By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS
EMERALD Secondary College has received a $1.5 million from the State Government to upgrade and modernise their integration classroom space.
The college’s integration program caters for about 75 students who have a learning or physical disability, as well as the required 15 teaching support staff.
Parents, school council and previous principal Wayne Burgess have been lobbying hard for a building upgrade.
The funding grant will give these students and staff a refurbished and modernised classroom space to better conduct specialised learning programs.
The program is being conducted from a single old portable classroom that is no longer meeting the needs of the staff and students.
The new learning space will give more space for the teaching support staff to conduct one-on-one break-out sessions with students, as well as specialised facilities for students who need them.
Acting principal Mike Jaremczuk said the funding would go a long way to helping students be more a part of the school community.
“Some of the students have a disability where they need specialised facilities, like having their lockers arranged in a specialised way,” he said.
“We want to make these kids feel welcome and part of our school community.
“They have as much a right as any other student to attend school.”
The college also runs a brain auditory training (BAT) program as part of the integration program, which supports students who may have brain development issues.
“It’s a unique program that’s about reconnecting pathways in the brain to help these kids develop stronger neural connections,” Mr Jaremczuk said.
Part of the building upgrade will be to develop the BAT program to further student development and learning abilities.
In a statement released last year, Minister for Education James Merlino said the funding would have the best outcomes for students.
“Like all other students, special needs students deserve the best start,” he said.
“Purpose-built facilities will give them the best start, and the space they need.”
