The school year is winding up, but a $16 million building program at Wyndham Central Secondary College is gathering momentum, with plans to complete the “new” school in 2014.
Principal Julie Myers says the 1970s school will be unrecognisable when the redevelopment, including a new ‘‘showpiece’’ entry, is completed by April next year.
A rundown gym on Shaws Road was demolished during the September school holidays and construction is about to begin on a new administration, staff centre and entry facing Galvin Park.
Ms Myers said this area, along with a new gymnasium and trade training centre, would be completed by the end of April. A theatre and centres for years 7, 8 and 9 and later years would be built by the end of next year.
Formerly known as Galvin Park, the school’s name was changed to Wyndham Central this year.
“Every part of the school will be either rebuilt or refurbished,” Ms Myers said. “Next year we will introduce a new school uniform to coincide with completion of the building program.
‘‘The uniforms have a logo incorporating an atom to signify science and a world globe to represent internationalism and global technology, chosen by the students.”
Ms Myers said the building program – with $14 million in state funding and $2 million in federal funding for a trade training centre – signalled the rebirth of a long-neglected school.
The school once had 1400 students, but numbers declined because of the deteriorating buildings. Enrolment stands at 700, but the student population is expected to surge with the new buildings creating a positive “community perception” of a forward-moving school.
A new arts and science, technology, engineering and mathematics network centre and a refurbished food technology wing were unveiled earlier this year, as were new music and study centres.
