Super Schools | $216m

Message

#1 Post by **Howie** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 9:12 am

$216m program to create six super schools

GREG KELTON, STATE POLITICAL REPORTER
September 20, 2006 11:30pm
Article from: The Advertiser

SIX super schools will be built to replace up to 17 existing Adelaide schools as part of a $216 million education program to be detailed in today's State Budget.
Northern and western schools with falling enrolments and problems meeting maintenance costs will be earmarked for closure, but both Premier Mike Rann and Education Minister Jane Lomax-Smith vowed yesterday that no school would be forced to close against the wishes of its community.

Construction of the schools, catering for kindergarten children through to Year 12s, will cost $134 million over the next five years, but they will be built by private companies and leased back to the government, with the building owners responsible for maintenance.

Dr Lomax-Smith said she expected most schools and parents would welcome the chance to get a new school in their area.

"Plenty of other communities will take up the offer if these schools don't," she said. The Government has also pledged that savings through the Education Department as a result of closures and innovation will raise up to $82 million, which will be reinvested in state schools.

Two of the new schools will be built in the Smithfield Plains-Playford North area, two in the Woodville Gardens-Mansfield Park district, and two in the Enfield-Gepps Cross area.

They will replace up to 17 schools including Smithfield Plains High School, Davoren Park Kindergarten, Gepps Cross Girls High School and Regency Park Special School.

They are part of a package which also includes:

$24.5 MILLION to establish 10 hi-tech trade schools for the future.

$23.3 MILLION to bring to 20 the number of children's centres offering childcare, school and health services.

$45.5 MILLION for 20 major capital works projects.

Mr Rann and Dr Lomax-Smith said there would be full consultation with the communities involved.

"Under our plan, there will be schools that decide to close, some schools will decide to combine and others will be reconfigured," Mr Rann said.

Dr Lomax-Smith said the school maintenance backlog was estimated at $250 million and was expected to grow to $460 million within six years while some schools built for 1000 students were now struggling with fewer than 200 students.

"Our plan is to deliver integrated schools that give young people choice, excellence and continuity in their education, from birth through to Year 12," she said.

Opposition Leader Iain Evans said the closure of schools contradicted Mr Rann's efforts to present himself as the "education Premier".

"This is a Government which has got $20 million to throw at a foreign university (the American Carnegie Mellon campus being established in Adelaide) but is closing 17 schools and kindergartens," he said.

Mr Evans said the Government had promised no cuts in services at this year's election, but six months later they were cutting schools out of the system.

"The reason they are closing the schools is they have mismanaged the public sector and as a result they are now out closing schools," he said.

* Ring 8206 2030 and leave your comments about the Budget - the best will be podcast on AdelaideNow.

I'm interested in seeing where the put these schools, because i live smack bang in the middle of two of the schools which will be closing. But I am optimistic that it is for the best, as the declining enrolments in Woodville/Mansfield/Ridley Grove schools has had a negative effect on my local community (parents sending their kids further out).

Edgar · #2 Post by **Edgar** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 9:22 am

What's 'Super School'?

#3 Post by **Howie** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 9:28 am

An amalgamation of several other schools i'd imagine.

#4 Post by Al » Thu Sep 21, 2006 9:39 am

Apparently Croydon High does even have any new Year 7 enrolments! I guess closing a few schools down but creating better ones is for the best as long as it creates better opportunities for the students.

rhino · #5 Post by **rhino** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 1:55 pm

Getting rid of under-utilized, old-technology schools and replacing them with new facilities that will offer the best education possible for our kids is a great thing.

Having 4-year-olds (kindergarten kids) on the same campus as 17-yr-olds (Matriculation students) - I'm not so sure. If it is managed properly it could be a fantastic thing for a community. If it isn't managed properly, however, it could be disaterous. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

#6 Post by **Will** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 2:42 pm

This is a bold initiative, one which should be applauded as it is providing public students with the best posible facilities to progress in life. Studying in dilapidated schools does not promote enthusiasm for learning.

crawf · #7 Post by **crawf** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:57 pm

I dont know if this is a good thing or a bad thing

pushbutton · #8 Post by **pushbutton** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:16 pm

Trust me it's a VERY good thing! Unfortunately it's too late for me to benefit from now but for future generations of school students it will be great.

Most of Adelaides existing schools are so dilapidated that they're almost unsafe for use.

These superschools will make Adelaide a much more attractive place to raise kids and make a massive contribution to their education.

I'm amazed but delighted the government has had the guts to push this, and even more amazed and delighted that the vast majority of schools have supported it!

Maybe at last Adelaide's starting to come out of its shell a bit. WELL DONE TO ALL!

raulduke · #9 Post by **raulduke** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:26 am

Howie wrote:
I'm interested in seeing where the put these schools, because i live smack bang in the middle of two of the schools which will be closing. But I am optimistic that it is for the best, as the declining enrolments in Woodville/Mansfield/Ridley Grove schools has had a negative effect on my local community (parents sending their kids further out).

atleast one of the major ones will be going on Peachey Road in Munno Parra West, that is as much as I can say its secret squirrel stuff at the moment

frank · #10 Post by **frank** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 5:01 pm

now that the superschools PPP is over, who is keen to post their designs/ budgets? i am really interested in the solutions the other bid teams came up with, especially the sportspark site!

raulduke · #11 Post by **raulduke** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 4:10 pm

i worked on this for a while before i started at NExy - it appears that it wont be going ahead for a while in anycase

Queen Anne · #12 Post by **Queen Anne** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:29 am

Raulduke, sorry if this is a dumb question but being out of the country it's hard to figure out what's going on sometimes - do you mean that the superschools aren't going ahead at all, or just a certain part of the plan?

#13 Post by **Norman** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 10:27 am

I heard they are not going ahead at all.

raulduke · #14 Post by **raulduke** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 10:40 am

thats correct - the prisons ppp is on hold too

Queen Anne · #15 Post by **Queen Anne** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 6:14 am

Thanks for the replies. I see from Adelaidenow (Oct 14) that Kevin Foley says the only projects not facing the axe (due to the world finanical crisis) are the desal plant and the Marj.

Personally, I wasn't sold on the 'superschool' plan anyway, but I'm a bit worried about the desperately needed public transport package..

Apparently, we'll hear more in about a month, in a 'significant financial statement'..

[COM] Super Schools | $216m

[COM] Super Schools | $216m

[COM]

[COM]

[COM]

[COM]

[COM]

[COM]

[COM]

[COM] Re: $216m program to create six super schools

[COM] SA Superschools

[COM] Re: SA Superschools

[COM] Re: SA Superschools

[COM] Re: SA Superschools

[COM] Re: SA Superschools

[COM] Re: SA Superschools

Who is online