Thursday, 16 September 2021

Bellarine electorate schools

Ms NEVILLE (Bellarine—Minister for Water, Minister for Police)

The Bellarine is fortunate to be serviced by great schools right across the peninsula.

And as their local member I have been pleased and proud to have worked with each and every one of these schools in upgrading their facilities.

Only in recent times, several local schools have completed major building projects and, in doing so, fulfilled more of our 2018 state election commitments.

In Ocean Grove, Our Lady Star of the Sea earlier this year opened its $4 million multipurpose building, a project joint funded by the school and the state.

Just next door, Surfside Primary School last year completed its $1.3 million refurbishment of 10 classrooms and its library and student amenities.

At the secondary level, thanks to a funding partnership between the state government and St Ignatius Secondary College, the school is set to construct its state-of-the-art teaching and learning centre.

This is in addition to the state government contributing $4 million dollars since 2018 towards the college’s new gym and multipurpose hall.

In Drysdale, Bellarine Secondary College is now very close to completing its $8.9 million VCE Centre, providing A-grade facilities for students undertaking their most important year of schooling, while Newcomb Secondary College is also close to completing a $5.4 million upgrade that will benefit many students from Leopold.

I take this opportunity to congratulate and thank all these great schools, led by their principals, Kerryn Sells, Peter Walsh, Michael Exton, Wayne Johannsen and Phil Honeywell.

And only this week, Clifton Springs Primary School, led by principal Meg Parker, was announced as a finalist in the 2021 Victorian Education Excellence Awards.

As I said, the Bellarine Peninsula is blessed to have so many quality schools, and my thanks go to each one of them.