THE second stage of St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School has been officially opened, and the school is already anticipating the need for a now-funded third stage.<\/p>\n
The Armstrong Creek school, which opened less than two years ago, received $4.9 million from the Andrews Government to build the second stage of their school, with extra classrooms, learning spaces and amenities next to the existing school, including a bridge linking the two buildings.<\/p>\n
Stage two was opened on Friday last week, the same day the Morrison Government announced the school would receive $3 million to build a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) facility with nine general learning areas as well as student and staff amenities.<\/p>\n
St Catherine\u2019s principal Donna Bryce said the funding to support stage two was welcome, as numbers at the school grew surprisingly quickly once it opened and spaces in stage one became heavily used.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will outgrow this building, stage two, by the end of 2022, so we\u2019ll have to get some portables for 2023 until stage three is completed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a growth area – you can see it around you – it\u2019s a lovely community, and it\u2019s growing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Assistant principal Allison Wedding said stage two had been designed to retain the look and feel of stage one.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there\u2019s a really big focus on the connection between indoor and outdoor learning as well; that\u2019s been considered carefully.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are outdoor learning spaces as well, with windows on the ground floor opening up.\u201d<\/p>\n
The $4.9 million in state funding was provided through the Victorian Government\u2019s Non-Government Schools Capital Fund, which delivers new schools, increases capacity and provides modern facilities, as well as supports the removal of asbestos and unsafe cladding.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery student in South Barwon deserves access to great school facilities and with more than a third of Victorian students attending non-government schools they\u2019ll be sharing in our record investment,\u201d South Barwon Labor MP Darren Cheeseman said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re delivering record funding across both government and independent schools to make sure all kids get the best facilities and we continue to build the Education state.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson congratulated St Catherine\u2019s for its successful application to the Capital Grants Program.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am delighted that students and staff at St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School are set to benefit from exciting new STEM facilities which will really revolutionise the learning environment for so many young people from this area,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSt Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School has a wonderful school community, and these new facilities will further enhance the learning environment.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE second stage of St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School has been officially opened, and the school is already anticipating the need for a now-funded third stage. The Armstrong Creek school, which opened less than two years ago, received $4.9 million from the Andrews Government to build the second stage of their school, with […]<\/p>\n