GRADUATION NIGHT
It’s not clear when the tradition of Graduation began at Petrie State School. It could be presumed that there was possibly always some ceremony attached to the end of year events where the eldest of the school go off on the next stage of their life.
It is clear though, that the Graduation has been an important event for the Year 7 group for a number of years. Full of tears, relief, emotion, excitement and anticipation – the Graduation night has a sense of finality about it.
Mr Boge spoke of the Graduation in 1988:
1988 – “Year Seven Farewell Dinner with Wayne Perry’s band.”
– Peter J Boge, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1983 – 31 Dec 1990.
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp46-49.
In 1999, graduation was described thus:
“Each year at Grade 7 graduation some of our students show off their musical learning from the previous years at Primary school. Last year the year 7 vocal group students performed a special number. A special ensemble of instrumental students is also put together to showcase the best of our instrumental program. The students give up extra time to rehearse and prepare for the performance.”
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, p75.
Usually held in the second or third last week of the school year, the elders of the school community gather for dinner (sometimes pizza etc.) and last laughs.
In this era there are slideshows shown on the projectors with then and now shots, showing the sophisticated young adults and their little baby former selves. This is also one of the few times where the girls and the boys actually have to dance with each other.
At one point, the dancing was practiced for weeks in the school hall – harking back to the old days of ladies and gents, dancing on the wooden floor boards of the Petrie School of Arts. Although I’m not sure the romanticism cuts the mood in the modern era as the boys and girls tend to laugh their way through the program with embarrassed giggles.
Eventually though, the music moves to that of a school disco and they are free to cut loose.
Sometimes they choral a song for their parents and teachers which is generally some tear jerker, and the emotions begin to flow as the realisation of the ending of one phase and the beginning of another hits them completely.
SENIOR TREAT
At the end of the year, usually in the last week of the last term, the seniors get to have a ‘treat’. In recent years this has been a picnic party as Redcliffe lagoon. The seniors jump on the bus for a day in the sun and one of their last adventures together as a group before they embark to their variously chosen secondary schools.
2013: PARTING GIFT FROM THE LIBRARY STAFF
“Year 7 – Bookmarks”
In other Library news, as a farewell gift to the Year 7s, the library staff collaborated to produce a personalised bookmark for students with a touch of reading comprehension strategy thrown in for good measure. Thank you to Mrs Tracey Dawson for her efforts towards this project and we hope the Year 7s put their bookmarks to good use as they continue their lifelong love of reading, our consistent goal at Petrie SS.
Here are the Year 7s proudly showcasing their bookmarks:
Thankyou Petrie Community for a wonderful year in your library.
– Heather McGeorge – Teacher Librarian
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 20/13, 12 December 2013, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
EASTER HAT PARADE
Every Easter the younger grades charge their parents/carers with the task of providing of them the ‘best Easter hat/bonnet you have ever seen’ in order to parade around the hall (once the under covered area) with their amazing headwear to be judged for the year.
This kicks off the Easter holidays and there are generally many Easter eggs circulating.
1989: TRADITIONAL BONNETS
“Easter bonnet parade in the traditional manner.”
– Peter J Boge, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1983 – 31 Dec 1990.
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp46-49.
1991: EASTER RAFFLE DRAWN AT HAT PARADE
“Ladies Auxiliary set their sight for the first fund raiser of the year – Easter Raffle to be drawn at the Easter Bonnet Parade on March 28.”
– David Stephenson, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1991 – ???.
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp50-53.
2012: EASTER HAT SPECIAL ASSEMBLY
All students are invited to create an Easter Bonnet and wear it along to school on Friday 30 March. There will be a full school parade at 9am in the hall so that children can display their hats. Parents are welcome to come along but we ask that you please sit at the back of the hall to allow the children room to parade around the hall.
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 05/12, 22 March 2012, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
2013: EASTER HAT PARADE IS FOR JUNIOR ONLY
The Prep – Year 3 classes will be involved in the Easter Hat Parade on Thursday 28 March at 9.00am in the school hall. All year levels will also perform a song at this event. Parents are welcome.
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 04/13, 14 March 2013, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
Tomorrow we will hold our Easter Hat Parade in the hall for Prep to Year 3. Parents are welcome to attend.
