Kedron State High School

Kedron State High School is a Queensland public secondary school which is located in the inner-northern suburb of Wooloowin in Brisbane, Australia. The school was opened in 1956, to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding North Brisbane population whose children were members of the post-World War II baby boomer generation.

Kedron is a co-educational and non-denominational school, renowned in Brisbane for offering a Special Education Unit for hearing-impaired students^[1] and also for its accredited International Students Program^[2].

The school vision is "...to become a traditional, multicultural academic (and) disciplined school of international significance where all students can fulfil the purpose of both state education and education at Kedron."^[3]

In 2007 the school joined the Healthy State system and removed a large proportion of junk food including all soft drinks.

History

Kedron State High School is situated on 134 000 m² of land bordering Kedron Brook and Kedron Park. Originally inhabited by the Aboriginal Enoggera tribe, the site was also owned by Queensland's first Resident Judge, Alfred Lutwyche. From the 1880s onward, it was used as a racecourse which was later partially owned by businessman John Wren in 1912.

Kedron was established in 1956; the school derives its name from a valley mentioned in the Bible and located in Palestine. Over the years, enrollment has ranged from 274 students in 1956 to 1700 in 1976. Since its inception, almost 20 000 students have attended Kedron. A language census conducted in 2003 revealed 38 languages were spoken within the school community.

Half way through each year, Kedron celebrates a week called 'Kedron Week' where for one week everyday, assembles and activities are held to celebrate the many different activities the school holds. Also because the school is highly multi-cultural students from foreign countries greet the school on assembles in their own national language. Music, dancing, races, games and stories are usually put to show.

In 2006, Kedron celebrated their 50th anniversary.

Student achievements

Kedron is a traditional school which focusses primarily on scholastic excellence. Its students have achieved High Distinctions, Distinctions and Credits in Australasian Schools Competitions run by the University of New South Wales in English, Computer Science & Literacy, Science and Writing, and various other competitions. There have also been pupils selected to attend the National Youth Science Forum in Canberra and national winners in the National History Challenge.

There is also a strong focus on school-leavers' performance in statewide academic rankings; Kedron's Queensland Core Skills Test (QCS) preparation program has proven highly effective with five students in 2007 achieving an Overall Position (OP) of 1, the highest possible rank in the state.

Kedron also has a very strong focus on the arts. The music program in Kedron is very high achieving. In 1975, a Kedron band travelled to Longreach to play at the opening of the Stockman's Hall of Fame. They were followed 30 years later by a new generation of Kedron musicians to play at an anniversary celebration of the Hall's opening.

As of 2007, a Kedron student has become the third in three years to win the coveted Pierre de Coubertin Award for sporting excellence, an initiative of the Australian Olympic Committee.

Sporting houses

There are four houses operating within the school. These are further divided into form classes, which hold meetings every morning to distribute news and information. The four houses are:

• Bowen - named after Queensland's first Governor Sir George Bowen

  House colour: White and Black

• Griffith - named after former Queensland Premier and Australian Chief Justice Sir Samuel Walker Griffith

  House colour: Red and White

• Lutwyche - named after Brisbane's first Resident Judge, Alfred Lutwyche

  House colour: Sky Blue and Dark Blue

• Wickham - named in honour of former Queensland Police Magistrate John Clements Wickham

  House colour: Green and Gold

Notable alumni

• Kenneth Wiltshire — professor at the University of Queensland
• Rowena Wallace — actress
• Jason Barry-Smith — opera singer
• David Nilsson — baseball player, owner of Baseball Australia
• Adrianne Pope — scientist specialsing in IVF
• Bonny Barry - Labor Member for Aspley in the Queensland Legislative Assembly

References

• Stoodley, A (ed) The History of Kedron State High School, 1956-1988

Footnotes

1. ^ Education Queensland International schools (2003).
   Official EQI website
2. ^ Australian Deafness Directory (2005).
   Listing in Directory
3. ^ Kedron State High School - About Kedron (2004).
   School Vision and Purpose