ONE of Werribee’s oldest schools is getting a facelift. A master plan has been released for the redevelopment of Wyndham Central College, previously known as Galvin Park Secondary College.
The Shaws Road school will be rebuilt during the next year.
The school was allocated $14 million in last year’s state budget after it suffered extensive storm damage in late 2011.
As reported by the Weekly, black mould was also discovered in some buildings, with the science department the worst affected.
The school also received $2 million from the federal Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Department to build a trades centre.
Principal Julie Myers said the redevelopment was a chance to create a school which met the needs of the community.
“When we received the money the staff thought about what they would like [in the new school]. We saw it as a wonderful opportunity to recreate the school. We didn’t get any templates.
“We had complete autonomy to develop the school to the needs of our community.”
Stage one work is under way and includes a food technology building and cafe, 200-seat theatre and the refurbishment of the music block. The science area will also be gutted and refurbished.
Stage one is expected to be finished by the end of term two, when work will begin on a year 7 centre, middle school area and senior school centre, a new administration building and entrance.
Ms Myers said students and parents had been heavily involved in the changes.
She said the school was looking to put the past two years behind it.
The changes have also resulted in the introduction of a new uniform and curriculum.
Ms Myers said the new curriculum was aimed at giving students the confidence to apply for university and help them develop strategies to support their learning at a tertiary level.
