Thirty New Classrooms To Be Built At Griffin State School

This article was first published in The Courier Mail.

The school opened in 2016 with 260 pupils and has already grown to have 850 children enrolled.

Once the new classrooms are built the school is expected to be able to take on more than 1300 pupils.

Education Minister Grace Grace and state Labor MP for Murrumba Steven Miles joined school principal Vicki Baker and school leaders to launch the project at a sod-turning ceremony on Friday.

Ms Grace said it was important to cater for the school’s growth.

Mr Miles said the project would provide state-of-the-art facilities students needed for a quality education and provide up to 58 jobs during construction.

“These extra facilities will be welcomed with open arms by the school community,” he said.

The project will be staged with Stage 1A to be finished in time for day one of the 2020 school year.

“It will deliver a multi-storey building for two Prep and two junior classrooms and student amenities,” Mr Miles said.

“Stage 1B will be finished at the end of March 2020, delivering 12 senior classrooms, student amenities, and a covered play area.

“Stage 2 is expected to be completed by the end of September 2020, will deliver a further 10 senior and two special education classrooms, as well as two science laboratories.”

“Stage 2 will also involve the refurbishment of existing Block Q, including a music room, as well as providing two multi-purpose courts and a new staff carpark.”
Principal Vicki Baker said she expected the school to be at 1375 capacity in three years.

She said the school was able to handle current numbers but was looking to the future and being prepared.

“The students are eager to use the new facilities,” Ms Baker said.

“This project will deliver the learning environment our students need in order to be successful 21st-century learners.”

“The new facilities will support our staff as they collaborate and maintain their focus on providing personalised, innovative and evidence-based learning and teaching.”

The project will be overseen by Brisbane-based international project delivery firm Wiley.

Business operations director Simon Spittle said the project included three two-storey buildings, internal alterations to the administration building and covered links.

Safe work and compliance manager Garry Beattie said key stakeholders would be consulted to ensuring construction was co-ordinated to provide a safe environment for students, staff, parents and construction workers.