Tuesday, 3 October 2023

St Francis Xavier College, Berwick

Gary MAAS (Narre Warren South) (13:24): A few weeks ago I had the honour of attending St Francis Xavier College, Berwick, for their sod turn to mark the commencement of construction of their non-government schools capital works project. St Francis Xavier is a Catholic school that values excellence and development of academic and character potential, with a commitment to inspiring creativity, innovation and personal development. The Non-Government Schools Capital Fund is contributing $3 million towards the demolition of the school’s relocatable buildings and replacing them with a new learning centre. I got a chance to meet with the principal Vincent Feeney and deputy principal Collette Bond for a tour of the impressive school before the official ceremony. He described the new learning areas, the collaborative spaces and a green tech digital room, with works forecast to conclude in the middle of 2025. Non-government schools are an important part of Victoria’s education system, with over one-third of Victorian students studying at Catholic or independent schools. I look forward to visiting St Francis Xavier College’s new learning space when it is complete.