciting [coming back] actually, because you got to see the changes happen – the new buildings being built, and staff come and go,” Ms Maher said.

Ms Maher is one of many former secondary students now working at the school, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.

Jenny Coker, who graduated in 1967 and works as a laboratory technician, said there were a lot of students from European families, namely Italians, Greeks and Macedonians, when she was a student.

“We also had a lot of transient students because the RAAF bases at Point Cook and Laverton were very active,” she said.

Lynne Jones, who finished high school in 1970 and this year retired from her integration role, remembered the school hosting numerous fundraisers for an auditorium for assemblies.

Teacher Casey Hart started in year 7 in 2000 when the school changed its name from Werribee High to Werribee Secondary.

“When I started, that’s when they rolled out the new school uniforms … it used to be windcheaters and trackpants, and I had to wear a blazer.”

The school has a 60-year reunion on October 15. Email parentsandfriends@parents.werribeesc.vic.edu.au for details.