THE LION – ALUMNI MAGAZINE - St Mark's Church School

St Mark’s Church School
An Anglican Independent school for Girls & Boys, Pre-school to year 8
THE LION – ALUMNI MAGAZINE
The best of
beginnings
for a lifetime
of learning
WINTER EDITION 2011

From the Principal
I
read with great interest recently of a small town
of Italian migrants in America who baffled doctors
with incredibly low rates of disease and mental health
problems across the population. By the time medical
researchers had eliminated diet, exercise, genetics
or medication as the cause of their remarkable good
health, it became evident that the magical ingredient
was a strong sense of community. These were people
who took the time every day to converse with each
other face-to-face, who encouraged the ready mixing
of generations around the dinner table every evening
and who treasured the young and the elderly especially.
Theirs was a village in which Christian values,
civic pride, and a belief in personal responsibility held
sway. Every person in the town mattered and was
made to feel it. When things were tough for one, they
all shouldered a little of the load.
I would like to take a moment to reflect on our village,
our community, the community of St Mark’s, a community
to which you all belong. Ours is and has always
been a special place, one which supports and celebrates
every person as an individual, lives daily the
Christian values, and even in tough times, especially in
tough times we all shoulder the load.
St Mark’s is a place where children from all around the
world learn together, are prepared for the challenges
we face in our world, where success lays the foundations
for lifelong learning. The international recognition
we received in 2010, as an IB World School, has to
be a recent high point for our School. Our report highlighted
our best practice in education, our excellence
in teaching and learning, our quality teaching staff
and their guiding of students to build understandings
and promote responsibility for their own learning.
Ours is a commitment to creativity and inquiry-based
In this Issue
2. Principal
3. Letter from the Board
4. Bishop Tom Brown’s message
5. From The Vicar + Congratulations
6. We are an IB World School
7. From the Development Officer’s Desk +
Yr 8 Art work
8. In Memorium + Keeping it in the family four
generations in the family at St Mark’s
learning which may challenge
some traditional
teaching models, but
the proof of its success
is overwhelming. At a
time when so much of
the education news has
been around National
Standards our results,
speak for themselves. St
Mark’s has always been
known for its academic
standards and this
continues to be the case
with the vast majority
of our current students
achieving well above National reference groups. We
are constantly looking to achieve excellence in meeting
the needs of all our students with our more focused
approach to different programmes.
As I reflect on the last 12 months, it is clear that our
young people are confident achievers; we had strong
representation at the regional spelling bee, we had
our best ever success at the NIWA Science Fair, our
drama programme is internationally recognised
achieving excellent results in the Trinity Guildhall
examinations with over 85% of our students from our
5 year olds to our 13 year olds gaining distinction,
and our Y7 and Y8 production of Shakespeare’s The
Tempest gaining 92%. Our choirs have represented
the school across the city, we have had students
performing in NZ Opera’s production of Macbeth and
our students represent the youth of NZ at National
Celebrations. On the sport-grounds we field teams
in 15 sporting codes in both inter school and regional
competitions, with a number of students going on to
9. News from the archives + Dodgiest passport
(Seth Le Leu)
10. Memories from St Mark’s
11. One of our oldest Alumni turns 97!
12. Overseas Alumni
13. Photos from 50’s and 60’s
13. St Mark’s church school alumni and friends
15. Celebrating 90th
represent Wellington in their code. The students have
attended coaching clinics at the school run by players
from Wellington Tennis, NZ Softball, a world champion
jump rope ambassador, the Wellington Phoenix,
and the All Blacks. In July the Prime Minister, John Key
visited all our classes.
Our innovation in the use of digital technologies is
respected and it is through the generous help of our
parents that we have been able to venture into new
technologies making their way into our classrooms.
We pioneered both a language and cultural trial with
Chorim School in Seongnam, South Korea – the first
trial of this sort in a NZ primary school - so successful
has this been that this year we hosted 18 students
from Chorim School at St Mark’s. Our global outlook
also sees us forging links with a French school in Arras,
a Sister City of Wellington.
