Bletchington Public School is catering to the growing north Orange area and with the school’s enrolments heading towards 700 it’s planning to expand the school hall.
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The school’s P&C is raising money for the $481,000 hall extension and on Thursday, Landorange, a business partnership that’s developing new housing estates in the area contributed $5000 to the cause.
Bletchington Public School principal Craig Booth said the school has about 670 students but when the hall issue first came up there were between 620 and 630 students.
“It was probably about two to three years ago we first started, we just realised it’s becoming more difficult to have a whole school assembly, it was after one of our end of school presentation days,” Mr Booth said.
“[North Orange] is a growth area just this year we’ve grown another class, there were 25 for the last couple of years and 26 this year.”
He said the concept of the hall addition would include a petition where the call currently ends so multiple activities can be run at once or it can be opened up for whole school performances and activities.
Bletchington P&C president Warwick Baines said the extension would provide a dedicated rehearsal space for the school’s performing arts groups, make whole school assemblies possible, support two different educational activities at the same time, and enhance sound quality and capacity at major events.
“To date the P&C has raised $100,000 towards the hall extension project,” Mr Baines said.
“With matching financial support from the Department of Education and other government sources now looking very positive, the reality of this extension is now closer than ever.
“To help us get over the line, we’ve just launched a tax deductible fund through the highly regarded School Plus organisation.”
The School Plus initiative means half the funds will come from the government with the rest being raised by the school.
“I’m delighted that Landorange has made such a generous contribution and I encourage other businesses and individuals, particularly those living in and serving north Orange, to also consider making their own tax deductible donation before June 30,” Mr Baines said.
To make a tax deductible donation to the hall extension project visit www.schoolsplus.org.au/expanding-school-hall/