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| Vol 13 | 2016
What are the main outcomes of the
Kearsney Boy of the 2020s review?
Enormous progress has been made on
so many fronts under the leadership of
headmaster Elwyn van den Aardweg and
the process has endorsed that Kearsney
is on the right track. This legacy needs to
be maintained and grown; and we need to
focus on capital projects to improve the
teaching and boarding facilities, to expand
the outstanding academics and world-
class education offered. The majority of
classrooms in the original classroom block
were built to accommodate about 15 boys
in a 41m² class. Today’s ideal classroom, to
comfortably accommodate 25 boys and
facilitate modern teaching methodologies,
requires that classrooms are extended
to 72m². Eight additional classrooms are
required and, with the introduction of
Mandarin as a new subject, a further four.
The endowed fund must be grown to enable
the awarding of bursaries and scholarships
to support excellence and access to talented
boys from all backgrounds (including the
sons of Old Boys), many of whom could
not otherwise afford the experience of
Kearsney.
How are bursaries and capital projects
funded?
As much as is feasible is committed through
the school budget but we also continually
source alternative funding. The Kearsney
Trustees, Board of Governors and Old
Boys will launch a Centenary Campaign and
Appeal as part of the 2016 Kearsney 95th
Anniversary celebrations. This campaign will
be driven by the Kearsney Foundation and
led by a Campaign team to be appointed
by the Kearsney Trustees. Work has already
commenced to grow the endowed fund with
an invitation to every year group to start
a Class Fund or contribute to an existing
Special Fund. We urge you all to become
Founders of the Second Century! With the
passion of the Kearsney community behind
us, I am confident we will reach our targets
and objectives to ensure we remain a top
school in the country.
What keeps you inspired to continue in
this voluntary role as KCOB President?
Dare I say it runs in my blood! It’s an
honour to serve our fellow Old Boys and
serve the school in any way that can add
value. I did my first stint in the early 90s
under
Lauron Buys
(Gillingham 1970) as
president (we actually started the Whippet
movement then) and it’s really rewarding to
see the Whippets alive and well today, 25
years later!
Kyle Connolly
(Gillingham 2004) spoke
to the Matric lads at the induction session
of the Class of 2015 about the honour,
tradition and responsibility of being a KCOB.
Kyle will look to strengthen the Whippets
and Hounds portfolio going forward. To
acknowledge the Class of 2015 being the
first year group to start a class fund while
at school, Kyle’s security firm Ensure (which
provides security detail at various Matric
Rage events) sponsored VIP tickets for the
boys for one of the main events.
My thanks to KCOB Branch Convenors for
record attendance at many annual events -
support at local branch level is deeply valued:
A Centenary is a massively significant event
in the life of any organisation. How is the
KCOB Executive preparing for Kearsney
College’s Centenary in five years’ time?
It is indeed a very exciting time! I’ve been
privileged to be elected to represent the
Old Boys on the Board of Governors
and the Centenary Committee. It’s quite
something to be part of a process to
strategically examine what is required to
educate the Kearsney Boy of the 2020s.One
thing is clear: the strong traditions, honour
code, passion and pride of Kearsney boys
throughout time remains the foundation on
which we have been and will be educated.
With the 2021 Centenary around the
corner, Management has been researching
international trends, consulting experts
and endeavouring to forecast and plan to
ensure Kearsney remains at the pinnacle of
global education futures. This has involved
every aspect of the running of the College
and has included most staff to ensure ‘buy
in’ and support.
From the KCOB President’s desk
Kearsney College
celebrates its 95th
anniversary this year
and KCOB President
Lawrence Polkinghorne
(Gillingham 1990) and his
Executive are focused on
the exciting run up to the
2021 Kearsney Centenary.
The new academic block will be known as the
Centenary Building. Opportunities for naming
rights have been approved by the Board. These
include overall naming, naming of a multi-purpose
exhibition centre, two new quads, 12 new
classrooms and benches in the quad.
KCOB EXECUTIVE
