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Mr ANTHONY ROBERTS (Lane Cove) [5.22 p.m.]: It is with great pleasure that I bring to the attention of the House the diamond jubilee celebrations of Boronia Park Public School which has to be one of the jewels in the crown of public education in New South Wales. On 13 May, Boronia Park Public School celebrated its seventy-fifth birthday celebrations, when foundation students, former students, parents and teachers joined distinguished guests for an open-air assembly in front of the 1928 building, and to enjoy a morning of celebration and reverie. The proceedings also featured the school band and school choirs.
Official guests included the honourable Justice Jeff Shaw, a former student of the school, me, Councillor Sue Hoopmann, Mayor of Hunters Hill, Councillor Gabrielle O'Donnell, Deputy Mayor of Ryde City Council and Carol Mills, Regional Director Northern Sydney, Department of Education and Training. The celebrations included 75 birthday candles held by 75 kindergarten students and the cutting of the birthday cake by the family members of a foundation student, Phyllis Pike, who represented the four generations of students who have attended Boronia Park Public School.
Following that we attended the launch of a book entitled Living, Learning, Community—seventy five years of Boronia Park Public School 1929-2004, by Meg Smith, Diana Waring, Elizabeth Wall, Stephen Timbrell and Paul Shields. I table that book. The school parents and citizens association funded this special project of the history committee, which comprised the five authors, as it was considered an ideal time to capture the memories of the school's foundation students and to redress the under-representation of Boronia Park in existing local history publications. The book is based on 70 interviews with former and current students and community members, in addition to extensive archival research. Eleven foundation students contributed to the project while the changing focus of education and the local area's landscape is expressed through 159 photographs and images.
His Honour Mr Justice Jeff Shaw officially launched the book, and a reply on behalf of the history of the school committee was offered by one of the authors, Meg Smith. Also featured on that day was a school history display and, during the celebrations, a foundation garden. We enjoyed the open day and many donations were made to the library. A seventy-fifth anniversary dinner dance was held, and a public education day was held in May 2004.
For posterity I place in Hansard that the current enrolment of Boronia Park Public School is 388 students. The school's staff are: Principal, Miss Marilyn Torr; Assistant Principal, Ms Fiona Johnson; Assistant Principal, Relieving, Miss Annie Edwards; and Assistant Principal, Relieving, Miss Kathy Hristofski; teachers, kindergarten, Mrs Hayley Adamson, Ms Yvonne Lee, Mrs Valerie Rutherford; year 1, Miss Niki Karmalis and Mrs Linda Chape; year 2, Mrs Lesley Carbert and Mrs Sharon Parr; year 3, Mrs Kylie Milostic and Mrs Nerida Palombi; year 4, Miss Kathy Hristofski and Mrs Pamela Paull; year 5, Miss Chrissie Cassimaty and Miss Annie Edwards; and year 6, Ms Fiona Johnson; Librarian Mrs. Barbara Kensell; release-from-face-to-face teacher Mrs. Lisa Simon, and Health and Personal Development; Mrs Rose Belcastro, Italian; support teacher, learning assistant Miss Melinda Grimley; teachers' aides Mrs Karen Righton, Mrs Julie Wildman and Mrs Robyn Conliffe; school administrative support Mrs Caron Taylor, Mrs Amanda Frost, Mrs Doreen Whittaker, Library; general assistants Mrs Elizabeth O'Toole and Mr Ken Scorer; canteen Mrs Tanya Ikonomou; care centre Ms Janet Carpenter; contract cleaners Mrs Orene Robbins and Mrs Esterina Turra.
Members of the various seventy-fifth birthday celebrations committees include: Bruce Davidson, Annie Edwards, Fiona Johnson, Annie Knox, Anna Lloyd, Meg Smith, Marilyn Torr, Diana Waring, Julie Wildman and Sloane van der Vegt. The school's parents and citizens association executive members were: President Helen Banu-Lawrence, Vice President Sloane van der Vegt, Secretary Carol Field and Treasurer, Sue Turner. School council members were: President, Martin Board; Vice President Sloane van der Vegt; Principal Marilyn Torr, staff representatives, Barbara Kensell, Yvonne Lee and Annie Edwards; and parent representatives Carol Eklund and Kim Bertino.
I pay tribute to this year's organising committee of the seventy-fifth birthday celebrations that put together a magnificent jubilee celebration. Boronia Park Public School must be one of the jewels in the crown of public education in New South Wales. I pay tribute particularly to the principal and teachers of that superb school and to its wonderful history. Like those at many of our schools, the staff members would not be able to do their job without the assistance of the parents and citizens association, which works hard and tirelessly to ensure that everything within the school runs correctly. The association has had numerous fundraisers and the academic record of Boronia Park Public School is one that any school in the world would be proud of. I have had great pleasure in bringing to the attention of the House the diamond jubilee celebrations of Boronia Park Public School, and I wish that school and the New South Wales public education system the very best for the next 75 years.