TONY CONABERE ENDS
AT GLEN WAVERLEY
(September, 1985, for the
'The Chronicle' magazine)
An article in 'The Lion' of December,
1977, said of Mr A.B. Conabere: "...he brings to the Junior School at Wesley
his own empathy with spaciousness, beauty of environment and imaginative
use of resources. This, with an active mind which foresees the vast
potential challenging the Wesley constituency at Waverley and a knowledgeable
respect for the school's tradition, leads him to a firm commitment to the
welfare and development of the school in the exciting years ahead now that
the Council appears to have drawn a clear blue-print for Wesley's growth
in the latter quarter of this century." The article also stated he
had "an enormous capacity for work."
Any observer looking back at the
progress of the Glen Waverley Campus in the last nine years can see how
the hand of the now-departing Head has guided the campus from a 400-strong
boys' school for ten to fourteen year-olds to a school for over one thousand
girls and boys ranging from five to sixteen years of age.
With the completion in Term Three
of some additions to the already expanded music school and the graduation
of 150 co-eds from Glen Waverley's Middle School to Prahran's Senior College,
Mr. Conabere will see the Glen Waverley Campus reach a watershed of development.
For him, though, that will only provide greater motivation to move on to
further frontiers.
They will be found at Wesley's Prahran
Campus. At Glen Waverley, however, the achievements of nearly a decade
of rapid and diverse growth will remain.
Personally, those years have seen
the addition of Simeon to the family, leadership in the Australian Council
of Educational Administration, a Master's degree in Business Administration,
Chairmanship of the City of Waverley's Sesquicentennial Committee and twin
V.F.L. Premierships for Essendon!
Quite obviously, though, his greatest
achievement for Wesley has been the implementation and consolidation of
co-education at Glen Waverley. This has been his driving force.
Co-education has meant the opportunity to broaden the services Wesley may
offer through its curriculum, extra-curricular activities, staffing and
facilities to all students. Mr Conabere has pursued these opportunities
with vigour and distinction over nine years.
The blueprint hesitantly perceived
by the 1977 writer was, and is, exciting. Faithfully and strenuously,
Mr. A.B. Conabere has made it manifest at Glen Waverley and moves to Prahran
with the thanks and best wishes of staff, students and parents. |