New learning centre for St Ita’s school
St Ita's Primary School in Drouin will build a new learning centre with six additional classrooms following a $2 million grant announcement.
Principal Andrew Osler said Friday's announcement was "absolutely fantastic" and would enable school growth in the rapidly expanding town of Drouin.
"It's a significant injection to help us build," Mr Osler said. "It just offers us classroom space which we just haven't got."
The school currently has an enrolment of just over 400 students and "is growing significantly each year". He said the building works would give the option of catering to up to 550 students.
"We want to get to being a three stream school across all year levels," Mr Osler said.
Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing announced the $2 million State Government funding as part of round four of the 2019-23 Non-Government Schools Capital Fund.
The funding will go towards creating a new learning centre incorporating six general classrooms, a technology hub, breakout areas, intervention rooms and student amenities.
Funding also will go towards refurbishing the school library to create an art/music specialist space and undertake alterations to existing hardcourts to create outdoor learning areas.
"St Ita's is a great school with a great learning environment, and this funding will help them to continue to provide quality educational opportunities for Drouin's growing population," Ms Shing said.
Mr Osler said the new learning centre would replace an old art room and portables. He hoped the project would progress to tender stage by mid-2023.
Coming out of COVID and looking to rebuild the school community, Mr Osler said the $2 million announcement at school assembly on Friday had certainly provided "an injection of enthusiasm".