SSTUWA - State School Teachers' Union of Western Australia

Baldivis PS students move into new classrooms

It had already reached March before Baldivis Primary students could move into their new classrooms.

The much needed classrooms are due to a surge in student numbers.

Resources provided by BER and state funding made the extra classrooms possible and left staff, students and parents from the school in much appreciation.

After struggling to open the school at the beginning of the year, due to a delayed building process, Principal John Worth agreed it has improved staff morale.

Teachers were keen to give praise saying that the superior facilities has improved the wellbeing of all and made the students very excitement about being at school.

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“After the incident when we weren’t able to go into our classrooms and it hit the media, the Minister came out and the Executive Director…and had a look at the school and we put forward some suggestions about how we can restore the school and the confidence in the community and one of those things was to move as quickly as we can on the oval to create play space. It’s a joint agreement between the City of Rockingham and the Department of Education and things are moving really quickly with that, so we are really pleased that the Minister and the Department have listened to those concerns.”

Music and Art member, Di Triscari was delighted with the new building and funding for resources, claiming it improved both teacher and student morale.

“It’s exciting, it’s clean it so much better, it’s given me space to be able to work. The fact is that the kids come in so happy and excited, their pretty good kids anyway.”

The new large, music and art room can also double as a science room.

“The school had grown so large we had to have someone else helping me out because they had to do art in their classroom, so now we have got the whole facility and you can have the two classes in at once so it’s much better for a big school. The other one was serviceable when it was smaller but not now.”

The classroom came fully equipped with stage block, easels, interactive whiteboards and a kiln.

“All the new schools have been getting them but I haven’t been able to get one, we can’t afford it, an old school cannot afford to buy it. Its $12,000 and it’s not used daily, so it’s fantastic…” said Di.

Newborough PS was lucky to take a slice of the cake, receiving a new Music/Art complex and Early Childhood Centre.
With junior numbers of the school growing, having the new early childhood centre to accommodate the students and staff has been beneficial.

“There is a fair bit of collaborative teaching or networking because we can talk to each other,” said member Phillipa Murdoch. Phillipa explained that the new buildings, space, storage facilities and proximity of the purpose built early childhood centre have enhanced team work among colleagues. “The facilities and the grounds here have been fantastic anyway, so we are just lucky that we work in a school environment that is so good…”