Official opening of Kinross Primary School

November 17, 1995

Education Minister Norman Moore today officially opened the $3.5 million Kinross Primary School in one of the fastest-growing new suburban areas in the State.

Kinross is the State's only Government school where the teachers have designed and adopted an officially registered school uniform to demonstrate their team spirit and enthusiastic support for the school.

It is also one of the first schools to have appointed its staff under a merit selection process.

Mr Moore said a panel comprising the school administration and a community representative made recommendations for staffing based on written applications, interviews and reference checks.

"There is strong evidence that a talented, resourceful and cohesive team has resulted," the Minister said.

"The whole school community has benefited from the ability of the staff to work together co-operatively.

"This, combined with a high level of community support, has enabled an exceptionally smooth start to the operation of the school."

Mr Moore said the local community had developed a strong bond with the school through its facilities being made available for the use of local people.

Church services, scouts and brownies, martial arts courses, little athletics and community day care programs were run at the school.  It was also home to the Kinross Resident's Association and School Watch.

Completed for the start of the current school year, the school opened its doors to 360 primary and 100 pre-primary students.

Growth in the surrounding suburbs has seen enrolment increase rapidly in less than a year to 430 students in 14 primary classes.

Next year Kinross is expected to have three extra classes and increase primary enrolments to more than 540.

The recently announced new Currambine Primary School will relieve some of the enrolment pressure when it opens in 1997.

Kinross Primary School will receive two sculptures by award winning artist Linde Ivimey to mark the official opening.

To be located in the school's administration area, the works were inspired by the Kinross motto 'working together'.

They are the first of four artworks that will be created by Ms Ivimey specially for the school as part of the Department of the Arts 'Per Cent for Art' scheme.

The scheme was developed to stimulate greater use of art in building and landscaping projects and applies to only selected projects from the State Government's capital works program. 

One per cent of the total cost of the project is allocated to the creation of the artwork.

Ms Ivimey's first piece depicts two children holding a fish bowl and climbing a staircase, symbolising the concept of working together to achieve greater heights. 

The second is of an adult figure, holding another fish bowl, representing a person who gives support and assurance to the children as they climb the ladder of development.

During the summer holidays Ms Ivimey will progress with two other public art projects to complete the school's collection.

They include an installation hanging in the school library, depicting a child whizzing down an imaginary staircase with a pile of books, and a forged copper and cement work to grace the front of the school. 

Ms Ivimey will create the design for the front of the school at a workshop with some of the students.

Media contact: Anabel Gomez 321 1444