Revolution at Nashdale

By NADINE MORTON

THE sun shone down on students, parents and friends of Nashdale Public School on Saturday as they celebrated the official opening of long-awaited new buildings.

It was almost three years ago that the school first found out it would be getting a new double classroom under the federal government’s Building the Education Revolution (BER) funding package.

The long-fought battle to have a larger allocation of buildings for the funds they had received was forgotten yesterday as the community came together to celebrate the school’s new start.

Nashdale Public School principal Neil Hooper thanked the school P&C and the community for its support during the three years it has taken to have the buildings approved and then constructed.

“Investment in our school was desperately needed,” he said.

Mr Hooper praised P&C president June Coleman and Janice Martin (now deceased) from asset management unit for their tireless work during the campaign to have the BER funds better allocated.

During yesterday’s ceremony a new double classroom and administration building were officially opened thanks to the BER funding.

Duty Senator for Calare Matt Thistlethwaite unveiled the plaque to open the buildings and said there had been issues  with the school’s BER funding allocation.

“There was less than 1 per cent where there were some issues and there was some issues here but at the end of the day I’m glad the school’s community could work with the builders to get the project finished,” he said.

“It was my great pleasure to meet many parents and ex-students and have the school community come together for the opening of these new facilities.”

Along with the BER buildings the Janice Martin Memorial Gardens and a new library and a remodelled multi-purpose room from unrelated funding were also opened.

nadine.morton@ruralpress.com