Upgrade for Neerim

Neerim District Secondary College will have a $4 million plus upgrade expected to welcome students at the start of next school year.

Member for Eastern Victoria last week announced the appointment of Auso Pty Ltd, an Australia-wide specialist in modular buildings, had been appointed to design and provide the new building.

It will contain four general purpose classrooms, a much- improved home economics area, storage, student toilets and breakout spaces.

Principal Jacqui Veal said a meeting last week had decided the colour scheme and modular components were expected to arrive in the next month or two.

Ms Veal, who took over as principal at the start of term three just over three weeks ago after three-and-a-half years as assistant principal at Warragul regional College, said she was welcomed to her new school with the comment “Congratulations, you are now managing a building program”.

She said about one-third of the current building would be demolished during the summer holidays and the modular buildings installed.

The school community will be responsible for providing air conditioning, white goods for the home economics area and any new classroom furnishings.

“We’ll have to run a few chook raffles,” Ms Veal said light-heartedly.

The school at Neerim South that opened in 1963 has more than 200 students enrolled and is growing year on year.

Ms Veal said one of its attractions were small class sizes.

This year’s year seven group comprises three classes with an average of 16 students in each that enables more individualized and wraparound teaching.