I have always believed that you can accomplish much
when you walk in the company of those who believe in
Letter from the Board
you and our alumni are no exception.
We continue to be a school
passionate about our Christian
teaching and values, our Global
education, our outstanding
national recognition through our
latest education review report,
our international recognition for
excellence in teaching and learning
through our world school
status – ours is a great school!
2 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 3
A t
its recent strategic planning session the St
Mark’s Church School Board recommitted itself
to maintaining and extending the academic rigour for
which our school is renowned.
This is in part a statement about our academic standards.
But it’s also a statement of our commitment, as
our school’s mission states, “to provide our students with
the foundations for success in an inter-connected world”.
Making sure our pupils have an excellent start for life
was a key reason for offering the International Baccalaureate.
Through participation in that programme
we expect our students to become critical thinkers,
goal setters, and enthusiastic life-long learners - truly
global citizens capable of succeeding in university
You’ll call
them your
part-time angel
www.campbell.ac.nz
programmes and workplaces around the world.
As you think about the influences that have significantly
shaped your life, I hope you will recall St Mark’s with
fondness, both for giving you a strong foundation and
love of learning, and also for the caring Christian community
of which you were a part during your time here.
I trust that reading this magazine will rekindle your interest
in your old school and cause you to think about
the ways in which you might be able to give back to St
Mark’s something of the value you gained while you
were with us.
Please stay in touch; we’d like you to remain as much a
part of us as we are of you.
Roger Wigglesworth, Board Chair
We call them Demi Au Pairs
Live in childcare and housework,
in exchange for board and
pocket money
Call or email us for more info
demipair@campbell.ac.nz (04) 803 3434

Bishop Tom Brown’s message
G reetings
to our St
Mark’s Alumni.
Having been Chief Pastor
of the Diocese since 1997
and a Bishop in Wellington
since 1991 it has been my
pleasure to serve over the
parish of St Mark’s Church
School. The relationship with
the Parish of St Mark’s and
the Diocese of Wellington
has developed into a very
close bond. I have observed
the Christian character which
permeates through the daily
life of the school when I visit
and through the attendance
at services within the school.
I always enjoy presenting the Head of Chapel with the
Bishop’s Medal at prize-giving evenings each year. This
is an important award with the citation for services to
the school and Chapel. The family feel of St Mark’s is as
strong as ever and I note we now have our 4th generation
student. St Mark’s has a strong Christian, family
ethos where education for
all is very important. It is a
gift that this school hands
on to New Zealand and
the world; remarkably well
equipped students for the
future.
The Bishop’s medal has
been developed over the
years and originally was
the Baltrop Medal. It then
progressed to the Vicars
Prize for Dux of the school,
the Bishop’s prize for
Divinity and since the 90’s has been issued as the
Bishop’s prize and now medal.
Rt Rev Dr Thomas Brown, Bishop of Wellington
The Recipients for the past ten years
2010 Thomas Russell
2009 Paul Weatherall
2008 Jayson Patel
2007 Sonali Singh
2006 Matthew Birt
2005 Andrew Atkinson
2004 Raymond Cho
Bishop’s Prize 2003 James Birt
Bishop’s Prize 2002 Joseph Mou
and Maria Moran
Bishop’s Prize 2001 Katherine Bromley
Think well
Professional
Support Services
The last recipient
was Tom Russell
seen here with
both Bishop Tom
and Rev Michael
From The Vicar
4 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 5
T hree
times this year, I have been asked to supply
biographical notes about myself for various purposes.
Each time, I have found myself getting quite
nostalgic about my time at St Mark’s as a pupil in the
1950’s – Miss Annie Holm and her telling of Bible stories;
the history stories from H.E. Marshall’s epic works:
“Our Island Story” and “Our Empire Story”; the unforgettable
smell of stale, spilt milk on the concrete floor
outside the dining room;
the smell of cooking hot
dinners. I remember my
mother’s excitement at
moving into her new
classroom in the Calder
Block, and also my own
admiration at the School’s
transformed appearance
when I returned as the
Congratulations
M ichael
Holland, Vicar of St Mark’s, past teacher
and pupil, was recently presented with a stole,
from the school, at a special whole school and parish
service to commemorate his 10 years as a vicar. The
stole was designed by Jenny Hunter who has a long
history with St Mark’s.
