Established in 1992, the Kentian Society represents the 30,000+ alumni (former staff and students) of the first Government secondary school established on the southern side of the Swan River.

How To Contact The Kentian Society

Executive Officeholders of the Society are available to be contacted at any time.

Please contact us by email at society@kentians.org.au or leave a phone message for the Society at the school on (08) 9262 0500, and one of the Executive Officeholders of the Society will respond promptly.

Please note: the Kentian Society Office is not located at the Archives (which are only open for a short time each week during school terms).

Joining the Society

Becoming a member of the Kentian Society links you to the school community.

See New-Membership-Application-Form

Update Your Details

Keep the Society informed of your current details, so you can stay in touch. If you need to update your membership details, please use the New-Membership-Application-Form instead and select “Update membership details” as the Application Type. 

Membership

All former students and all current and former staff of Kent Street Senior High School are automatically entitled to free membership as Alumni Members. 

Parents of current and former students, and all donors to the school, are also entitled to free membership as Associate Members.

Alumni and Associate members don’t have access to all the benefits of financial Society Members (such as access to information from the Archives, beyond their own personal school records, or the right to vote in elections of the Society) but will receive the Society’s quarterly e-newsletter if they register their email address with us when completing a New-Membership-Application-Form

Full Society Membership is open to any Alumni member who pays the required membership fee.  

What you receive as a Society Member:

  • A quarterly e-Newsletter via email keeping you informed about Society activities and what’s happening at the school,
  • Access to historical artefacts, and hardcopy or electronic materials, held in the Society’s extensive Archive collection (access to materials is controlled by the Government Privacy and FOI Acts of WA and hard copies will only be provided as photocopies or scans of the originals)
  • Help in organising Reunions and tracking former classmates or staff,
  • Access to our growing Network of employers and mentors from education and other work areas you may be interested in,
  • The opportunity to Make a Difference by volunteering in the Archives or at school events, donating to the Society or the Scholarship Foundation, or offering your expertise to the many services the Society provides, and
  • Eligibility to vote in Society elections, hold office, or serve on the management committee or any sub-committee of the Society.

How much does it cost?

There are currently several types of fee-paying membership:

  • Society Member – 5-year membership fee of $35 per person, $50 for couples, paid in advance 
  • Graduate Member – exempt from fees for first 5 years after graduation 
  • Society Life Member – 20-year membership fee of $140 per person, $200 for couples, paid in advance 
  • Society Esteemed/Valued Benefactor – exempt from fees for life 
  • Society Honorary Life Member – exempt from fees for life

We Need You On Our Team of Volunteers

Join our friendly community of alumni volunteers and use your skills and expertise to make a difference to the lives of the next generation of Kent Street graduates. 

We have a diverse range of volunteering opportunities, with flexibility in mind, to work around your existing commitments. 

When you share your time and expertise, you enrich the lives of everyone at the school – and the experience gives you so much back.

There are many ways you can volunteer, from supporting the planning of a class reunion, sharing your story and talents at alumni events, mentoring a student or becoming an alumni leader. 

Send an email to society@kentians.org.au to express your interest or to ask for more information.

Here are eight different opportunities for alumni to give their time:

  • Support the Scholarship Foundation by volunteering your time. Quite apart from the many people who generously donate funds to the Scholarship Foundation, this program also relies on a volunteer team who give their time through the school year to meet with students and encourage them to apply, and then help assess and interview applicants.
  • Assist the team in the Kentian Archives to help develop our proposed public library and museum. The Archives group has been operating since 1992, gathering, collating and archiving school records, photos, films, newspaper articles, programs, uniforms – anything of interest relating to the 80+ years of the school’s existence. The tasks performed by the volunteers are many and varied, and everyone is welcome to join in.
  • Support the school by becoming a Volunteer Helper at school events and celebrations. In this post-pandemic era, coming together for serious or fun reasons is so important – we know that this strengthens our school community, enables us to make a difference and give back to the school, and also supports the wellbeing of all of our alumni and their extended connections. Please note that most people need a Working With Children Check to work as a volunteer in a school.
  • Support communication with alumni through the Society eNewsletter. Stories are powerful – they move people. We want our alumni to inspire our current students and each other – giving them examples of Kentians out in the world, making a difference. We know the stories of our alumni, and the impact of those stories, will further inspire and connect our community. Our publications team is always looking for more volunteers. 
  • Provide guidance to alumni wanting to Plan a Reunion. Reunions are an exciting and rewarding way to reconnect with old friends and the school. We encourage alumni to take control of their reunions using a committee structure to share workload and come to consensus decisions about the type of event they wish to run. The Kentian Society is able to offer a range of support, and particularly welcomes alumni with past experience of organising reunions to share their knowledge and expertise. 
  • Participate in our Mentoring Program. A mentorship or career development program provides current students and alumni (including recent graduates) an opportunity to network and interact with one another. For students, mentor programs offer career and development advice from alumni volunteers; for alumni, these programs offer the ability to give back and help students with career decisions and life advice. 
  • Become a Social Media Ambassador. Ambassadors help generate positive buzz about Kent Street SHS and the Kentian Society by helping disseminate and generate online content via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and more. As an alumni social media ambassador, you help us reach more alumni, friends and supporters, and serve as a valuable asset to our communication efforts.
  • Serve in a Leadership role.  A lot of leadership involves soft skills such as critical thinking and people management. All of our volunteer teams need alumni who can help plan myriad events and deliver results. Individuals may also serve on the Kentian Society Management Committee. This volunteer opportunity, however, requires a significant time commitment and, depending on the role, an alumnus or alumna must be nominated or elected.

Archives

The Kentian Society Archives are located at the School Science Block, Level 2, off Rathay Street. All visitors to the school need to sign in first at the main office Reception area.

Please note: any non-financial member seeking access to information from the Archives (other than their own personal school records) must first make payment of the required membership fee into the Society’s specified bank account, and apply in writing using the required form to become a financial Society Member, before access to archival materials will be granted.

Please also note: the Kentian Society Office is not located at the Archives (which are only open for a short time each week during school terms).

Archive Hours:

  • 9.30am to 12.30pm Thursday during school terms or by appointment on other days.

If you are interested in helping with the Archives your assistance is very welcome.

Please contact the Archives by email at archives@kentians.org.au or leave a phone message for the Archives at the school on (08) 9262 0500.

Annual General Meeting

The Society’s AGM is usually held at the school at 11.00 am on the last Sunday of March, except where this is Easter Sunday when it is held on another date determined by the Management Committee (in accordance with Rule 50 of the Constitution).

Our preferred practice of holding a barbecue after the AGM has been affected by pandemic restrictions. We may be able to return to enjoying such a function in 2024.

Reunions and Class Events

  • The 70th Anniversary of Kent St SHS was celebrated on 30 October 2010.
  • The Kentian Society 20th Anniversary Reunion was held on Friday 17th October 2012
  • The 80th Anniversary of Kent St SHS was not celebrated with any public events due to pandemic restrictions in 2020. Plans are now underway to celebrate the 85th Anniversary in 2025 instead.
  • For details of these, other School, Society and Year Group reunions see Reunions and Class Events

News

See Kentian Society News

Kentian Scholarship Foundation

The Kentian Scholarship Foundation was established as a Charitable organisation in 2009. Donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible.