High school within a uni gets $15m funding boost

THE first Catholic school within a university campus is going ahead after $15 million in funding was committed by the Queensland Government.

The state funds now mean stage 1 of the Newman Catholic College at James Cook University's Smithfield campus can go to tender. Construction is expected to get underway later this year.

Cairns Catholic Education Services executive director Bill Dixon said the State Government funding was key to the success of the new school’s construction.

“For us to be able to develop another secondary college in this area, which is very much needed, is a great achievement for us and everyone involved,” he said.

“The school will be very innovative in design and it’s going to be very much like the ideas lab that has just been completed at James Cook University.

“What we are looking to develop is an education approach that will be seamless to our students from our primary schools to our Newman Catholic College at James Cook and then into university for students who want to take that pathway.”

The first development phase will include construction of a four-level building of about 7000 sqm containing five design technology classrooms, four science lab classrooms, a library and the administration area, as well as an indoor PE court.

Member for Barron River Craig Crawford said the full Year 7-12 college by 2027 would ease a strain currently imposed on state and private secondary schools. “It’s a great partnership and we couldn’t deliver education for Queenslanders on our own,” Mr Crawford said.

“Catholic Education, does a great job … and (run) incredible schools here in the northern beaches and across Cairns and this one here, the Newman, will be another one for future generations.”

JCU’s Cairns campus director Dr David Craig said the university looked forward to working with Catholic Education and the college.

“Our ongoing relationship with nearby state schools has shown us how much we and the schools benefit from working closely together,” he said.

The campus director imagined significant sharing of resources and staff interaction between the secondary and tertiary campuses.

The $30 million Newman Catholic College at Smithfield is the first Catholic school in Australia to be located within a university precinct.

Picture: PETER CARRUTHERS SCHOOL BOOST: Oisin Breheny (11), Tilly Zajaz (11), Mia Ross-Reid (11), Dakota Wintergreene (10), Nadia Nupiri (10), James Dobson (10) and Raf Vis (10) of the Holy Cross Primary School with Barron River MP Craig Crawford at a funding announcement for the proposed Newman Catholic College in Smithfield.