Thursday, 3 April 2025

Merri-bek Primary School

Anthony CIANFLONE (Pascoe Vale) (17:19): (1114) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Education, and the action I seek is for the minister to provide an update on the investments the Victorian Labor government is making to deliver the Education State across my electorate, including for the families of Merri-bek Primary School. Originally known as Moreland State School and bounded by Moreland Road, De Carle Street and Blair Street, Merri-bek Primary School first opened its doors on 6 June 1887, with the first headmaster being Mr Peter Miller, with his wife Mrs Miller as infant mistress. The first two students listed on the student register were Lily Buxton and Gladys Thomson.

Beginning with a small staff and around 100 pupils, the school’s enrolment rapidly grew as more families moved to the area to work in the burgeoning brick kilns, potteries and hardware and textiles manufacturers. As the school continued to grow and evolve, at one point it had the largest enrolled student attendance in the state, with 2400 pupils. In 1970 the De Carle Street building was demolished and a new two-storey building was erected, with the first part opened by then Minister for Education Lindsay Thompson in 1972 and an additional wing opened in 1979. According to the Department of Education, this was the first case of an inner-suburban school being totally demolished and totally rebuilt at the time.

In the spirit of reconciliation, on 19 June 2023 the school unveiled its new name of Merri-bek Primary School and its new logo, and for almost 140 years the school has continued to beautifully educate and support generations of local students in that iconic blue-and-yellow uniform in an increasingly vibrant, inclusive and nurturing learning environment. Guided by its vision to be a community of inclusive, innovative and inspired learners, Merri-bek is today home to 360 students and 40 staff members, led by its fantastic principal Maria Giordano. The school community is also proudly made up of Sean Gan, the school council president; Raoul Woods, the vice-president; Bianca Hudson, assistant principal; school captains Bethany and Marcel; vice-captains Sathya and Olive; and house captains Saxe and Evie of Merri Creek, Sumaya and Zahraa of City Hall, Dayton and Paris of Sydney Road and Roisin and Frankie of Coburg Lake. Sandra Pepi is the longest serving teacher at the school, and she attended Merri-bek Primary School as well as a student. I thank all of the other students and teachers and support staff, families and volunteers.

I was very pleased to visit the school in December to celebrate the grade 6 graduation and be briefed on the school’s fantastic concept master plan, which we need to support delivery of. Based on very extensive school community engagement and consultation, the new concept master plan outlines the future infrastructure, facilities and resource needs of the school: the replacement of the current playing surface with an environmentally friendly, resilient and versatile option; the construction of a new covered outdoor learning area and canopy to accommodate all-weather activities and school assemblies; renewed in-between spaces to accommodate more trees, native greenery, flowers and soft landscaping rocks to support wellbeing and inclusivity; developing an upper terrace to support neurodiversity of students and inclusive and supportive environments for all; and a number of other upgrades and learning outcomes. This builds on the previous investments we have made in the school: $700,000 over recent years to provide an outdoor sensory space; the $400 school saving bonus, which has saved the school $88,000 for new uniforms, textbooks and excursions; the free dental program; the free glasses in school program; and the mental health and wellbeing resources in school program.