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The above images were taken in 2011
School name: Bylong Upper
Other name: -
County name: Phillip
Transferred:
URL for linking: https://nswgovschoolhistory.cese.nsw.gov.au/schoolHistory?schoolId=1457
Operating dates:
Type of school Opening date Closing date Half-time partner schools
Provisional School May 1912 Oct 1915
Half-Time School Oct 1915 Dec 1916 BRIDGELO
Provisional School Jan 1917 Dec 1954
Public School Jan 1955 Open1
Note: Bylong Upper School closed some time ago.
1921
31 January 1921
Q.C. Examinations.
MUDGEE AND DISTRICT RESULTS.
The following are the Mudgee and district passes at the Q.C. examinations, success at which Qualifies for entrance at the High Schools: -
Bylong Upper Public School - Phyllis Sarah Gettens, Clyde Allan Walker2
.
2014
30 July 2014
School Tree Day at Bylong Public School
The students at Bylong Upper Public School participated in Planet Ark's Schools Tree Day last Friday (July 25) and got in touch with nature.
The students were joined by Alicia Rapley and Connie Mylan from Bunnings Mudgee, who donated the trees and brought the necessary gardening gloves, compost, gardening trowels, fertiliser and plant food.
They worked with the students to plant the trees, teaching them why we need to retain our natives and how best to look after them.
Relieving Principal Caron McDonald said 'the students had a wonderful time and learned a great deal' and 'would like to say a huge thank you to Bunnings for this super opportunity'.
National Tree Day is Australia's largest tree-planting and nature care event. Each year over 200,000 people take part in National Tree Day events at 3000 sites organised by councils, schools, businesses, communities and Toyota Dealers across the country.
Since Planet Ark launched National Tree Day in 1996, more than three million participants have planted 20 million native trees, shrubs and grasses.
National Tree Day Manager Debbie Agnew said 'trees and plants provide more than just environmental and aesthetic value'.
The payoffs also include financial benefits such as storm water management and reducing the need for air-conditioning, health benefits such as improving air quality, reducing stress and promoting physical activity, and significant productivity benefits in the workplace,' she said3 .
2015
11 January 2015
School in recess, Bylong Public's future in doubt
29 August 2015
Mining company hoping to keep Bylong Upper public school from closure: An Upper Hunter mining company is lobbying education officials to ensure a public school is not mothballed in a community it has plans to mine.
An Upper Hunter mining company is lobbying education officials to ensure a public school is not mothballed in a community it has plans to mine.
The Bylong Upper public school is one of several being assessed by a state parliamentary committee, examining the closure of public schools.
The school has no students and is earmarked to be relocated to make way for KEPCO's Bylong mining project.
KEPCO's chief operating officer Bill Vatovec said despite it sitting idle, a school will be needed once around 20 families move in to work at its mine.
"Whilst there has been dwindling numbers the very fact is that the village itself is changing," he said.
"And in the future if the mine is approved and we have more influxes of families and so forth it would be encouraging that we would at least have a facility there for the families and their children."
Mr Vatovec said he has been lobbying education officials to support the relocated school, servicing new families expected to move to the area.
"For the last two years we have been in dialogue with the department about the future options for the school," he said.
"In the future there will be a significant investment with this new development and we will still see that the Bylong village whilst it's not going to be in the same shape as it is now it will change and it will thrive4 ."
13 September 2015
Concerns over resources as Bylong Upper school closes
Bylong residents have expressed concern about the fate of Bylong Upper Public School resources after the Department of Education decided to close the school.
The school was placed into recess after a formal decision made at the end of the 2014 school year.
When a school is in recess it hasn't been completely closed but the principal is withdrawn and its future and feasibility is investigated.
A Department of Education spokesperson said that this year the decision was made to take the next step and close the school.
The school's resources have been offered to schools in neighbouring areas.
"The Department's protocols were followed and in December 2014 , Bylong Upper Public School was placed into recess when it was confirmed there would be no enrolments in 2015," the spokesperson said.
"After following the Department's protocols in 2015, the decision was made to close Bylong Upper Public School.
"After the decision was made to close Bylong Upper Public School the educational resources were offered to the public schools where the students who moved from Bylong Upper Public School now attend.
"The Department will continue to monitor the need for enrolments in the Bylong Upper area and neighbouring schools."
Bylong Upper Public School has had enrolments of less than 10 students since 2009 and six students in mid-November last year.
Bylong resident Craig Shaw said that he has been contacted by locals concerned about items donated to the school through the P&C Association and from the Bylong Mouse Races, as well as historic items and records.
The Mouse Races donated a ride-on mower, refrigerator, and other whitegoods, and the P&C provided the school sign.
"With the teaching resources, no one would expect them to stay locally if there is no school for them to be used in, but the fact is you've still got maintenance on the community hall and the like where those other items can be re purposed," Mr Shaw said.
Credit: SAM POTTS5