Castlemaine Steiner School’s Science, Design, and Technology Centre officially opened earlier this month with a visit from Bendigo Federal MP Lisa Chesters, on behalf of the new Education Minister Jason Clare, and a musical performance from the school’s Year 7 and 8 performance ensemble.
The school successfully secured almost $1.5 million dollars in federal funding for the project through the Capital Grants Program.
“This is the largest federal government, single investment, in the Mount Alexander Shire for the past eight years,” Ms Chesters said.
“A lot of work has gone into the project, which has delivered facilities that will help teachers to inspire students.”
Castlemaine Steiner School and Kindergarten currently has 146 students enrolled from Kindergarten through to Year 8.
According to the principal Nerrida Johnson, plans for the new building began in 2018 as part of the school’s master plan.
The master plan and the construction of a science, design and technology centre include setting the foundation for possible extension into middle and senior high school in future years. Future plans for the school include upgrading outdoor learning and play spaces and additional learning spaces as enrolments grow and future needs arise.
For the time being, the new addition is being well utilised by the junior school. The science lab is enabling teachers to conduct more complex experiments with students, as well as doubling a digital classroom. The design, art, and craft sections of the building have wet areas for arts and carpeted classrooms for soft arts and crafts.
“It is so important that we are developing in young people, not only the ability to think critically about the world around them, but also the ability to actually do something about it,” Nerrida said.
“We want our students to be able to step out into the world, to be able to think and perceive clearly, respond from the heart, and then take action to physically make a difference… and this beautiful building has been designed especially to support the development of all of those skills.
“The practical arts provide a foundation for our students to be not just thinkers, but to be creators, makers, repairers, and shapers.”