Chairo was founded in 1983 with 19 students and one teacher on the Drouin East Campus, which was the old Drouin East Primary School. This original school building has since been retired, being relocated at Mill Valley Ranch in Tynong, Victoria in 1999. There are now more than 1,600 students within the campuses. The name "Chairo" comes from the Greek "χαιρω", meaning "Rejoice". The school's Pakenham Campus began its VCE classes in 2008 and its music curriculum in 2009 with its first production of Seussical the Musical, Peter Pan in 2010 and Barnum in 2011.
Affiliations
Chairo Christian School is affiliated with Independent Schools Victoria, Christian Education National and the Australian Association of Christian Schools Chairo is also part of a variety of Inter-School networks that compete regularly with Sporting and Cultural events. School Sports Victoria network, Christian Schools Events Network, and the Gippsland Independent Schools Association, originally competing in Sports and Cultural competitions, now solely Cultural and leadership events and occasions.
Campuses
Chairo Christian School features five campuses. Originally starting with their Drouin East Campus in 1983 then expanding to a Senior Campus in Drouin. In 1998, Chairo expanded into the Pakenham area facilitating a large expansion becoming the largest campus. In 2014 the School took management of a new Leongatha Campus originally starting in 1978 called South Coast Christian College. In 2018, the Traralgon Campus originally a campus of Flinders Christian Community College, becoming the latest member of the Chairo family.
Drouin Campus - Drouin
Drouin East Campus
Pakenham Campus
Leongatha Campus
Traralgon Campus
House system
In 1995, the house system was originally introduced to the Drouin Senior Campus initially with under twenty students in each House. The Drouin Houses were named after iconic Christian Missionaries which included Aylward House, named after Gladys Aylward. Elliot House, named after Jim Elliot. Flynn House, named after John Flynn and Liddell House, named after Eric Liddell. After the introduction of a third campus in Pakenham, a new house system was introduced named after founding families of the school. This included Ballantyne, Hughes, Knowles and Noordermeer. In the Leongatha campus, three Houses were established in 2014 with three Houses named Banksia, Bluegum and Wattle, named after fauna found in Australia. During House events such as Athletics and Swimming at the Drouin Campus, the Leongatha and Traralgon Campus participate as two additional Houses, regardless of their respected Houses interior to the campuses.
Chairo Christian School won the Boys Division in the International Schools Netball Championships in 2011
Performing arts
Music
Chairo Christian School offers at all its campuses a sophisticated and engaging music curriculum which includes a variety of music genres and styles from concert band, choir and worship bands. The Pakenham Campus' popular Music On The Lawn is special event held yearly on the lawn of the campus gardens which showcases the talent of students throughout all year levels. The Drouin, Leongatha and Traralgon campuses compete against one another alongside other GIS schools at the annual 'MuseArtz' festival.
Theatre
At Chairo Christian School, each senior campus has a strong theatrical presence in holding concerts and musical productions either yearly or biyearly, holding other theatrical events in between like the popular 'Out There' in Secondary at the Drouin Campus, or 'Cabaret' at the Leongatha Campus. Notable Chairo productions include Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music, Beauty and the Beast and Oliver!, each held at the West Gippsland Arts Centre. With the recent building of a Cultural Centre, 'The Balfour', Chairo now has the capacity to hold musicals and productions all year round.