Jenny’s association with St Mark’s began in 1989 when
her eldest son started as a new entrant in J1. Her
daughter and other son followed in successive years
and she later joined the Parish of St Mark’s Church.
She served on the vestry and was a member of the St
Mark’s Church Choir. In 1996 she was appointed assistant
in the school shop and the next year became
manager. She also worked as a part time receptionist
in the school. Both positions continued until she
Director of Religious Education in 1996. St Mark’s
Church School has been through quite a few transformations
in its long history. Ultimately, however, it is the
people who make up a School – the students, staff,
and parents. One of my joys as Vicar of St Mark’s is the
contact I have with former students and teachers – already
this year I have had four baptisms from Schoolrelated
families. While I value the historical traditions
of St Mark’s Church School, I also recognise the
achievements of the School over the last few years,
and particularly its recently acquired recognition as
an IB World School. I don’t know what the founders of
St Mark’s Church School would make of the present
School, but it is exciting to be part of a School which
combines a proud tradition with continuing to be an
innovative and progressive School.
Rev’d Michael Holland
moved to Auckland in 2003.
Jenny’s great passion and creative interests are in
textiles, design and quilting. Jenny has said, “It was
a great honour to be asked to design and make the
stole for Michael Holland”. It was designed to fit in
with the church’s stained glass windows, both the
original ones designed by Sir
Peter McIntyre and also the
new ones in the Lady Chapel
that Jenny also designed.
“St Mark’s Church and School
hold a very special place in my
heart and I have many happy
memories of my time there.”

We are an IB World School
St Mark’s Church School
An International Baccalaureate World School.
Authorised to offer the Primary Years Programme
The Home of Caring, Principled, Open-minded, Balanced,
Knowledgeable and Reflective Thinkers, Communicators,
Inquirers and Risk-takers.
What is an IB PYP School?
Regardless of location, size, or make-up, an IB PYP
school strives to develop an internationally minded
person.
The mission of the IBO:
• To develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring
young people.
• To create a better and more peaceful world
through intercultural understanding and respect.
• To work with schools, governments, and
What does this mean for our School?
On 22 September 2010, our school was officially
informed by the Director General in Geneva, Switzerland
that we had become an IB World school and
the first IB (Primary Years Programme) World School
in central Wellington. This ended the suspense of the
whole school community after the Authorization Visit
at the end of August. It has been a long, hard journey
and one which we were very proud to have achieved.
Becoming an IB World school doesn’t mean we have
reached the end of the journey, but we have to keep
the high standards required by the IB, and continue
to prepare our students to meet the 21st century
challenges. We will have to go through an Evaluation
Process three years after the Authorization (which will
be in 2013) and every 5 years after that.
PYP in Melbourne
On Wednesday 16th March, Tony Batchelor accompanied
by Heather Taylor, PYP Coordinator, and Director
of Performing Arts, Vicki-Marie Buchanan, flew to Melbourne
to attend the 25th International Baccalaureate
Asia-Pacific Conference entitled - Citizenship, Creativity,
Connectivity, Compassion.
The Annual Conference provided an excellent opportunity
for educational leaders and decision makers in
international organizations to develop challenging
programmes of international education and rigorous
assessment.
• To encourage students worldwide to become
active, compassionate, and lifelong learners who
understand that other people, with their differences,
can also be right.
What is the International
Baccalaureate Organisation?
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) is a non-profit
educational foundation, motivated by its mission,
focused on the student. Our programmes for students
aged 3 to 13 help develop the intellectual, personal,
emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in a
rapidly globalising world. Founded in 1968, IB currently
work with 3,744 schools in 141 countries to develop
and offer challenging programmes to over 935,000
students aged 3 to 19 years.
schools and government to come together to share
best practices around cultivating the way we are educating
our children and creating an education system
that nurtures creativity.
The Conference celebrated renowned speakers in the
areas of education and creativity, and challenged us
all to rethink our current school system and the way
education is being taught.
Ms Buchanan presented a workshop on “Creatively
connecting drama in curriculum learning.” It is
wonderful to have a member of our staff present at a
conference attended by over 900 people from all
around the world.
Vicki-Marie Buchanan (formerly McGaughran)
and Heather Taylor.
From The Development Officer’s desk
has been lovely
being welcomed to
the school in an enthusiastic
way by so many
alumni. I have been
involved in education
my whole life, having
been a teacher of
primary and secondary
students for 20 years,
as well as a mother of
3 boys, actively participating
in their schooling.
My older two boys
are now at Wellington
College and my youngest is currently at St Mark’s.
I have grown to understand what a wonderful school
St Mark’s is through my various roles at the school
and the amazing education my children have received
while being here. Primary schools are the foundation
for which our children and ourselves develop through
life. It helps shape the person we become. I have
been enjoying learning about the history of the school
with help from Margot Wilson. What an amazing job
this has been so far. I have been learning about our
alumni, getting to know you, updating our database,
visiting other schools, understanding what an amazing
6 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 7
I t
Year 8 Art Work
I t
has always been a legacy of Year
8 or Form 2 to leave something
of themselves behind. In the past
few years our Year 8 students have
left installations of clay crosses now
adorning the front office entrance,
Art work inspired by Richard Killeen
outside the Principal’s office and clay
statues in the gardens. Year 8 leave
their mark in many ways with their
enthusiasm and caring memories,
with donations and brick pavers. We
welcome them all into our alumni!
If you would like to “make your
mark” please contact the
development officer on 04 3859489
Clay crosses – Class of 2008
school St Mark’s was and still is. Our ethos of quality
co-education for everyone, in a family and Christian
environment, has not changed in nearly 100 years.
This is a developing role for both the school and
myself, and we are interested in your feedback. I have
enjoyed producing the LION again and am looking
forward to your responses.
I hope to include many more memories and alumni
journeys in the LION each semester. If you know of
any alumni we haven’t yet contacted or if you have
anything you wish to share please contact me on
susan.harding@st-marks.school.nz. One of the many
projects we have going is updating our databases. If
you have changed contact details please let us know.
Next year will be our 95th year and we are holding a
fundraising event in Term 2. More information to follow.
Maybe you can contact your year group and get
a table together or let me know and I can help put
you in touch.
Susan Harding, Development Officer
Don’t forget to look at
our new website:
www.st-marks.school.nz
Class of 2010 with their clay sculptures
Art Inspired by Richard Killeen Class of 2009

In Memorium
John ”Jack” Howard 1987 – 2010
Jack was a student at St Marks from 1992 – 2000
and had been in contact with Margot Wilson in
the few months before he was tragically killed while
serving in Afghanistan. Jack was serving with British
Forces in the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment.
He was killed near Laskah Gar. He was a proud paratrooper
and New Zealander. He had written to Margot
of his experiences on tour, in some detail, outlining
Keeping It In The Family - Four Generations At St Mark’s
W e
are very happy this year to welcome our first
4th generation student at St Marks. Her name
is Alexis Boulieris and she comes from a long line of St
Mark’s alumni.
Elise Boulieris (Karantze) Alexis’s great grandmother
started school in 1940. She was Dux in 1944. She sent her
children Jeffery (63 - 70) and Rosanna (53 - 60). Jeffery
and wife, Nicky’s, daughters, Elise and Denielle attended
in the early 90’s and now Alexis is here. Nicky, Alexis’s
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the many dangerous
situations they faced
every day.
Our appreciation to our
soldiers overseas who put
their lives on the line for
us goes without saying.
Our prayers are with his
family.
grandmother is also our
Business Manager so there
is a very strong sense of
the St Mark’s Family uniting
with the Boulieris family.
