Sisters follow family style

By Elizabeth Lillis
HISTORY repeats itself today as two Pakenham girls start the school year just as their father and uncle did more than 30 years ago.
Ten yearold Nicole Green will start grade 5 at Pakenham Consolidated School today and escort her fiveyearold sister Simone to school, just as her father David did for his younger brother Anthony when he started prep in February 1975.
Nicole and Simone’s grandmother, Val Green, recently recalled the Pakenham Gazette photographing her two sons when Anthony started prep at the same school, the picture appearing on page one on Wednesday 5 February 1975.
The girls’ mother, Julie Green, said the old frontpage story had been mentioned over the years and the family was happy to have it pulled out of the archives.
“Simone is very excited about starting school,” Mrs Green said.
“She has been asking when she will be considered a big school girl and Nicole has been saying it will not be until her first day.”
A lot has changed in Pakenham since the Green brothers went to Pakenham Consolidated School.
The school was then in Main Street; it is now on the Princes Highway.
In 1975 there were 91 students at the school; in 2007 more than 800 students will attend.
School principal Leonie Campbell said yesterday her staff were ready for a full year.
“The teachers are organised with many topics to cover and many have been in setting up their rooms,” Ms Campbell said.