By Derek Schlennstedt
Mount Evelyn Christian College (MECS) unveiled their new flexible learning classrooms on Tuesday 21 November, following years of planning and construction.
The new rooms challenge the traditional concept of classrooms, and are built to be more vibrant and promote creative learning—
an approach adopted by many schools.
Speaking at the unveiling, MECS Administration manager Dr Gerry Beimers said the classrooms “blessed the creativity of the students and teachers”.
“Behind me are buildings that have been here since 1972 … three classrooms have now been transformed into four classrooms, a shed, piazza space, and a radical colour change,” he said.
The classrooms included glass walls and doors, various desk heights and cushion for students to sit on as well as wide open rooms for them to learn, all which Dr Beimers said, promoted a more flexible way of learning and catered to the different needs of various students.
“Some kids like to stand-up or sit down, so we have regular height tables, low height tables; there is a large stack of button cushions so they can sit on those, too.”
“Some kids do better sitting, some standing … it’s getting a lot more flexible than just desks.”
The $1.7 million construction was helped along by the Federal Government which funded $770,000 — the rest was made up by the school.
Federal Liberal Member for Casey Tony Smith commended the school on raising much of the money, and said he was thrilled to see the impressive new classrooms.
“It’s great to be here on this very special day in your history … every time I come here there’s something new happening,” Mr Smith said.
“The thing I like so much about this school is the vision and the values that created it continue to sustain and build it – congratulations, well done and very very proud to be with you and see all that you achieved.”
As the school has grown, so too has the need for newer, more refined classrooms, and Dr Beimers said these classrooms would be much better prepared to handle the increasing number of students.
“The other thing is the growth of the school – we’ve got two Prep classrooms at the moment with about 37 Preps,” Dr Breimers said.
“For 2019, we’ve got 50 kids enrolled, so of course they have to have somewhere to go as they start moving through the school, that’s why the three classrooms have become the four.”