From L to R: Jeffrey, Elsie,
Rosanna, Elise and Alexis
(in front) standing by the St
Mark’s Lion
John ”Jack” Howard
News from the archives
8 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 9
I t
is a delight to find so many interesting photographs,
newspaper cuttings, memories and other
information which together give such detailed information
about the past years of St Mark’s Church
School. I have been able to help people find details of
their time at school and even their parents schooling.
We hold admission records right back to 1917.
We have many wonderful items which our current
students are fascinated with like the old windup
gramophones, slates and lead pencils. We have an
excellent collection of 1930’s art work and handwriting
which the children can view. We are working on being
able to display much more for all to enjoy. Just as children
enjoy stories of when their parents were younger,
the present generation at St Mark’s relish hearing what
used to happen in the past - school dinners, the cane,
As a young child growing up in Lower Hutt and
commuting each day into Wellington to attend St
Mark’s I would never have imagined the kind of life that
was before me. My father was a factory worker and he
expected that I would follow in his footsteps. But my
start in St Mark’s set me on a totally different journey.
After finishing St Mark’s I went to Wellington College
and Victoria University and ended up in Motueka as
a Secondary school teacher. Then I joined up as a full
time minister with the Salvation Army and a life time
journey through some of the world’s troubled spots
followed.
With my wife Pam and our four children we spent
fourteen years in Africa. Then we moved to London and
an international role and where I picked up my dodgy
passport. I was fortunate to be part of a recovery team
that went into Iraq after the invasion and for a short
time was able to help the people in southern Iraq. We
worked with the North Korean Government to help
improve their dairy industry. North Korea is one of the
most amazingly isolated and needy places on earth.
Working with the poorest people on earth took me into
the mountain ranges in China and work with the ethnic
minority groups in Mao Xian. Other placements included
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Cuba. To top off my
migrations I spent three years in Southern Sudan as the
Programme Director for World Vision. Working there to
the school queen, the old
uniforms and many amusing
incidents told to us by alumni.
However, prior to 1985 there
is not a lot of archival material
left as according to Miss Clift,
Headmistress from 1953-1969;
they were stored in the roof
Margot Wilson space above the staffroom,
which was demolished when
the Coffey/Kirby buildings were constructed. Apart from
Miss Clift’s daily diary all of the early records were lost. If
you have any items of uniform, photographs or memories
of these earlier times which you would be prepared
to donate to the archives then please contact me on
archivist@st-marks.school.nz
The St Mark’s Alumni with the Dodgiest Passport
Seth in North Korea and India
assist almost three million people in the newest country
on earth was the most challenging role I have ever
done.
Now my life is fairly normal working as World Vision
New Zealand’s International Director. I still have the
chance to work with freeing children from bonded
labour in India and changing communities across the
twenty other countries we work in. My body is mainly in
South Auckland but my mind and heart are still working
for the poor of the world in some of its most needy
spots.
I look back on my time at St Mark’s as a foundational
preparation for making a difference for some of the
world’s most marginalised groups.
Seth Le Leu Class of 67

Memories Of St Mark’s
From the 50’s
• The ‘big boys’ skidding on the icy puddles in the
winter
• Warm school milk – urgh!
• Junket at lunch time – horrid stuff!
• The large rocking horse outside the headmistress’s
study
• Being caned for talking during morning prayers
• Staring at the golden eagle lectern in church
• Having Miss Clift, the Headmistress, take time out
to find out why I was in trouble in Maths and then
spend valuable time with me teaching me long
division, something I have never forgotten
• All the teachers were female except the music
man
• The glass cabinet with dead things in it like sea
horses which I discovered later really existed!
• There were 2 sisters who were teachers, the Misses
Hunts, who wore their long blonde hair gathered
into hairnets, like medieval queens.
Classrooms of today
From the 70’s
Staff of 1977
Going to school at St Mark’s was just perfect and I
believe I enjoyed every moment. I can’t remember
anything unpleasant or something which might have
made me feel unhappy. I wish all children could enjoy
going to school as much as I did.
Rouby Tziakis, Class of 79 now living in Greece
Madeline Bass Podger (Williams), class of 58 now
living in Perth
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One of Our Oldest Alumni turns 97!
