Remarkable growth over three decades at Xavier
Schools
Xavier College is celebrating a significant milestone this year – 30 years of education and community connection.
Since its establishment in 1995 with just 83 students and 15 dedicated staff members, the college has flourished into a vibrant community of more than 2500 students and 350 staff across three campuses.
The story of Xavier College began with a long-held dream of parishioners from Gawler and neighbouring parishes to establish a regional Catholic secondary school.
This vision began to take shape in 1990 when the creation of the College was approved and Fr Dennis Handley, a priest of the Salesians of St John Bosco, was appointed the inaugural principal in late 1994.
With his contemporary educational experience and the rich Salesian tradition, Fr Handley was determined to transform ideas into buildings, classrooms, courtyards, playgrounds and ovals.
Starting with a cohort of Year 8 students and five relocatable classrooms at Gawler Belt in February 1995, Xavier College has since grown remarkably, becoming a pillar of Catholic education in the northern suburbs of Adelaide.
Anthea Lipp, who was a part of the first class at Xavier College in 1995 and now works as the Early Years coordinator at the Evanston Campus shared her memories of the school.
“I remember starting with the three transportable classrooms, the office block and the toilet block, as there was only about 80 of us at the time, and as the school grew, we grew,” she said.
“It was such a privileged position to be in because my year level was always the oldest at school, so we had this unique responsibility to be the leaders the entire way through high school. It was certainly a very special time.
“I was very fortunate that my family were part of the founding committee of Xavier College, so Xavier already had a special place in my heart even before the first brick was laid.”
To celebrate the anniversary, students and staff were presented with commemorative anniversary pins, serving as a symbol of the shared history and achievements that have shaped Xavier College.
A dedicated timeline has also been launched on the college’s website, providing a space for the community to reflect on the milestones and memories that define the college’s legacy.
As part of the celebrations, several old scholar reunions will be held later in the year.
“This year is not only a celebration of our past but also an opportunity to embrace the present and look forward to an exciting future,” said principal Mark Flaherty.
“We are grateful to everyone who has been a part of our story and look forward to creating new memories together.”
Details of anniversary events and activities will be available on Xavier College’s website, news feed and social media channels.
Visit xavier.catholic.edu.au
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