Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to congratulate Hornsby North Public School on their 50th anniversary. I was very pleased to be able to attend the school's 50th anniversary assembly and celebrations on 18 November, when the school community came together to celebrate the history and the future of the school. It was fantastic to join such a warm and welcoming community of parents, teachers, friends and students. The first school visit I did after being elected as the member for Berowra was to open the Hornsby North Public School art fair, so I have a great connection with the school.

The school was built in 1966 in response to the residential expansion in the area of Hornsby following the bushfires of 1957, which caused damage to the existing Hornsby school. The first day of the school for 90 excited students and four staff was 31 January 1967. The school quickly became a hub for the local community, bringing together young families who were new to the area and providing the foundation for strong, long-lasting community relationships.

A very active group of local parents established the Parents and Citizens Association and, in the early days, they established the annual school fund-raising event of barbecue and fireworks on cracker night in June. The fireworks became very popular, organised by Howard & Sons Pyrotechnics, attracting up to 2,000 people from across the district. From these early foundations in the sixties and seventies the school quickly developed and grew, adding classrooms, a library block, a school hall and other buildings to cater for a growing number of young families in the local area. Today the strong community spirit of Hornsby North remains a strong driving force behind the school.

Several of the original parents have seen their grandchildren—and some great grandchildren—now attend school. Hornsby North has educated the great grandchildren of the original orchard owners of the area that the school was built on and there is a special group of former school students who have joined the staff. The Hornsby area continues to attract new young families. They are attracted by the outstanding educational experience, the band, the choir and the exceptional principal, Maree Sumpton. They are also attracted by the spirit of diversity in the school, most notably on display during the international food fair, which provides the foundation for Hornsby's annual autumn fare.

Throughout the school's history its parent body has been partner in the school's development and success. I congratulate the Parents and Citizens Association for its remarkable contribution to the school, led by the current president, Kath Millar, and its former president, Lynne Slevin. I also want to acknowledge a number of the parents who have been particularly welcoming to me and who have been engaged in the organisation of the 50th anniversary. They are Melissa Burne, Carolyn Binet, Donna Westwood, Jenelle McIntosh, Julie Hall and Alexi Boyd. I also pay tribute to the school captains, Charlie and Sebastian, who will leave the school shortly for their high school adventures.

Hornsby North's mission is: 'Caring for children; educating for life.' They aim to educate students to become lifelong learners. This is something we should all be striving for, and I commend Hornsby North Public School for its vision and for the students in its care.