May McDonald (Martin) class of 27
May Martin was at St Mark’s from 1919 – 1927 along
with her 4 siblings. Two of whom were founding
members, starting in 1917. She turned 97 in April
and we wished her all the best with a lovely bunch of
flowers and cards from our Student Prefects.
Here is an extract from her memories….
The school was
opened in September
1917 with Miss
Holm as Headmistress
and her sister Miss Eva
as assistant mistress.
Miss Holm was very
strict on her title of
‘Miss Holm’ and was
never referred to as
Miss Annie. I can recall
my earliest teacher
being Miss Eva Clift,
an elder sister of Miss
Charlotte Clift who was later Headmistress.
In addition to the staff there were many voluntary
teachers. Miss Breta Holm taught sewing as did Mrs.
Croll, Mrs. Beck and Mrs. Beale, who all had children
at the school. My mother, Mrs. Martin, also taught
sewing and, in addition, she made all the uniforms for
the Infants’ percussion band which Miss Eva started. I
well remember our living room being draped in yards
and yards of red Italian cloth and bolts of white tape!
Mrs. Gabey came on Friday afternoons to teach us
first aid as she was a St John’s Ambulance Officer. I
never did master the reef knot but I certainly remembered
quite a lot when it came to dressing cuts and
bruises on my own children.
Miss Holm gathered a band of willing helpers round
her to help with the finances of the school, as in
those days and it still is, a Parish School and the fees
were nominal. Miss Lewis and her sister Miss May ran
weekly card parties and there were various socials and
dances to help with the funds. The big event of the
year was the annual bazaar followed by the school
concert. Miss Eva wrote the plays and very wisely saw
to it that as many children as possible were included,
even if they were only scenery, thus guaranteeing a
good audience as well as many happy children who
did not have much talent but were “in the play”!
Among the talented children were my own sister, Phyllis,
with her beautiful singing voice, my brother, John,
a boy soprano and I usually managed to get a speaking
part.
We all remember Miss Holm’s cane and Miss Eva’s
strap but one must bear in mind that these were
an accepted form of punishment in those days. We
should also remember that Miss Eva had a tin of
sweets to reward the good children. It was not until
many years later that I realized that Miss Holm did
many unsung good deeds like helping people in
trouble and many a child was given, not only a good
education but also a hot meal and cocoa each day
through her good offices. How many of us knew that,
in the early days before the school could afford to employ
such a wonderful, lovely lady like Miss Vine, Miss
Holm herself saw that there was corned beef, mince
or sausages cooked for the midday meals? I well remember
that when I was about nine years old and my
mother was rushed into hospital, it was Miss Holm and
Miss Breta who took my little three year old brother,
Grahame, and kept him with them until my mother
was better again and able to look after him.
There is so much more that I could write but I must
mention the ’carrying of bricks’. The school acquired
a large number of bricks from buildings being demolished
in Wellington and every playtime we formed
into a ‘chain gang’ and everyone carried the bricks
from the Dufferin Street entrance up to the playground
to fill in a very large gulley abutting Paterson
Street. This was to form a basketball and tennis
court. This went on for some considerable time and,
although we grizzled about it, finally the playground
was completed and we had a grand opening with a
maypole. I recall that John Gaudin was my partner.
It was very hard work building that playground but it
does my heart good to see that many years later generations
of St Mark’s children still play on the bricks
that I carried.
I loved my school and have always been proud to
have received such a valuable education and to have
made many lifelong friends there.
10 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 11

Overseas Alumni
We have many alumni living and working in foreign
lands with incredible stories of challenges, hardships,
successes and that great kiwi spirit of adventure.
We have alumni in England, the United States of
America, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Australia...Each Lion
Magazine we would like to tell your stories.
This edition we are looking at John McLevie’s story
from the Class of 42.
John attended St Mark’s as a clergy son, as his
father was the Vicar at St Barnabas’ Roseneath.
