Page 1623 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 12 May 2015
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As the first community facility provided in the area, the school will also support the growing local community. Residents will be able to access a range of community use facilities, including the hall and gymnasium, meeting spaces within the school and the playing field.
I went there yesterday and had a look at the construction. I can report that the progress is excellent and work is on track for the school to take students at the beginning of the next school year. All the school buildings are now standing and the internal fit-out has commenced. The buildings that I saw yesterday were the three buildings for years 1 to 6, which have already had the roof and external brickwork completed; the preschool and kindergarten building, which also has the roof and external brickwork; and the hall and gymnasium and canteen, where the building frame is completed and works are underway on the external brickwork.
The builder has begun the external areas and the new school is definitely taking shape. There are close to 100 workers on site each day, completing a variety of tasks and working towards the school being ready to take students at the beginning of the next school year.
Last month the Coombs primary school website went live. This site provides updates on the construction of the project and priority placement and enrolment information. I look forward to the first day of the new school next year.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Minister, what has community reaction been to this new facility, and how are enrolments progressing for the new school?
MS BURCH: There is a strong interest, and the sense of excitement about the opening of the Coombs primary school is certainly gaining pace. The directorate has received a number of inquiries about enrolments for next year and had received over 40 applications as of 7 May across all year levels. The school will open, as I said, in 2016, as a preschool to year 6. Enrolments opened on 28 April and are being accepted for all levels.
The Education and Training Directorate are currently undertaking a selection process for the appointment of the Coombs primary school principal. It is expected that the principal will take up the appointment at the commencement of term 3, assisted by highly qualified and dedicated teaching staff. The Coombs primary school will provide a range of flexible learning environments.
I am sure that this learning experience will be strengthened through the ACT public school policies of active engagement with parents and carers in local communities. ETD have spoken to a representative from the residents advisory group and other members of the local Coombs-Wright community and are expected to attend a community meeting to be held in October of this year. We also expect that the newly appointed principal and a number of other ETD officials will attend that community meeting.
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