Jervois Primary School celebrates its centenary

This post was originally published behind Murray Bridge News’ paywall. Paywalled posts are unlocked four weeks after publication. Can’t wait that long? Subscribe here.

It’s not every day your school turns 100, but Jervois Primary School has done just that.

The school celebrated the milestone last Saturday with a reunion day.

All past Jervois students and the community at large were invited to celebrate the school’s 100th.

Councillor and former student Wayne Thorley conducted the official opening of new centenary gates, which now connect the school to the hall.

Mr Thorley said the town would not be what it was without the local school.

“I think it’s a very integrated part of our community – we play sport on the oval, have events in the hall,” he said.

“I started at Jervois in 1966 and finished in 1972, which was the 50th jubilee of the school.

“The school has certainly changed a lot since then because when I started, I was converted from left-hand to right-hand because they still used ink wells … when I finished, we were using biros.

“My fondest memories were being with my classmates … we were all happy-go-lucky, joyous kids, pushing the boundaries a little bit but never going too far.”

Principal Elissa Hunter said she was immensely proud of the school and the community’s support.

“I’m stoked with how (today) has turned out,” she said.

“It’s about generations of families who have lived in the area, worked in the area, taught here … it’s all of those things encompassed together.

“I think (the school) is a touchstone, it’s a place that people return to … it’s a key part of the community.

“I love that it’s a little school … I really like the community feel and the staff are so supportive and connected to each other.

“And it’s not uncommon for our staff to actually have gone to school here and are now working here, so I’m really proud of that interconnectedness.”

Outside of the school, Ms Hunter said the Jervois community was second to none.

“I love how everybody is really honest, everyone is willing to help each other, and I also love the connection they have with the football and the netball club,” she said.

“There is a lot of sharing going on, which is great, because that’s what schools need to be successful.”

So what’s the plan for the next 100 years?

While Ms Hunter could not provide a plan that projected that far into the future, she said she definitely had a vision for the school’s next few years.

“I would like us to be the gold standard in literacy and numeracy in the Murraylands,” she said.

“Our results this year have definitely displayed an upwards trend, which is excellent.”

Saturday was the school’s second day of celebrations.

The day before, students had enjoyed an old school day, where they participated in old-school games, a 1920s hat parade, a choir performance and more.

Here’s to another 100 years of smiles, learning and community at Jervois Primary School.