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 05/13, 27 March 2013, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
BOOK WEEK PARADE
In recent times, the most exciting literacy based event of the year for the school children is the ‘Book Week’ parade. The Children’s Book Council of Australia promote this event to schools every year and generally in August (before the September school holidays) have a parade. Teachers and students are encouraged to dress-up for the day in their favourite character from their favourite book. The kids get really excited and parade their protagonist with pride.
“Remember … Dressing up for Children’s Book Week?”
– Wendy Tunin and Lorelle Flanagan, 1999.
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999
Despite a short hiatus, the Book Week Parade is again in full annual swing.
The Children’s Book Council of Australia’s website describes Book Week:
Each year, many schools and public libraries from all over Australia spend a week celebrating books and Australian authors and illustrators. Classroom teachers, teacher librarians and public librarians develop activities, offer competitions and tell stories relating to a theme to highlight the importance of reading.
There is always lots of excitement in the air for this day.
TALENT QUESTS
1998 saw the introduction of the talent quests to the list of school events. Children nominated themselves to compete in any of these 6 sections: junior (to grade 3); dance; instrumental; vocal; drama; and red faces.
The competition was held at lunchtimes over 4 weeks. Children were charged a small nomination fee, as were the audience members. It was a tough competition but eventually the winners were decided upon and announced on parade. The winning students in each section were given a gift voucher and the opportunity to perform at the school fete.
The biggest thing we discovered throughout this competition was the wealth of talent that we have in our students at Petrie. Many of our students excel in the arts outside of our school and we are now beginning to see their gifts at school. We’re hoping to keep up the tradition in the years to come.
“Very successful talent-quest competition held.”
– David Stephenson, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1991 – 2007
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp50-53.
Talent quests in more recent times are held from time to time as an entertainment feature of a special event such as a fete. When they are run, they have been loosely and gloriously named after a talent scouting reality television program: ‘Petrie’s Got Talent’ … and Petrie certainly does have talent!
INDIGENOUS CULTURAL AWARENESS
Towards the end of the 1990s Petrie was host to annual visits for children from the Palm Island indigenous community in northern Queensland and would receive visitors during NAIDOC week to teach the students about Indigenous Australian culture.
“Remember … The Palm Island kids?”
– Wendy Tunin and Lorelle Flanagan, 1999.
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999
In 2013, Petrie State School was host for one day to a group of students visiting Brisbane from West Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory who were just as interested in urban life as they were in sharing their own way of living in a vastly different Australia. Their teachers addressed the Prep children and spoke to them in language that mesmerised the young ones. While the young group of visitors from the north were excited to have seen the sights and visited the theme parks on the Gold Coast.
We now proudly fly the Torres Strait Islander, Aboriginal and Australian flags on our school flagpole.
2013: NAIDOC WEEK AT PETRIE STATE SCHOOL
Lloyd visited our school as part of our celebration for Naidoc Week. Students learnt many interesting things about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and our indigenous students participated in some craft activities. Thankyou to Lena for teaching our Prep students indigenous craft activities as well.
Petrie State School celebrated NAIDOC Week recently. Preps enjoyed some extra special activities. During the week children made and decorated boomerangs and didgeridoos and experimented with Aboriginal inspired dot art. The Preps enjoyed Lena’s “Show and Tell” about traditional life and were able to touch a real didgeridoo, boomerang and rainstick. Deborah made delicious boomerang shaped biscuits decorated with icing dots. Lloyd an Aboriginal artist visited our school to talk about Aboriginal customs and art. Mr Bray showed Preps a video of his daily drive to school in Arnhem Land. He was really good at avoiding the crocodiles! The children had a wonderful week.
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 11/13, 24 July 2013, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
2013: MANINGRIDA STUDENTS (FROM THE NT) VISIT
On Wednesday 23 October from 1.00 pm – 3.00 pm, we will host 10 students, two teachers and one assistant teacher from several homelands from in and around Maningrida – a remote community in North Arnhem Land in the NT approximately 550 Km south east of Darwin (www.schools.nt.edu.au/maningrida/2012/).
