Three years down the track from an $11.75 million funding announcement, the Croydon Special Developmental School has unveiled its finished upgrades.
It was a momentous occasion for the school that educates 90 children who have moderate to severe intellectual and physical disabilities.
The funding helped transform the administration building, hydrotherapy facilities, gym and library, something principal Christine Pillot said has made a huge difference to their students.
“We’ve got more opportunities and more accessible opportunities, with the pool and the gym and the library being that they’re now in the one hub,” she said.
Not only have the upgrades improved functionality and safety, but improved the students’ desire to utilise the facilities because of the warmth, natural lighting and newness they embody.
Creating a hub of spaces, with the pool and gym connected and the library just up the hallway, Ms Pillot said this also makes the students more comfortable.
“For our students to transition from room to room, that can be a challenge, but because it’s coming up to the one building, that then becomes a familiar transition,” she said.
“It’s not going from one end of the school to the other end. It’s not them getting confused. So it is always coming up to this same space.”
Ms Pillot said that for her, though, her favourite inclusion was the community rooms, designated for parents to use in the mornings and afternoons, or whenever they need, to engage with staff, fellow parents and to have a cuppa.
“The highlight for me is the community spaces at the front of the school. I really feel it’s important for all schools to have the community at the core so that you can give them that space and give them the supports that they need, because they’re our clients essentially, so to have them there, and have something for them is really important,” she said.
Former school principal Libby Anderson said, “it’s really hard to describe” and put into words the difference this purpose-built facility will make in each student’s life.
“Having worked in the school where buildings were old and tired and no longer fit for purpose, because education has changed so much, with the soundproofing and the natural environment, it’s just amazing,” she said.
“The students find change hard to adjust to, but seeing them respond, they’re really keen to come to the library, whereas in the old library space, it wasn’t a warm, inviting space. The pool, students don’t want to leave.
“The warm water pool that was designed with current needs in mind, and the whole building really lifts everybody’s spirits.”
Ms Anderson said with an upgrade of this kind, it helps send a message to the “students and families that they’re important”.
Announced by North Eastern Metropolitan Region MP Sonja Terpstra and the then education minister, James Merlino, in the 2022-23 budget, it started a wave of maintenance and upgrade funding for special developmental schools across the state.
Attending the school to see the upgrades firsthand on Wednesday 6 August, Ms Terpstra said it was astounding to see the transformation.
“When I was first elected, this was one of the first schools that I came to and visited and met Libby, and we had a tour of the school,” she said.
“The students and the parents here are certainly amazing. But what was obvious was that the facilities had not had any attention, I think pretty much since Joan Kirner opened it in the 1990s.”
The 2022-23 budget assigned $326 million for capital upgrades at 36 special schools across Victoria.
Despite being within the public system, which allocates funds to primary and secondary schools across the state three times per year, special schools don’t receive regular funding and instead have to apply for grants.
“I want to especially say thank you to the parents, to the teachers and the staff who every day turn up for these kids because they’re just as deserving as any other kids in our public system. It’s been a project close to my heart,” Ms Terpstra said.
Ms Pillot thanked Minx Architecture for their constant engagement, thoughts and plans to cater to the students, Melbcon for constructing the project, the Victorian School Building Authority, the Department of Education and RPS Consulting, as well as Ms Terpstra for her advocacy.
“We’re very pleased and very proud of it, and we’ve been blessed with all of those key stakeholders. We cannot fault their passion.”
