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Taken from the Parliament of New South Wales Hansard
Mr Frank Terenzini talks about MPS
MAITLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL
Page: 5879
Mr FRANK TERENZINI (Maitland) [10.27 a.m.]: It is my pleasure to bring to the attention of the House today the great work being done by one of the public schools in my electorate. On 14 December 2007 I was invited to attend a school awards presentation day at Maitland Public School. The school, which was built in 1874, is located in the centre of Maitland township and is one of Maitland's most recognised and respected primary educational institutions. Along with other dignitaries, I was treated to a demonstration of talent being produced, developed and nurtured in our public education system. We also listened to the excellent reports given by the captains, Georgie O'Malley and John Digby, about the activities and events that occurred in the 2007 school year. I congratulate those school leaders on such an exceptional presentation.
Class awards, sport, house and individual awards were presented, together with many special awards for the creative and performing arts. Citizenship, achievement and academic awards were also presented. It is important to note that many awards were handed out under the names of Maitland citizens, honouring them and recognising the work and contribution these people have made to the community of Maitland throughout its history. The students who received awards were able to demonstrate qualities consistent with the contribution of these community members. During the presentation I was treated to a vast array of talent in performances by the school band, gymnasts and other individuals. It was great to see such an exceptional level of talent on show. Maitland Public School is a model example of the way we should develop and nurture talent in our young primary school students.
At this school the main emphasis is on academic and co-curricular development. The programs that are run by the school provide students with enormous opportunities to develop their talents and to prepare for later schooling. These opportunities come from cultural, sporting and musical programs, life skills, musical bands for junior, intermediate and senior levels, creative writing, a vast array of sporting opportunities for both males and females at all levels, debating, public speaking, school parliament and a student representative council, programs for the gifted and talented, school choir, literary and spelling competitions, University of New South Wales competitions, the Premier's Reading Challenge, technology, and participation in the television show It's Academic, where the 2007 team put in a great effort.
One very important initiative, which I have not heard of before, is the appointment of one of the teachers as an environmental officer. This officer's job is to spend a set amount of time each week studying and gathering information about how the city of Maitland as a community can adopt better practices that are more environmentally friendly, and to apply and use that information as a specialised and focused teaching resource for the students and the Maitland community. This is a great initiative and one that we in Maitland are very proud of.
Maitland Public School also has programs and resources for students with special needs. In late 2007 I was invited to a special lunch that was prepared by these students. I was treated to a very special occasion that demonstrated the commitment of this school to provide opportunities for development to all our young students. It was an honour for me to sit with these youngsters and talk to them at lunch to see how they were improving their skills in a great learning environment. A very strong work ethic and a close school community culture are all too evident at this school. This is very important in order to bring out the best in our students. Setting up and keeping this environment is not easy; it takes continued commitment.
The great things that are happening at Maitland Public School are of course a reflection of the hard work and dedication shown by the principal, teachers and administrative staff. As we know, success in the career of teaching, especially in primary education, takes a special kind of commitment—one that requires a natural desire on the part of these educators to relate to each individual student and to bring out the best in them whilst at the same time promoting the great things about a school community through teaching practices such as sharing and teamwork. This is no easy task. Going above and beyond what is normally required is standard practice for our teachers. As I have said, a model educational institution has staff who are prepared to develop initiatives and programs such as those at Maitland Public School. It is important for us as members of Parliament to recognise the good things that are happening in our community and how, in this case, our schools are preparing our younger citizens for life.
I take this opportunity to thank the principal, Mr Ron Brown, for the great work he is doing at the school and for his dedication to ensuring that our young students are being well looked after. I also pay tribute to all the teaching and administrative staff for their work. I congratulate all the students who received awards and amongst whom no doubt are our future mayors, members of Parliament and community leaders. I am very proud to have such a creative and innovative school in my electorate and I have no doubt that the school will continue to equip our students for the future.