Ferntree Gully Belgrave
Mad Mile’s notorious ‘sinkhole’ to be filled
Federal politician backs fight for better roads in Kallista
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Tuesday, 29 August, 2023
A Star News Group Publication
Mount Dandenong Primary School loves upgrade
School spectacular fever spreads across hills
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PAGE 13 Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808
12496493-NG22-21
Taking a (mic) stand for hills music Students from Monbulk College, like Mia and Elle (pictured), will get the chance to perform and display their skills at a new music festival organised by staff and parents at the school called Hilltop Music Festival. The festival, held at Olinda Community House, will be the first of its kind, and it’s hoped the event will become a student-led tradition in coming years. Turn to page 13 for more on the story
Education crisis The cost of education is soaring as Victoria sinks into a state-wide crisis. News is widespread across the state as Victoria experiences one of the biggest teacher shortages it’s experienced in a long time, and unfortunately for locals, the Knox municipality is also facing struggles in the education sector. The news does not come as a surprise, after the City of Knox recent decision to reduce
council-provided kindergarten services to the municipality. Earlier this year the Australian Education Union (AEU) met with Mayor Marcia Timmers-Leitch and several council members to put forward their views of the impact this decision would have on the community, should it choose to walk away from the approximately 30 sessional kindergartens it was providing. The AEU said almost 1,100 three-year-old
and four-year-old children and their families are being “abandoned” by Knox council, and are at risk of missing out on accessing two years of free kindergarten. A Facebook group said “it’s shameful that Knox is even considering abandoning these children and their families”. They also provided a petition containing over 2,000 names which was deemed “unacceptable” by Cr Darren Pearce due to the lack
of signatures and addresses provided alongside the names, and should not be accepted in the decision at the council meeting on Monday 14, August. However, Knox Council decided at that meeting to step back from being a kindergarten provider, and will reduce their services to two hubs. Turn to page 2 for more on the story
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