By Tyler Wright
At an official opening of Monbulk Primary School on Friday 19 August, the completion of campus upgrades was celebrated after two and a half years of construction.
The $7.2 million project has seen a new senior years’ building for grades five and six, a new administration building, library, two outdoor competition-grade netball courts and the replacement of cricket practice nets.
Monbulk Primary School principal Estelle Alder said part of the brief for architects was to acknowledge and be sympathetic to the history of the school while refurbishing its ‘historic building’.
“In 1913, the school’s historic building was demolished by a bush fire and their community rallied together and rebuilt the historic building that we have today in about six months,” Ms Alder said.
Instead of being used as a staff room and front office, the historic building is now being used by students as the school library and for STEM classes.
“On the community Open Day (on Saturday 20 August), people were coming around, reminiscing, visiting their old classrooms from the 1960s, 1970s and earlier… I think our eldest visitor on the day was in her 90s, looking at her old primary school; so it was lovely,” Ms Alder said.
Ms Alder said prior to the upgrade, the senior years’ learning centre consisted of old portables which had been there for 40 years.
Now, what were once dark and cold rooms and are light, warm and flexible for senior students.
“When the students returned from Covid lockdown [in 2021], they were in a beautiful new classroom for about three days, and then we went on lockdown and when they came back they were still in their beautiful new classroom,” Ms Alder said.
“You can see a real change…it gives [students] a huge sense of pride in belonging to the school.
When you’re surrounded by a beautiful clean space, it really does lift your mood and their engagement as well.”
Member for Monbulk James Merlino MP said the Victorian Government is ensuring local students have the “best facilities, classrooms have the best teachers and every child is given every chance to succeed”.
“Local families can now enjoy great new facilities at Monbulk Primary,” Mr Merlino said.
In a statement to the Star Mail, Mr Merlino said the Victorian Government has invested $12.8 billion in building new schools and more than 1,850 school upgrades, creating around 17,400 jobs in construction and associated industries.
According to Mr Merlino, the Victorian Government is ahead of schedule in its commitment to deliver 100 new schools between 2019 and 2026, with 75 new schools opening between 2019 and 2024.