These indigenous students range in year levels from year 5 to 11, all of whom live in remote homeland stations such as Ankabadbirri, Bullagiu, Bolkdjam, Buluhkaduru, Yilan, Gamardi, and Mamika – to name a few. They are all serviced by staff from Maningrida College – a birth to jobs college. All of the students speak three to four different dialects from their homelands. It will not only be a great experience for them but also a great learning experience for many of our students from Petrie to interact and share stories about themselves.
The students will be in Brisbane over 10 days from this Thursday visiting the sites. We will host them for lunch when they arrive at 1.00 pm.
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 16/13, 16 October 2013, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
Last week we were fortunate to have a visit from a group of students from remote homeland communities near Maningrida in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Our students were intrigued with the stories the students told of their communities and their schools. Our students also were great hosts and were very keen to show off Petrie State School. These reciprocal educational experiences are an important way for our student to live and learn together in our community.
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 17/13, 30 October 2013, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
THE SCHOOL EVENTS COLLECTION
Below is a collection of miscellaneous events that have happened at Petrie State School over time. These were collected during research and could not be ignored despite the eclectic nature of the collection. See the bottom of the collection for links to more events related articles.
1914-1918: PATRIOTIC CONCERTS
“I remember during the war (1914-1918) when Mr Hunter (then the headmaster) and his wife would hold Patriotic Concerts at Petrie. Mrs Hunter would play the piano and the children would sing and act plays and such like.
There was always a lot of excitement when some of the soldiers came home from the war. All the children at the school would be waiting at the railway station to meet them and we would welcome them with songs and cheers. We would then escort them to their homes.
Mr Hunter was a very popular man and when anyone in the area needed first aid they always went to him. I suppose you could say he was the first Ambulance service in Petrie. During my years at Petrie School I remember celebrating Wattle Day with a sprig of wattle flower attached to a badge. On Arbour Day Mr Baldwin sent to the school a large tin of boiled sweets. I believe Arbour Day is still practiced at Petrie School today. Breaking up days were a big event – not only for the children but for their parents also”
– Mabel Hart (nee Skinner), former student.
1983: THE COMPUTER VAN
“Brisbane North computer van visited the school.”
– Peter J Boge, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1983 – 31 Dec 1990.
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp46-49.
1983: LAB MICE ESCAPE
“Year 7 and their laboratory mice multiplied and invaded buildings, so were treated as rodents.”
– Peter J Boge, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1983 – 31 Dec 1990.
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp46-49.
1983: VISIT BY AUTHOR MRS SCOTT
1985: VISIT BY AUTHOR RUTH MANLEY
1986: MINI-EVENTS
“Trash and treasure; 4BC Community Club awards; wheelbarrow raffles.”
– Peter J Boge, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1983 – 31 Dec 1990.
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp46-49.
1989: BAREFOOT IN THE PARK
“Barefoot in the Park’ for Under 8s week.”
– Peter J Boge, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1983 – 31 Dec 1990.
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp46-49.
1989: CHANNEL 7 CHOPPER – OPERATION EAGLE I
“Channel 7 helicopter landed as part of ‘Operation Eagle’.”
– Peter J Boge, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1983 – 31 Dec 1990.
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp46-49.
2-10 July 1990: LIFE EDUCATION
“Life Education Van made Petrie State School its first stop, 2-10 July.”
– Peter J Boge, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1983 – 31 Dec 1990.
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp46-49.
1991: AUTHOR OF STORM BOY VISITS STUDENTS
Poet, educational writer and author of children’s novels including the famous story and movie ‘Storm Boy’, Colin Thiele, addressed the senior grades in 1991. Originally from South Australia, the esteemed author suffered from debilitating arthritis and in his later years moved to Queensland and settled near Dayboro.
He died in Brisbane at age 85, on the 4th of October 2006 – the same day as notable Sunshine Coast personality Steve Irwin.
“Author Colin Thiele addresses Years 5/6/7.”
– David Stephenson, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1991 – 2007
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp50-53.
1992: CLASSES BECOME THE AUDIENCE FOR A KIDS TV SHOW
“Classes 6G, 6L and 6/7E attend ‘Look Who’s Talking’ at Channel 9.”
– David Stephenson, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1991 – 2007
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp50-53.
1992: CHANNEL 7 CHOPPER – OPERATION EAGLE II
“Operation Eagle (Channel 7) arrived on the school oval Friday 28 1992.”
