Condon college to close

PRIMARY students at Shalom Christian College face an uncertain future as the Uniting Church confirms plans to “exit” the current school site in Townsville at the end of the year.

The Shalom campus in Condon caters for students in Prep to Year 6. However the Bulletin can reveal the church intends to leave the site by December this year.

It comes as Uniting registered a new school with the Queensland Non- State Schools Accreditation Board called Shalom Christian College Crystal Creek Campus.

Moderator of the Uniting Church in Queensland Reverend David Baker said a “principal agreement for a lease” at Crystal Creek had been reached.

The new site is technically accredited to offer Years 8- 12. However, Uniting would not confirm if a new school would be opened at the site.

Uniting also updated the registered name for the current campus.

“With respect to the Condon site, the change reflects the operations throughout 2018, being primary education only,” Rev Baker said. He said the church was “continuing with its efforts” to exit the Condon campus entirely at the end of the year.

In November 2017 Shalom parents, students and teachers were reportedly “blindsided” when the Bulletin revealed Uniting would stop offering secondary and boarding education at the campus.

Last year Rev Baker said the decision was based “solely on the welfare and best interests” of the students.

The school had been heavily scrutinised as part of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

In 2016 principal Christopher England said he could not provide a safe environment for students in the boarding houses with the resource levels available.

The decision to cut the school’s enrolment by more than half meant about 85 staff lost their jobs.

At the time the primary school was only guaranteed to run in 2018, with the long- term future of the school uncertain.

Shalom claims its vision is to “empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students” though providing high quality education and real pathway opportunities.

The school opened in 1992 for preschool and Year 1 students and by 1994 had expanded to cater for classes up to Year 8.