Lyrebird College in Coldstream officially opened the new multi-purpose building on Friday 1 August.
The college is an independent school, providing an inclusive learning environment for students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Eastern Victoria MP Harriet Shing, Evelyn MP Bridget Vallence, Yarra Ranges councillor Fiona McAllister attended the opening ceremony to congratulate on the completion of the last piece of the puzzle for the Lyrebird College campus.
The new building is equipped with a large space for the students to participate in movement breaks and targeted sensory experiences such as swinging, spinning and bouncing.
Principal Julie Kugler said the new space will play a vital role in Lyrebird College students’ growth as students on the spectrum need movement and sensory input more than the average children.
“Having a space where they can come and engage in swinging, rolling, jumping and get that sensory input, it helps them to be able to go back to the classroom and focus on their learning,” she said.
It is also equipped with a media centre to create videos, enjoy a large interactive screen and participate in teacher-led learning.
The room also has a quiet sensory space for regulation and calming time, as well as small spaces for students to engage in one-to-one therapies.
The project was sponsored by the Victorian government.
Ms Shing said the government provided $720,000 to Lyrebird College.
“It’s so important that we continue to invest in the facilities that can make schools just like Lyrebird equipped and reflective of the wonderful school culture and the extraordinary dedication and passion of teachers and of staff in the school community,” she said.
“It is really a wonderful example of school communities getting together to design the sort of facilities that they need, having spaces where students can come together and chill out, can spend time in quiet spaces or make noises they want to.
“Since we were elected to government, we’ve invested more than $1 billion in specialist educational facilities. And this is just another wonderful example of the difference that good facilities have.”
Ms Vallence, who has been advocating for the Lyrebird College since even before the school was founded, was pleased to see the progress of the school campus.
The Evelyn MP said it’s an absolute credit to the whole school community, including the principal, staff, educators, students and their parents.
“The vision to have a school here that was dedicated for kids with autism was something that our community across the Yarra Rangers really needed, and it made a lot of sense to be able to advocate for this because all children have potential, all children should be valued, and all children should have the opportunity to have a great education,” she said.
“So it was fantastic to support this at Coldstream. It started out as just a big patch of dirt, and we provided letters of support and advocacy.
“And it’s fantastic to see it started with one building and then another building, and years later, now we’re opening the multi-purpose room here, which I think is one of the last pieces in the puzzle for Lyrebird College.”
Along with the state government’s support, the school also appreciated the Yarra Ranges Council, which provided a lease for the land for the school campus.
