School to look back on 150 years

CELEBRATIONS are on the horizon for the Sebastopol Primary School community, with past and present staff, families and students set to ring the milestone.

With the school turning 150 years old this month, a two-day birthday party will take place at the end of this week, with everyone invited to attend.

Sebastopol Primary principal Michelle Wilson said the preparations have been a large group effort.

“We’re starting to get more archives out and our year 5 and 6s are having a great time looking at some of the photos and re-enacting them for a display of now and then,” she said.

The celebrations will also feature the launch of a new book on Sebastopol PS’ history written by members of the local historical society that’ll take place during a special Saturday assembly.

“They’ve really helped us understand about the significant history of our school,” Ms Wilson said.

“There’s a strength and resilience of the Sebastopol community in how much they’ve supported each other through three pandemics and world wars.”

With the school’s 1990s-era time capsule to be unearthed for the event, a new one will take its place to be opened in 50 years.

Artefacts going into the new capsule will include things like school uniforms, a newsletter and QR code, as well as information on current culture, and a letter from each student to their future selves.

Grade 5/6 student Nash said he’s been learning new things about his school during the anniversary celebration planning process.

“We’ve been making art in our art classes,” he said. “Mine was on a bushranger that we made with pastels and the other was of Ned Kelly inspired by Sidney Nolan.

“We’ve gone through some really old pictures and I learned the school wasn’t always where it is now.”

The Sebastopol Primary School 150th birthday celebrations will run on Friday, 19 May from 12.30pm to 4pm and 11pm to 3pm on Saturday, 20 May.