FEDERAL grants might not make most kids jump for joy, but for students at Tacking Point Public School, a $3 million windfall has them leaping in the air.
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In its short history, the school has grown to accommodate more students than any other public
primary in northern NSW.
Principal Terry Robinson is delighted the demountables and relocatable classrooms will be replaced by a double-storey block.
The kids are just as happy because the new block will mean more playground space.
The $3m grant will pay for a new double-storey, 10-classroom block at Tacking Point Public School, but for the principal, it will also lay the foundations of an educational institution built to last.
Terry Robinson has seen enrolments grow by around a third to almost 800 students in his five years in charge at the school.
This has led to a sprawling addition of demountables and relocatable teaching facilities.
“The semi-permanent classrooms we have are excellent, but the new block will make things feel more permanent for students, staff and parents,” Mr Robinson said.
“It will bring the body of the school closer together and give it a more substantive look.”
The new block for northern NSW’s biggest public primary school would free-up space for play areas and outdoor learning, he said.
Mr Robinson attributed the growth in enrolments to the dedication of staff, excellent learning programs and an expanding local population.
Tacking Point Public is one of many to have received a share of more than $20 million allocated to public and independent primary schools in the greater Port Macquarie area.
With deadlines in place for the spending of the money – under the terms of the federal Building the Education Revolution program – work is set to begin within a couple of months and is due for completion in time for the 2010 year.
Some $200,000 has been set aside for maintenance of drainage, footpaths and covered walkways.
Other big winners were the Wauchope and Hastings public schools, and St Agnes’ and St Columba primary schools, which also received $3 million each.
St Peter’s and St Joseph’s primary schools at Port Macquarie and Laurieton will receive $2.5 million and $2 million upgrades, respectively.
Public schools at Huntingdon, Long Flat, Byabarra, Telegraph Point and Rollands Plains have also received six-figure funding.
