PAST and present students from Anzac Terrace Primary School will relive the past 50 years at a community fun day.
The Bassendean school is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019, after opening in 1969 with 55 students.
Those students had to take a bus to Eden Hill Primary School for three weeks because the school had not finished construction for the first day, February 11 1969.
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READ NOWFrom having a punishment book detailing the amount of cane strokes, to building a STEM lab and introducing Japanese into the curriculum, the school has undergone numerous changes over the years.
Original students including Christine Jones, Cheryl Winckester, Sandra Scuds and Natalie Poulter, returned to the school for the 50th anniversary assembly on February 11.
Ms Jones, who retired as the school’s choir teacher last year, made a comeback and led students’ performances of I am Australian and Children of the World.
The community fun day will be held on March 15, where the school will be open for people to see old photos and records and the oval will be filled with food trucks, water slides, bouncy castles, photo booths and face painting.Deputy principal Liz Page, who has been at the school since 1981, said it was exciting to reach out to the original students who were photographed in the first photo taken at the school.
Ms Page said the school had a lot of long-term teachers, including three who retired last year.
“Our (former) deputy principal Neil Strachan had been here for over 20 years – he has actually been principal on a lot of occasions in an acting capacity,” she said.
“Ms Jones was a deputy principal before me as well.”
Principal Stuart Blackwood, who has been principal for more than six years, said it was an “absolute honour” to lead the school to this milestone on behalf of all previous principals.
“We are publishing a book celebrating 50 years through pictures and we will repave the entrance to our school giving students both past and present the opportunity to be immortalised through the purchase of a paver with their name on it,” he said.
“We have up-to-date technology including 3D imagery and printers, interactive whiteboards in every classroom and dedicated staff willing to continually learn to ensure our students are well prepared for whatever the future holds.”
THE ESSENTIALS
What: Anzac Terrace Primary School 50th Anniversary Fun Day
Where: Anzac Terrace Primary School, 176 Anzac Terrace, Bassendean
When: March 15, 3pm to 6pm open school displays and 5pm to 8pm fun on the oval
For information, visit the ATPS 50th Celebrations Facebook page