Learning benefits for school build

Murtoa’s Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School will welcome significant upgrades to its campus from this year.

The school will recieve funding worth $2-million from the Federal Government’s capital works program for upgrades to its main learning and administration building.

Principal Cathy Grace said the existing main learning building would be demolished to make way for a new general learning and administration building and other associated spaces.

The project will also include a new outdoor learning space and associated landscaping.

“Our other three buildings will remain onsite,” Mrs Grace said.

“This project has many positive outcomes for the school, these being that our school will have a new main building, providing more effective learning environments; responding to new demographic and enrolment trends; supporting quality teaching; supporting parental and community engagement; safety for the school community; supporting the curriculum; supporting the educational opportunities of Indigenous students; and supporting educational opportunities for students with a disability.”

Mrs Grace said an architect would refine working drawings and project specifications early in the year to prepare for a tender process.

“This tender process will take some time as there is some work behind the scenes that needs to happen,” she said.

“Once this is completed, a final offer of grant will be issued with approval to enter into a construction contract.

“We are hoping that the works will commence in semester two.”

Mrs Grace said the works came at a time when funding was also granted for a new childcare centre for Dunmunkle communities.

Senator Jana Stewart, in announcing the funding last year, said the development would benefit current and future members of the school community.

“The teachers, staff and students at Our Lady Help of Christians School have built a strong and positive school community and these new facilities will further enhance education opportunities in regional Victoria,” she said.

“The Federal Government strongly believes in providing the best possible resources so that local students can realise their potential and develop the skills they need to go on to further study or to find a job.

“Congratulations to Our Lady Help of Christians School on their successful grant application and I look forward to seeing the positive impact these new facilities will have on the school community. But, at the end of the day, it is not the building that delivers a great education, it is what happens inside of it.”

The Federal Government’s capital grants program provides funding to non-government primary and secondary schools to improve infrastructure — if they do not have enough capital resources. Grants are additional to funds provided by state governments, non-government school authorities and school communities, which are responsible for providing and maintaining non-government school facilities.