29 July 2016

Ms Kate Morris
Principal
Northcote High School
19-25 St Georges Rd
Northcote VIC 3070

Dear Ms Morris,

We write to you following a community meeting held on Tuesday 26 July 2016 regarding the unexpected and disappointing announcement that Northcote High School (NHS) intends to no longer offer both Greek and Italian to the Year 7 intake of 2017. If this change is to go ahead both languages would cease to be taught by your school by 2021. The meeting was attended by current and prospective parents of NHS students, together with former students, the Greek Community of Melbourne ‘s Board of Members and the Consul for Educational Affairs of the Greek Consulate of Melbourne.

The parents informed us they first became aware of this matter by way of your school newsletter and were totally bewildered and concerned by the lack of consultation and very short notice given. This view is supported by an article in the Northcote Leader quoting parents who stated the decision was made by the Curriculum Committee with no consultation at all.

Since 1993, NHS has received 11 Premier’s Awards, four of which have been for language. Greek has a 40 year strong and proud tradition at NHS, having received three Victorian Premier’s Awards in the past 20 years. No other language has achieved such outstanding success at VCE level at your school. Over 120 students are currently studying Greek at NHS and over the years it has been shown to have an exemplary retention rate. The City of Darebin is a stronghold of Multicultural Melbourne where people of various ethnic backgrounds live harmoniously and community languages such as Greek and Italian are part of its daily life, continuing to be alive and thriving.

We will be meeting with both State and Federal Members of Parliament, including the respective Ministers responsible for Multiculturalism and Education, as well as the relevant authorities within the Education Department in order to convey our very deep concerns. We believe your intention to implement this decision in 2017 is flawed and we seek in writing from you details as to the reasons for the decision and the process followed to reach it.

Finally, we seek the reinstatement of Greek and Italian into the Year 7 Curriculum for 2017. Both the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria and the Consul for Educational Affairs of the Greek Consulate of Melbourne are willing to assist in every possible way to ensure this occurs.

We would appreciate your response by Friday 5 August.

Yours sincerely,

Theo Markos
GCOMV Education Officer

Georgia Nikolaidou
Consul for Educational Affairs
Greek Consulate of Melbourne