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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-05-13 Daily Xml
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Public Works Committee: Blackwood High School Redevelopment

Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (11:19): I move:

That the 104th report of the committee for the Fifty-Fourth Parliament, entitled Blackwood High School Redevelopment Project, be noted.

Blackwood High School was allocated funding of $7 million as part of the Department for Education's capital works program. This funding allocation was confirmed, with further funding of $2 million allocated in February 2019. Blackwood High School is further contributing $400,000 to undertake additional works to expand the scope, maximising the opportunity of the build. As a consequence of that contribution, the total project funding stands at $9.4 million.

Blackwood High School requires additional accommodation to support the transition of year 7 into high school as well as to support local demographic growth. The high school had 984 enrolments based on February 2020 figures, verified at census. The proposed Blackwood High School project will be delivering total school enrolment capacity of 1,400 places by 2022.

The proposed redevelopment will include demolition, new works and refurbishment of existing facilities to accommodate up to, as earlier mentioned, 1,400 students on the school site. The project has considered the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act in respect of making provision for persons with disabilities. The project will in consequence be fully certified in accordance with legislative requirements.

The proposed scope of works for Blackwood High School includes construction of a new building featuring general and specialist learning areas; dance, technology, digital photography, art, health and physical education spaces; and staff areas and amenities. The project will also include refurbishment of the general and service learning areas to create flexible and contemporary learning spaces in building 2, a refurbishment of student amenities in building 3, provision of a new outdoor storage shed and demolition of ageing buildings and sheds at buildings 8, 12, 22, 23 and 24. Construction for the project is expected to be complete at the end of this year.

The committee examined written and oral evidence in relation to this project and received assurances that the appropriate agency consultation in relation to the project had been undertaken. The committee is satisfied that the proposal has been subject to the appropriate consultation and meets the criteria for the examination of projects as described in the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991. Based on the evidence considered and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, I report to the house that the committee recommends the scope of the works that I have described.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (11:22): I am really excited about the redevelopment that is underway at Blackwood High School. The staff and the student body there are excited about it, and I think the local community is excited about it as well. This is a $9½ million project. It was originally under the tenure of Sharon Goldman, I think, as the principal. I visited the school earlier this year with Sharon and had a look at some of the outstanding work that was then underway, I think in February. We are heading towards a completion date anticipated in the middle of this year, on time. It is going to be fantastic for the students at Blackwood High, who are able to access some of these facilities before the end of this year and indeed in the years ahead.

We are growing the school. It currently has an enrolment of 980, and its capacity at the end of this redevelopment will be 1,400. This includes refurbishments and a new building with 16 general and specialist learning areas, including art, technology, dance, health and physical education spaces, and staff spaces and amenities. Walking through the then skeleton of that structure in February, it was really clear that it is going to have a fantastic outlook onto some beautiful spaces and that the kids are going to enjoy their learning in there. It will add to the solid work that is already being done at Blackwood High. Also, the middle and senior school learning space will be refurbished to offer more flexible spaces so that the curriculum can be delivered in the way that it is designed to be taught. There are toilet refurbishments and minor refurbishments to the home economics building.

Schiavello is the builder and Flightpath are the architects, and I want to thank them for the work they are doing and the way they are complementing the school by doing their work in an unobtrusive fashion, working around the needs of the school, which is very important. This is a school with a confident student body and a diverse group of students who are undertaking their learning with great teachers. Having that work done in a more modern learning environment will complement the work those teachers are doing.

I want to commend Jason Loke and the team at Blackwood High School. I want to thank Sharon Goldman, in particular, for the work that she has done in leading the school through much of this development. I look forward to the work being completed, I look forward to seeing the buildings and most of all I look forward to seeing the outcomes of the teaching and learning that these students and teachers are going to be doing in these new facilities. I cannot wait to see what these kids achieve in the years ahead.

Mr DULUK (Waite) (11:25): I also rise to speak to the 104th report of the Public Works Committee on Blackwood High School. I thank the committee for their work and the member for Kavel for the diligent way in which he seeks to make sure these projects are dealt with by his committee in a timely fashion.

Investing in education is important, and this $9.4 million investment into Blackwood High School is welcomed by the community. It comes on the back of recent STEM investments into facilities in the last couple of years. This almost $10 million investment into public infrastructure in our public school system is so welcome and is going to set the school up for the future very well. It will help facilitate an increased capacity of up to some 1,400 students by the end of 2022, as year 7 transitions to high school. I know that the pilot program throughout my whole community, especially at Mitcham Girls High School, is going exceedingly well.

The new facilities at Blackwood High School include new classrooms, specialising in art, technology, dance, health and physical education. Blackwood High School, as you may be aware, Mr Speaker, has a fantastic senior level dance program. We are going to see new staff amenities, which is so important. Like so many schools throughout metropolitan Adelaide, Blackwood High School is one of those classic 1960 builds, so having the new facilities is so important. There will also be refurbishment of toilet facilities and some extensions to the home economics centre.

The project is expected to be finished later this year, which is incredibly handy for the school. Blackwood High School really is one of the flagship schools in my community. Some fantastic graduates have attended the school over many years, and it continues to excel in its academic results. It excels in the students that it produces, the leaders of tomorrow. I would like to thank the principal, Sharon Goldman, who is on leave this term; acting principal, Jason Loke; the new chair of the governing council, Matthew Cheshire; and the great work that the parents do on the governing council to meet the requirements.

I would like to give a plug to Zach Washington, a year 11 student at Blackwood High School, who recently competed in the state track and field championships in February this year. Zach competed in six events and came first in the under-20 3,000 metre steeplechase and under-20 javelin; second in under-20 discus, under-20 pole vault and under-20 400 metres; and came fourth in the long jump. Watch out for Zach: I reckon he might be representing Australia at the Olympics in years to come. This is a wonderful project and I look forward to seeing the final product later this year.

Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (11:28): I acknowledge the contribution from the minister and thank him for his commitment to public and other education in the state and for seeing through one of the most significant public works capital works programs. It has been rolling through very well and we are grateful for his passion and diligence in ensuring that these projects can be realised and that the scope of works throughout all projects can be appropriately realised.

I also recognise the contribution by the member for Waite, who is a committed and passionate local member and a strong advocate for this and other projects, with a particular interest in public education. He is very familiar with the needs of his school community and should take great pride in seeing this project realised.

Motion carried.

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