Our School

School History

Rockingham Lakes Primary began its life as a school with 109 students at the beginning of 2002 at Koorana Primary School. Prior to that a hard working implementation committee, comprised of community members and district principals coordinated the early planning. They chose colours and finishing for the school buildings and selected the attractive teal and navy blue uniforms. The current building was completed in May 2002 and we moved in the first week of term 2.

Our logo reflects the local environment with the flora and the thrombolites of the Rockingham Lakes Regional Park. We are proud of all our students and the culture of caring for the environment and each other which is developing here.

Students from both schools created a mural for the opening of the school. This is hanging in the school library. The students were asked to depict what was important in our school. Surrounding this gathering of their thoughts are the handprints of all students at both the schools on site to symbolise our inclusive ethos.

Many of the paintings depict our Art super graphics at the front and the heart of our school. These are very important to the children and a large part of their school lives. Simply they depict that while Rockingham Lakes is one school – hence the ‘One’ at the entry, the graphics in the courtyard show two schools are at its heart.

Students from Rockingham Lakes Primary School and Peel Language Development School sit under the umbrella of Rockingham Lakes. Each of the co-located schools, each school’s students, staff members and community are valued for their contribution to the broader school community. This is an inclusive approach where students all identify with the logo and uniform they wear, yet where student learning is tailored to the individual.

Mrs Lynette Beard was appointed as Foundation Principal in June 2001. Mrs Carol Bailey was selected as Deputy Principal in Term 4 of that year. A great deal of the setting up of the school infrastructure was also carried out by our registrar, Mrs Amanda Martin.

Foundation staff at the school were merit selected for their individual talents and skills.
They were as follows:

Lynette Beard - Principal

Carol Bailey - Deputy Principal

Jo Gow - Registrar

Lorelle Watson – Teacher

Margaret Manton – Teacher

Sarah Couzens – Teacher

Sharon Taylor – Teacher

Sue Elson – Teacher

Maree Atkinson – Teacher (Graduate)

Julie Robinson – Education Assistant

Gillian Mercer – Education Assistant

Jill McKay – Education Assistant

Sarah Pannell – Education Assistant

Lyn Walters – Library Officer

Walter Grebert – Library Officer

Ted Bown – Gardener

Helen Crossland - Cleaner

Marie-Claire Morgana – Cleaner

Pat Hansen - Cleaner

The school was built in the very early stages of the housing developments here at Port Kennedy. When the area was really a big sand pit the Department of Education assisted by ensuring roads were available for the construction of the school. During construction, site workers were hampered by the strong winds and shifting sands which are a hazard of the area. On occasion the windy conditions caused the site to be shut down as workers were unable to work safely, however the building was still completed on target. These winds continued to create enormous problems for the cleaners and gardeners.

Our parent community worked tirelessly to fund playground equipment for the students. The playground between the basketball court and the senior cluster is the result of their first fundraising drive. The students enjoy first class facilities and equipment. In the beginning,while there was playground equipment only in the early childhood centre and our ‘half an oval’ had just started to be usable, our students had access to very sophisticated, fully integrated and wireless technology.

Rockingham Lakes Primary School had to restructure classes three times in its first year due to the volatility of numbers and the change in facilities. Staff, both teaching and non teaching, and the students showed enormous flexibility during this time. It is a reflection on the qualities of them both that there were so few problems, that the parents were in general supportive during the changes and that all continued together to set the foundations for an exciting new school.

Both schools received enormous support from a range of departments and organizations. The major sponsors for Rockingham Lakes Primary School in its first two years were Peet and Co, Rockingham City Council, Western Mining but it was supported by many others. Grants were received from Education Endowment Trust to set up this website, and many projects which were associated with education provided grant money.

Major programs which were set up in 2003 to set the culture of the school relied on these funds. They were the BE PROUD pastoral care program incorporating the peer mediation program with Big Buddies and the OSCAR environmental program with the Green Power Rangers.

We acknowledge our generous sponsors, and also the generosity of individuals in providing support to the establishment of Rockingham Lakes Primary School.