‘IT ONLY TAKES A SPARK’ OUR SCHOOL’S VISION AND FOUNDATION
School Development Team members as of July 1994: Ȩ Michael Stolz, St Philip’s Werribee (Chairperson) Ȩ Irene Lutze, Martin Luther Altona North (Secretary) Ȩ Ruth Borchert, St Matthew’s Footscray (Treasurer) Ȩ Pastor Jim Westphal, St Philip’s Werribee and Martin Luther Altona North Ȩ Brenton Schier, St Philip’s Werribee Ȩ Pastor Milo Velebir, Christ the Lord Laverton Ȩ Vlad Peska, Christ the Lord Laverton Ȩ John Belani, Christ the Lord Laverton Ȩ Alan Weibusch, Schools Director
The concept for a Lutheran school in Melbourne’s outer west was born in the early 1990s. The South West Corridor Taskforce was established in June 1992. Members of the taskforce at the inaugural meeting included: Ȩ Pastor Jim Westphal, St Philip’s Werribee and Martin Luther Altona North (Chairperson) Ȩ Pastor Lloyd Boughen, LCA Director for Mission (Secretary) Ȩ Ruth Borchert, St Matthew’s Footscray Ȩ Irene Lutze, Martin Luther Altona North Ȩ Pastor Milo Velebir, Christ the Lord Laverton Ȩ Pastor Dirk Willner, St Luke’s Glenroy Ȩ Alex Robertson, St Philip’s Werribee Ȩ John Sklenar, Christ the Lord Laverton Ȩ Trish Vejby, St Philip’s Werribee For several years prior to the vision gaining momentum, this small group of taskforce representatives held meetings, often around the dining table at the home of Martin Luther member, Irene Lutze. The South West Corridor Task Force was renamed the School Development Team (SDT) in late 1993 to better reflect the work of the group. The new SDT included representatives from the four Lutheran congregations in the surrounding area. The Werribee Lutheran School Building Fund was set up to raise the required funds through donations and Lutheran Laypeople’s League (LLL) earmarked deposits.
Many of us in the congregation believe the school will be a blessing to the whole community and is an opportunity for young families of the western suburbs to have their children
educated in [a] Christian environment.” Dr Val Sloss, JOY magazine, January 1997
In 1994 a proposal was put forward by the SDT and presented by Michael Stolz to District Church Council to purchase land for the new school. The Victorian District approved the purchase of the 10 acres at 580 Tarneit Road and a celebratory ‘Land Dedication’ tent service was held on the land on 27 November 1994.
“One day in the future, when the school and church is established, they’ll look back on this day and marvel” Michael Stolz, JOY magazine, December 1994
Over the years, many individuals served on the School Council and we thank them all, in particular, former Council Chairs Noel Goltz (2002–2009) and Matthew Miller (2009–2018). Running in parallel and overarching the School Council was the Good News School Association. This body acted on behalf of the member congregations and the School Council was accountable to the Association for the running of the school. Their inaugural meeting was held on 27 November 1997 and included congregational representatives from Christ the Lord Laverton, St Philip’s Werribee, Martin Luther Altona North and St Matthew’s Footscray. The Association was dissolved in November 2005 when the school became a venture of the Lutheran Church of Australia (Victorian District) in cooperation with the congregations, simplifying the governance structure. Chairpersons of the Association were Craig Tischler (1997-2000) and Rosemary Craig (2000-2005). The College acknowledges and sincerely thanks the countless individuals who have felt called to devote their time, skills and energy to the vision of GNLC. We thank each member of the various councils and committees for their efforts and the opportunities they created for the children in our local community.
As the fastest growing area in Victoria, Werribee was nominated as the location of choice. It provided excellent potential for the growth of local congregations and, as the local community desperately needed schools, the SDT believed there was a strong chance of securing government funding. They were right. A Victorian Independent Schools Block grant was awarded, followed by ongoing Federal Government funding and approval to open a single stream primary school in 1997. The vision was becoming a reality, and in 1996 the SDT began operating as the Good News Primary School Council. At that time the members were: Ȩ Bill Kennedy, St Philip’s Werribee (Chairperson 1997-2002) Ȩ Pastor Milo Velebir, Christ the Lord Laverton Ȩ John Belani, Christ the Lord Laverton Ȩ Vlad Peska, Christ the Lord Laverton Ȩ Ruth Borchert, St Matthew’s Footscray Ȩ Pastor Jim Westphal, St Philip’s Werribee and Martin Luther Altona North Ȩ Coral Cicino, St Philip’s Werribee Ȩ Terry Haebich, St Philip’s Werribee Ȩ Brenton Schier, St Philip’s Werribee Ȩ Irene Lutze, Martin Luther Altona North
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