Leopold PS undergoes cultural upgrades

LEOPOLD Primary School is undergoing major beautification projects across the grounds in a bid to bring the community together.

The latest upgrade to the school has included a “bush hut” offering an undercover play space for grade preps as well as outdoor teaching opportunities.

The project was able to come into fruition following 12 months of behind-the-scenes work undertaken by the school council, as well as the installation completed by Auscapes landscaping.

Principal Stuart Bott said he hopes to start conversations with the community-funded projects taking place across the school.

“We are the only school in the community so we really wanted to create a space to bring people together and enjoy our facilities,” he said.

“We have a number of things happening, we have created learning stations outside, outdoor eating areas and we have made it safer for kids to play outside.

“We have just completed five new areas in the last month and we have another couple of areas we want to complete by the end of the year.”

The upgrades have been funded locally through a number of school fundraisers as well as a $75,000 contribution made by the Leopold Community Bank over the last three years.

Along with the Australian-themed hut, Mr Bott said the school was undergoing work to acknowledge the Wadawurrung land that the school is positioned on as well educate students on its rich culture.

“We are creating an Indigenous garden in our school which will engage people in our community to plant and create the space,” he said.

“The Wadawurrung community is working with us through Deakin University and the Department of Education to help teach the children about storytelling and making connection to Country.”

Alongside the bush hut is a new decking area that will be utilised for school assemblies, with the music and performing arts programs including the rock band and drum bucket band to perform in front of the whole school.

Mr Bott said he hoped the upgrades would invite more people to come make use of the community asset.

“We have a lot of people who use the school as a walking track, community members do some bird watching here during the weekends because we have wonderful native birds that fly around and the Leopold Lions Club will be using our school for the Lap the Map fundraiser for diabetes,” he said.

“The community are really starting to use our facilities.”