NORTH SHORE PRIMARY SCHOOL, No. 4301
In early 1923 a committee led by McClure and Councilor Evans, began the negotiations to have a school established at North Shore but it was not until 9th of July 1926 that a school of 12 pupils, in temporary premises under HT Lindsey. Meanwhile negotiations for the present permanent site proceeded and 3 ½ acres in the newly subdivided area were purchased for 1,600 pounds and the building for 12,000 pounds.
Pupils numbered 34 at the time of the official opening by the Hon. Mr. Tunnecliffe late in 1926 but financial difficulties in the depression days slowed progress. Unmade roads, lack of fencing and swampy playing areas were real problems and twenty-two years were to pass before any rapid development was evident.
In 1951 the Victorian Housing Commission began the housing scheme which became Norlane and school enrolments rocketed to over 1,000 by 1955. The purchase of extra land bought the total school property to 9 acres. Construction of new rooms barely met demands even with the opening of other adjacent schools. The last block of four rooms was occupied on the 9th February 1965, solving for the foreseeable future all problems of accommodation. The central library, mainly financed locally, opened in October 1967.
The J.W. Kearney Hall was officially opened on the 6th of May 1977. This Commonwealth funded multi-purpose facility has proven to be an invaluable school community asset.
During 1989 major upgrade works were undertaken resulting in the relocation of staff facilities and the removal of three classrooms. The Shelter was constructed in 1991 on part of the relocation site using mainly volunteer school community labour.
Enrolment during the 1990’s remained in the mid to low 200’s, but like most schools in the Corio-Norlane area, have been in decline since the start of 2000. Our current enrolment of 155 is consistent with numbers since 2005.
School 4301 celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2001.
in 2008-9, North Shore Primary School entered into a significant redevelopment under the State Government's Building Futures program. The project exceeding $4M of combined State and Federal funding, has seen the enhancement of the 1926 red-brick schoolhouse and the J.W. Kearney Hall. Architect Patrick Ng of StrataPNA and the building contractors EJ Lyons blended the old with the new creating two Learning Centres each made up of 4 flexible learning spaces and other student and teacher facilities, an Administration Centre that includes a general office and foyer, a sick-bay, disabled facilities, and a range of staff and visitor meeting and office facilities and a Community Centre with library, meeting and computer lab areas. The outcome has been incredible with a closed courtyard linking all of the buildings which have been complimented by extensive landscaping and improved fencing and basketball courts.
On the 25th August 2009, State Member of Parliament for Lara John Eren and Federal Member for Corio Richard Marles, Department of education representatives, past and present students, staff and parents and a wide section of our community and partners joined to officially open the redeveloped school.
We also held a naming ceremony in which major announcements included the naming of our Learning Centres and Houses. They are as follows:
- The Prep-2 Centre is The Conheady-Kline Centre recognising Mrs Pat Conheady’s 32 years at North Shore Primary School and Mrs Barb Kline’s 32 years of teaching (23 at NSPS)
- The Year 3-6 Centre is The Redman Centre, recognising Mrs Rhonda Redman’s 35 years of teaching at North Shore PS.
- The Music and Library Centre is The Strzelecki Centre, a celebration of Mrs Liz Strzelecki’s 38 years of teaching at North Shore.
- Green House became Harvey House, formally recognising our appreciation of Glynn Harvey’s 20 years of supplying fruit and vegetables to the schools programs.
- Yellow House became Cumming House, in recognition of the contribution of the Cumming family to the North Shore community, with family members being students, a teacher, Mothers’ Club member, canteen manager, school councillor, handyman and parents.