Among his friends were the Robertshawe children and
Barbara Holm, who was related to the Headmistress
Annie Holm. John went on to Wellington College
and then to work at the Reserve Bank. He decided
he wanted to be a teacher and finished his degree
at Victoria University. He went on to teach at Rongotai
College as a PE and History teacher. He married
Elaine, a teacher at Wellington East Girls College, and
they decided to go overseas for 18months, however
they never returned! (except for a holiday).
John spent time teaching in low income schools
in London and then taught at Alexandra Grammar
school in Singapore where he became housemaster
of the Boarding school. He has just visited 14 Ghurka
men who had been boarders and are now all retired
from the British and Nepalese armies.
They continued to see the world and went to Hong
Kong where John became a lecturer in Education.
They also had their 3rd child and after 4 years decided
to go to the US. Both Elaine and John went to Michigan
State University where they completed PhD’s in
English and Education. John then went to San Diego
State University where, over 14 years, climbed to the
rank of Full Professor and the Director of Teacher
Education. He also spent 3 years in Brazil as Chief of
Party of a US consulting team. He then proceeded to
Associate Dean for Teacher Education at the University
of Houston at Clear Lake, Texas. John and Elaine headed
back to California where they took up positions which
involved John visiting 54 universities training teachers
for schools. He then retired but spent 2 years as
a visiting professor at Northern Illinois University,
West of Chicago.
They finally settled down in San Diego to be near their
children and 7 grandchildren. Of course this didn’t
stop them as they are now volunteers at the Episcopal
Refugee network where John is President and Elaine
is the Community Relations Officer. They serve
refugees settled in the area by the UN and the US
government. They have about 3500 Sudanese from
Kenya and Cairo camps; 2000 Karen and Karenni
Hills tribes-people from the Thailand border and
about 200 Bhutanese from Nepal. Their jobs are
very busy helping the refugees learn English, get jobs
and housing.
John hopes to
visit Wellington
when the World
Cup is on in
September.
John and Majur Malou, the Executive Director of the
Refugee Network. He is a refugee from Sudan and
works with refugees from Sudan, Darfur, Myanmar and
Bhutan who have been resettled in the San Diego area.
23 Adelaide Road · P O Box 7134 · Wellington 6242
4110
Do you Remember The 1950’s and 60’s
Queen Mother’s Visit
Standard 4 Boys
1955 School Band
Future All Blacks? 1969
23 Adelaide Road · P O Box 7134 · Wellington 6242
1960’s holding
the school banner
Knights of the Road
1955 Dark Woods Production
Happy 35th Birthday St Mark’s
1969 School Choir
12 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 13
4110
McDonald’s Basin Reserve
Proudly supporting St. Marks School
18 Adelaide Road, Wellington
OPEN 24 HRS, 7 DAYS

St Mark’s Church School Alumni and Friends
S ome
of you will be members of this group already.
If not, you are welcome to join it on Facebook.
Jack Yan is the chairman of this group and invites you
to join through Facebook, under St Mark’s Alumni and
Friends.
Jack is from the class of 1985, starting at St Mark’s in
September 1977. He and his family had immigrated
from Hong Kong the previous year, and Jack started
school armed with only one line, ‘Please may I go to
the toilet?’
He started in Mrs Reilly’s class, J1, in the Kirby Block.
The Coffey Block had not been built at the time and
was just a playground.
While he had learned to read in Hong Kong—which
was a British colony at the time—he perfected his
spelling after his mother got him to spell out every
word in his reader each night.
The Headmaster was the Rev Ron Kirby, who had a
huge influence on the growth and redevelopment
of St Mark’s, as well as the discipline of the students.
However, if you were in trouble and placed outside in
the cold corridors, God help you if Mr Kirby walked by.
The worst offenders were strapped in those days, and
a number of Jack’s classmates were.
Sent out was Karl Urban, the most famous alumnus
of his year, although Jack doesnt recall if he was
strapped. Karl has since played Bones McCoy in Star
Trek. Jack says he remembers the years fondly, especially
his friendship with Chris Mardon, who has continued
to keep his links with Karl.
