School’s hard work pays off

By Tania Martin
THE wait is finally over for Mt Evelyn Primary School after it received a $6.3 million windfall in last week’s State Budget.
School principal Phil Comport said the cash was sensational news.
Mr Comport said the school had been fighting for the funds to redevelop the school for more than six years.
The Mt Evelyn cash is part of a $1.9 billion Victorian schools plan which includes $123.9 million for upgrading and renovating more than 25 schools.
The funding was welcome news for the school after it was bitterly disappointed last year when it failed to get funding.
Mr Comport told the Mail in August last year that the school would continue to campaign for the Government to live up to its 2006 election promise.
In October 2006, the then Education Minister Lynne Kosky promised to help fund the school’s major redevelopment.
Mr Comport is now happy to say that all the hard work and making the Government accountable for its promises has paid off.
Education Minister Bronwyn Pike last week said the Government was delivering on its 10-year plan to rebuild, renovate or extend every government school in every community in Victoria.
Ms Pike said that education remained the number one priority and that the Government was taking action to rebuild schools in every community across Victoria.
“We are taking action so all children get the best possible education no matter where they live,” she said. Ms Pike said that this record investment is part of the Government’s plan to boost the skills and education of young Victorians and make Victoria the best place to live, work and raise a family.”
Mr Comport said the school was built in 1910 and still maintains its original buildings and although they were still in good condition they were long overdue for an upgrade.
He said the redevelopment would allow the school to introduce integrated learning spaces between classrooms, build a new art and craft room, student toilets, canteen and refurbish existing spaces. Monbulk MP James Merlino, who delivered the good news last week, said that the school was to be congratulated for all its hard work in getting the funding.
“This is a fantastic outcome for Mt Evelyn,” he said.
Mr Comport said the redevelopment project could now finally move forward with more than 80 per cent of the school needing to be upgraded.
Mr Merlino also announced that Sherbrooke Community School would receive up to $500,000 as part of the Better Schools Today initiative as part of the 2008-09 State Budget.