By Renee Wood
St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School in Healesville has been successful in receiving $1 million from the federal government to demolish portable classrooms and modernise learning areas.
The grant was applied for earlier in the year following a roof condition report due to the ceiling collapsing from a significant water leak.
Principal Tess Dwyer was delighted to receive the news and said the funding will go along way to providing significant renovations.
“We’re lucky that this amount of money will do more than just fixing the roof. It will actually allow us to also do a significant renovation in that building, which will make that building much more accessible, much more workable and also modernize as well,” Ms Dwyer said.
Due to the damages, grade two students were moved into portable buildings.
Ms Dwyer said it will be great to reunite the classes back into the whole school once the renovations are done.
“[Being in the demountables] it means that they’re separated from the rest of the school… there is sort of a definite separation from the rest of the school so it’d be nice to have them back together.
“The aim for us is to really connect all of the temporary structures to be able to make the school flow in a much better way.”
The funding will go towards fixing the damages and modernising a section of the school to make it more accessible and workable for students.
The full masterplan vision would also see upgrades made to the school oval and play areas where the demountables currently are.
“Because we’ve just had to put temporary buildings here and there, it’s impacting on the amount of space that the children currently have to play in as well.
“So this is going to be a great start. Obviously, it’ll take a lot more than a million dollars to do what we need to do but it’s certainly going to be a great starting point for us.”
The school will now engage with an architect and prepare plans to hopefully start works next year.
“My aim is to really set us up for a really good 2023 and beyond.
“There’s been a period of transition here over the last little while and I think now is the time for us to really refresh, restart and really make some great improvements to St Brigid’s.”
Senator for Victroria Linda White said the Australian Government is committed to providing schools with funding to allow students to get the best possible education.
“The teachers, staff and students at St Brigid’s School have built a strong and positive school community and these new facilities will further enhance our local educational opportunities,” Senator White said.
