EDUCATION

“Access to high quality education is one of the biggest issues that local families face. I work closely with all of the schools in the Alfred Cove Electorate to ensure that the needs of the local school communities are being met and that they are provided with an environment in which both the teachers and students can flourish.”

Janet’s Record

Tangible achievements at local schools

– Janet provides close ongoing assistance to all local school P&C groups to assist them with projects and school events.

• Janet worked closely with the school community to ensure Bicton Primary School was rebuilt with as little disruption as possible following a terrible storm that destroyed much of the school in 2005.
• Janet helped Attadale Primary School get its much needed covered assembly area.
• Janet assisted Booragoon Primary School to have their new library complex and art and technology facilities completed after the project stalled when issues relating to the original builder came to light.
• Janet helped to secure special funding to assist Applecross Primary School with its Centenary celebrations.

Challenges

Funding for school’s infrastructure

– in 2004, the State Government promised to clear the repair and maintenance problems facing schools by 2008. Despite that promise, Janet has identified hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs and maintenance that needs to be done to bring schools within the Electorate of Alfred Cove up to a safe and acceptable standard.

New roofs required for Applecross, Ardross and Mount Pleasant Primary Schools

– The roofs at both schools urgently need replacing. In the case of Applecross, a 2004 Government-commissioned report identified that the roof was in such poor condition that it barely provided an adequate cover. Since then, only small short term fixes have been made and the roof remains in a very poor state. Mount Pleasant Primary School’s roof is in such poor condition that workers have been banned from going on the roof for fear that it may collapse.

Ensure existing schools have the same access to facilities as new schools

– Many brand new schools have been built with state-of-the-art facilities but the State Government has been slow to ensure that older established schools are being upgraded to provide equity and full access to modern facilities for all State school students.

Cross Walk attendants

– the State Government has taken away some cross walk attendants that help young students safely cross major roads to get to and from schools. The Government must increase the funding for cross walk attendants and ensure that it retains their important community services.

School Dental Surgeries

-The State Government has been eroding the funding provided to maintain the School Dental Health Service and as a result more than 14 School Dental Therapy Clinics have been forced to close due to poor staffing conditions and salaries. Janet has called on the State Government to urgently increase the allocation of funds, to improve the salaries and conditions offered to school dental staff and to ensure the clinics are available for all children from birth until they leave school.

Janet’s Plan

• Make sure that Applecross, Ardross and Mount Pleasant Primary Schools have new roofs installed as soon as possible and that other school maintenance and repair works are undertaken in a timely manner to ensure that students and staff have equitable access to facilities.
• Apply pressure to the Government to allow the P&C at Palmyra Primary School to install Reverse Cycle Air Conditioners instead of replacing the 30-year old gas heaters. This will ensure that young children are not subjected to freezing conditions in winter and 44 degree classrooms in summer.
• Ensure that the Government fulfills its obligation to connect Booragoon Primary School to deep sewerage. The school is still connected to septic tanks with the children constantly exposed to unpleasant odours from the tanks. The rest of the suburb was connected to deep sewerage many years ago.
• Encourage the Government to provide incentives for volunteers to work in school canteens to enable the canteens to stay open and viable.
• Continue to work with all schools to stop the governments “band aid” approach to school maintenance and to ensure all schools are fully resourced.

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