Campaign update from Reopen Our Schools

Dear friends and supporters It has been a while since our last update, but we wanted to wait until we had news to share, and it is good news indeed! Through our hard work and with the support and engagement of the local community, public education became one of the top two issues in the lead up to the last State election in November 2014. Since then we have been in meetings with the Minister for Education James Merlino and his office, both in the capacity of Reopen Our School and with our broader campaign alliance partner Our Children Our Schools. It has been fantastic to meet many like minded people who care about public education deeply, not only here in Banyule, but right across Victoria. Provision plan for education for local schools We look forward to the provision plan getting underway in the next few months. The Government will be using up to date information which will be available in September. We look forward to having a seat at the table throughout this process. The request to ensure best practice community engagement has also been made to the Minister's Office and it has been positively received. Any Government study needs to ensure that up to the minute data is captured. For example things like Child Maternal Health data and kindergarten enrolments. But we also need to ensure we cater for those children who haven't been born yet and will need access to education services - both now and into the future. We believe Banyule Council is well placed to assist with providing up to date information for that purpose and we look forward to their co-operation and being at the table with Reopen Our Schools once the provision plan process gets underway. What about land for a school? When Banyule Council bought the 3 old school sites, promises were made about marking time, or delaying the sale of two of the three sites. Nothing materialised from those promises, and Council proceeded to sell to private developers two of the three sites. The last remaining school site, the old Banksia School site is still owned by Council. It is hoped that council will retain this site before proceeding to move toward it's redevelopment. Given the study will be completed by the end of the year, it is plain common sense to reserve that site for the purposes of a local school for Bellfield. Community Consultation - Banksia School site Community Consultation is underway about the future of the Banksia School site. You can make a comment and/or submission about Council's proposed plans to redevelop the site into a basketball stadium. Reopen Our Schools has not been invited to sit on the community reference group by the ward Councillor. Local netball and basketball groups and the Bellfield Residents Action Group (BRAG) have been included. We hope more visionary politics will prevail to ensure a win/win situation. What about joint or shared facilities being developed between the Department of Education and Council? This occurs in New South Wales for example where there is a shortage of land and sporting facilities. Councils often work together with local schools to provide upkeep and maintenance of school sporting grounds where there is a shortage, so everybody wins. We hope that this last site can be returned to the community as a school. The study will be completed by the end of the year - within 5 months! So we encourage supporters to take a positive approach. You can make your submission to the Community Reference Group by going to Banyule Council's website, and click on community consultation. You will see the Banksia consultation link near the bottom of the list. Or you can email your submissions/comments or questions to Thomas Zappulla at tom.zappulla@banyule.vic.gov.au or phone 9490 4222. You can do so before 31 July 2015 in writing. Ask Council to retain the site for the purposes of it being sold back to Government for the provision of a school. We know there is a need and so do you! A final note.... Our Change.org petition now has 406 signatures! What a huge result! Ensure your voice is heard on this important issue. Tell Council we need more schools in Banyule! In Community Reopen Our Schools