His St Mark’s alumni network is international, with his
very close friend, Philip Colebrook, in London, and Imran
Sandhu, a doctor in Philadelphia. He even found
support from St Mark’s alumni last year when running
for Mayor of Wellington, with many coming out
and writing endorsements without prompting, even
though he had not seen them in a quarter-century.
The ties he forged in his days at St Mark’s have continued
into the 21st century, and most of his fellow
classmates have gone on to lead fulfilling and successful
lives.
‘If you are to receive privileges in life, you must earn
them through good conduct and hard work. In best
practice, you don’t get anywhere without industry,’
Jack said at the leavers’ dinner last year.
One of Jack’s messages
in his speech to Year 8
was on friendships and
‘How you can serve.’ His
point was that everyone
has the opportunity to
serve, and that you will
know it when you see it.
The school motto might
even be interpreted that
way: while the literal
translation is ‘No day
without a line,’ it could
mean, ‘Every day you
can find an opportunity
to serve your fellow human
beings.’
Jack Yan runs Jack Yan &
Associates, which works
in brand consulting,
typeface design, and
publishing. He ran for
Mayor of Wellington last
year.
Through Facebook, many alumni have come together,
and it is here that Jack and others are finding a way
to bring them together. In 2007 and 2008, his class
had a number of reunions. Jessica Stephens, whose
children are current St Mark’s students, brought along
old school magazines to reminisce at one dinner, and
while everyone looked different from their photographs,
they all recognized one another very easily.
Many could still remember the school song, and that
they were taught to stretch further and accomplish
their goals. They believed St Mark’s prepared them
well for life and maintained their pride for their school.
Jack finished his speech last year with, ‘And let victory
crown all your days,’ taken from the school song.
I think our alumni of 2010 felt very privileged and
honoured to be St Mark’s Church School pupils, and,
now, alumni.
Left: Jack receiving his Dux award in 1985
Right: F2M class, 1985 Ms Gillian McPeake
90th Celebrations
14 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 15
W e
started our four days of celebration
with a whole school assembly held in the
church. The Reverend Michael Holland and the Principal,
Mrs. Tina Leach, gave us insights into the history
of the school. Quite a number of past pupils were
able to attend including Mrs. Violet White who cut the
celebration cake as she was the eldest of the alumni
present on the day. Josie Whittock, who also took
part, was the newest student to enter the Reception
class. The delectable cake was donated by Mrs. Karyn
Sheehan.
After the assembly, our visitors were invited to register
and have morning tea in the church hall. Our Year 9
students hosted the morning tea and talked informally
with the alumni. It was a very pleasant start to our four
days of celebration.
This was the first of many opportunities to get together
for a chat. Past students and friends were taken for
tours round the school by the Senior Students. Our
alumni enjoyed the many displays of photographs
and murals which brought back memories of old
classmates and past times.
At lunchtime, the
SMILE team got their
aprons on and held
a sausage sizzle for
everyone. The alumni
gathered in the library
to enjoy their sausages
and, of course, chat
some more.
Later, in the evening,
past and present staff,
gathered in the church hall for a casual get together.
On Friday, some of the alumni met again in the library
at lunchtime to enjoy their ’Nostalgia in a box’-a delicious
lunchtime treat. Later that night, alumni and
friends met for a cocktail evening. There were various
displays of photographs from each decade and a special
display of staff photographs.
Saturday brought another round of events at the
school, a bus tour and a 90th Dinner at Parliament.
Four of the alumni were inducted into the St Mark’s
Hall of Fame for making their ‘mark’ in life. These were
The British High Commissioner, Mr. George Fergusson,
Ms. Margaret Almao, Dr. Bill Glass and the Reverend.
Michael Holland.
Only 6 years to go for the 100th!!

16 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011
ST MARKS CHURCH SCHOOL
An Anglican independent School for Girls and Boys, Pre- School to Year 8
13 Dufferin Street, Basin Reserve, Po Box 7445 Wellington
Phone + 64 4 385 9489, Facsimile + 64 4 385 1528, Email admin@st-marks.co.school.nz
www.st-marks.school.nz
An environment in which the Christian faith is nurtured