Bishop Viard College

Secondary school in New Zealand

41°08′25″S 174°50′21″E / 41.1404°S 174.8393°E / -41.1404; 174.8393InformationTypeState integrated, Co-educational, Secondary Years 7–13MottoTruth is LightEstablished1968; 56 years agoMinistry of Education Institution no.256PrincipalChris TheobaldSchool roll421^[1] (February 2024)Socio-economic decile1C^[2]Websiteviard.school.nz

Bishop Viard College, also known as Viard College or BVC, is a coeducational, integrated, secondary school (years 7–13) located in Kenepuru, Porirua, New Zealand.

History

The college was founded in 1968 by Cardinal Peter McKeefry, Archbishop of Wellington, and was staffed by the Assumptionist Fathers and the Brigidine Sisters. The school was named after Philippe Viard, the first Catholic Bishop of Wellington. Originally the school consisted of two institutions (for boys and girls) on the same site, however it became a single co-educational unit in 1975.

The school celebrated its 50th Jubilee on Labour weekend, 19–21 October 2018.^[3]

Notable alumni

Brent Anderson – All Black rugby union player (1986–1987)^[4]
Bernard Cadogan – poet, philosopher, and historian^[5]
Izzy Ford – local-body politician and former rugby union player
Faifili Levave – rugby union player
Vince Mellars – rugby league and rugby union player
Anthony Perenise – rugby union player
John Schwalger – All Black rugby union player (2007–2008)

Notes

^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
^ "Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools". Ministry of Education. 29 November 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
^ "BVC redirect". Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
^ "Bishop Viard rugby reunion recalls glory days". 9 July 2015.
^ "Guest Lecturer Dr. Bernard Cadogan "Treaty and Method: New Zealand's Treaty Constitution and the Interpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi"" (PDF). April 2011.

Sources

Lillian G. Keys, Philip Viard, Bishop of Wellington, Pegasus Press, Christchurch, 1968.
Ernest Richard Simmons, Brief history of the Catholic Church in New Zealand, Catholic Publications Centre, Auckland, 1978.
Michael King, God's farthest outpost : a history of Catholics in New Zealand, Viking, Auckland 1997.
Michael O'Meeghan S.M., Steadfast in hope : the story of the Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington 1850–2000, Dunmore press, Palmerston North, 2003.
Broadbent, John V. "Viard, Philippe Joseph 1809–1872 Priest, missionary, bishop". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
Te Kete Ipurangi