TEN break-ins in the past four months have not been enough to convince the NSW Department of Education and Communities to build a security fence around Kelso Public School.
But fed-up parents at the school who are sick and tired of their children’s classes being vandalised and work trashed are now demanding the department takes action.
Kristy Paine, whose children attend Kelso Public, yesterday said the school had been targeted in an overwhelming number of break and enters since December.
“There have been at least 10 separate incidents at the school since December 2013. This has a detrimental effect on the students, staff and the school’s reputation,” Ms Paine said.
“Our principal … has applied twice for an urgent up grade to the perimeter fencing of Kelso Public School, but the education department claims there has not been substantial risk proven.
“Considering Eglinton Primary has had security fencing installed, as have other public schools in Bathurst, we the parents can’t help but think our school and students are being yet again overlooked.”
Ms Paine said a parent representative body has been established with the aim of getting security fencing to protect the school from further attacks.
“We have started an online petition as well as a paper petition and it is gaining momentum,” she said. “The broader community is very vocal in its support of this issue. Improved security at the school would have a follow-on effect to the neighbouring properties.
“Just this Sunday one of our female staff was confronted by an intruder at the school. The potential risk to her was not acceptable.
“Much of the school’s maintenance budget is being used to replace windows, doors and other destruction instead of being used on the areas of the school it should be.”
Ms Paine said she had approached Bathurst MP Paul Toole who assured her he would support an application for security fencing at the school.
“Mr Toole said he would support us in any way he could. He’s going take it up with the appropriate people,” she said.
“We are proud of our school and the major inroads it has made in improving its undeserved bad reputation. Our students follow the high five expectations; be safe, be proud, be on task, be responsible, be respectful,” Ms Paine said.
“They don’t understand how or why people keep doing this to their school.”
Ms Paine urged members of the community to sign the online petition at www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/paul-toole-nsw-state-government-help-put-a-safety-fence-around-kelso-public-school-nsw-2795.
Ms Paine said the school body hopes to get high security fencing like that installed at Kelso High and West Bathurst Public.
“At the moment the rear of the school has a little mesh fence which doesn’t even go all the way around the grounds,” she said.
“It’s certainly something people can jump over.
“We’d love to have something like similar to Kelso High School – they certainly don’t seem to have the same problems we are having.
“It’s just the kids work so hard and they are so proud of their school but it’s disheartening when this keeps happening.”
A spokesperson for NSW Education and Communities yesterday said the department’s Safety and Security Directorate analyses security incidents and security trends at schools to identify schools that may benefit from security fencing.
The schools that are identified are prioritised by their levels of risk and security fences are installed at schools with the greatest level of need.
The spokesperson said while Kelso Public School has been well down on risk assessment so far, a recent analysis of incidents indicated that it would be appropriate to conduct a risk management assistance at the school which would be scheduled in the coming term.