– David Stephenson, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1991 – 2007
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp50-53.
1993: BRISBANE BEARS AFL TEAM VISIT
“Brisbane Bears [AFL Team] visit the school.”
– David Stephenson, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1991 – 2007
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp50-53.
16 March 1993 (Tuesday): FORMER TV METEOROLOGIST VISITS – RAY WILKIE
“Mr Ray Wilkie [former TV Weather Presenter] visits Petrie State School.”
– David Stephenson, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1991 – 2007
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp50-53.
1993: EDUCATION WEEK – EDUCATION IS FOR EVERYONE!
“Education Week Theme – ‘Education is for Everyone’.”
– David Stephenson, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1991 – 2007
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp50-53.
1995: CHANNEL 7 CHOPPER – OPERATION EAGLE III
30 MARCH – PETRIE LOG 04/95
OPERATION EAGLE: Channel 7 Helicopter Landed on School Oval at 10.30 am, 26.3.1995
1997: EDUCATION WEEK – GOING THE DISTANCE!
“Education Week Theme – ‘Going the Distance.”
– David Stephenson, 1999 – Principal, 1 Jan 1991 – 2007
Source: Commemorating 125 Years of Service: Petrie State School 1874-1999, pp50-53.
2009: PET EXPO
11 September 2009 – Pet Expo
Pet Expo hits Petrie State School
ALL creatures great and small will be on show at Petrie State School this weekend, as students and parents gear up for the school’s first pet expo.
The expo will feature animal exhibits, talks from local koala rescue groups and members of the RSPCA as well as information on dog training, barkbusters, animal photography and a pet cafe.
The day will also include a special show by “Tiger-eye’‘, the Indiana state canine champion from the US as well as other animal shows.
Petrie State School P&C vice-president Darren Bailey said the aim of the expo was to raise money for the school and educate people on the benefits of having animals.
The day will also include a jumping castle, face painting, food stalls, and trash and treasure stalls.
Entry to the expo is free, and the event will be staged at Petrie State School on Dayboro Rd at Petrie from 10am to 2pm.
Source: http://pine-rivers-press.whereilive.com.au/lifestyle/story/pet-expo-hits-petrie-state-school/ [LINK NO LONGER ACTIVE], viewed 4 January, 2014.
2013: WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS
On the last day of term 3, Year 6 students were fortunate to have Will from Native Encounters visit. We learnt about reptile anatomy and physiology along with the various habitats that they live in. We got to touch “Cuddles” a saltwater crocodile and pat “Essy” the diamond python. Emily did a fine job imitating a tree for Essy to curl up in! Thank you, Will, for your visit.
– Michelle Campbell, 6B teacher
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 16/13, 16 October 2013, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
2013: STREETWISE SCIENCE
Science Steve from “Streetwise Science” delivered an awesome show to Year 6 students for their winning entry into the Pine Rivers Show. We learnt about many interesting science facts through some “explosive” demonstrations. Steve used a gas to blow open chip containers, lit up gummie bears to show us how much sugar/energy they contain and exploded balloons with different chemicals in them which produced different coloured flames. Students from 6B then participated in a hands-on workshop where we made sodium aglinate worms. Thanks Science Steve for showing us how amazing Science is!
– Mrs Campbell, 6B Teacher
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 16/13, 16 October 2013, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
2013: QUEENSLAND POLICE PIPE AND DRUM BAND
The Queensland Police Pipe and Drum Band played with vigour and skill to our students. The band entertained our students with a range of musical items and some of our students joined in for this great event. The Pipe and Drum Band are a great community organisation and are always looking for more members. They have a student group and if you would like more information, please contact Sergeant Administrator Mr Roland McCartney on 3253 3800. They practise each Thursday afternoon at the old Queensland Museum from 4.00 pm.
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 17/13, 30 October 2013, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
Links to more Events related articles:
Read More About Concerts
Read More About Picnics
Read More About School Anniversary Celebrations
Read More About Arbor Days
Read More About Bicentennial and Expo ’88
Read More About Break Up and Christmas
Read More About Excursions, In-scursions and Camps
Read More About Fancy Dress Balls
Read More About Music and Performance
Read More About The Pine Rivers Show