New classrooms set for St Xavier Frances

A STATE government grant announced last week means St Xavier Frances School can replace ageing portables and add six new classrooms.

The $2 million grant is a reflection of the Ballarat East Catholic primary school’s growth in student numbers and means St Xavier Frances’ administrators can tick off all of part two in their five-stage master plan.

“This means were going to be able to build a significant building, and part of master plan, to house the children that we wouldn’t necessarily be able to get through other funding sources,” said principal Paul Bissinella.

“Our school’s been recognised for the fact that we’ve been able to grow, but we also have facilities that need upgrading.”

The Catholic school is booming with student numbers going from 350 three years ago to 430 at the start of next year and a prediction of 510 pupils in the future.

However, funding streams for improvements to accommodate the increasing students and build new classrooms is limited Mr Bissinella said.

“For a Catholic School it’s quite difficult,” he said. “We’ve been putting in applications to Capital Catholic Grants every year, and we haven’t been successful.

“Being identified as a growth area through the Victorian government grants is significant for us and that’s why we’ve been successful this time.”

The $2 million is being allocated from the State government’s four-year, $402 million Non-Government Schools Capital Fund.

Member for Buninyong, Michaela Settle, also recognised the increase in student numbers and the right kind of facilities.

“The school’s just been growing and growing, and this will allow them to grow even further,” she said. “We were talking… about how important is it to have indoor play spaces for children in Ballarat, so [the new building] will contain an indoor space for the children to congregate.”

Mr Bissinella said final plans on the six new classrooms should be ready mid next year, with construction work starting in late 2020.