03 Feb 2016 Kyabram Free Press, Kyabram VIC (General News) by Michael Maskell Minister and oldest living student start school celebrations Stanhope Primary School will celebrate its centenary in October in a true display of town and community spirit. On the second day of the school year last Friday, Victorian Education Minister James Merlino and the schools oldest living former student Olive Tomlinson joined to launch the centenary celebrations. Mr Merlino drove to Stanhope from Geelong after inspecting flood damage at Montpellier Primary. Mrs Tomlinson, 93, who is the mother of the schools principal Christine Owen, also travelled from her home in Geelong for the launch, which was attended by about 20 people, including the schools new student leaders and community representatives. Mr Merlino congratulated the school on its milestone and said he looked forward to hearing about the celebrations throughout the year. I was really pleased to be here; its a long day in the car today, he said. But what really stood out to me are the community connections that Stanhope PS has made with the broader community. It shows just how important Stanhope Primary is within the broader Stanhope community. Mr Merlino also spoke about his governments reform agenda for education. With our first Budget last May, we delivered the single biggest boost to education in the history of the state, he said. What I was really proud of was the increase in needsbased funding the 70 per cent increase in needs-based funding for schools across the state. But in particular for students in rural and regional Victoria on a per capita basis they received more than double the increase that students in metropolitan Melbourne receive. So it is recognition from the government that we need to do more to support our great schools in regional Victoria. So Im really proud of that. Mrs Owen said the school would open its doors on Friday, October 14, to former students, parents and teachers to see how the school operates in 2016. A main celebration will be held on Saturday, October 15. We are asking that all former staff, students, parents and members of the Stanhope community come along and catch up with old friends and share some of their stories of days gone by at Stanhope, Mrs Owen said. As part of the centenary celebration, the school is aiming to collect information or memorabilia in the form of photos, books, uniforms, sporting trophies or anything that could be used in displays for the open day. Caption Text: Olive Tomlinson and Minister for Education James Merlino launched Stanhope Primary Schools centenary celebrations. Also pictured are Stanhope PS principal Christine Owen, Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes and the schools leadership group (from left) Kahlea Spibey, Chloe Baldwin, Belle Hipwell and Regan Wyse. Copyright Agency licensed copy (www.copyright.com.au)