State Member for Shepparton Kim O’Keeffe called for the Victorian Government to fully fund the first stage of Verney Rd School’s relocation and to commit to funding stage two.
The school will take over the former Wanganui Park Secondary College site following its merger with Greater Shepparton Secondary College and the move to the old Shepparton High School location.
The government committed $25 million for stage one of the relocation of Verney Rd School, but Ms O’Keeffe told parliament last week the funding fell short of what was required, which would leave the school short of the required staff and classrooms.
"The school has been told that building cost escalations, as well as $400,000 required to clear some of the site, has left them short,“ Ms O’Keeffe said.
“They have also been informed that they would need to reduce the number of classrooms from the stage one design.
“This would mean that not all of the primary school students would be able to transition at the same time, in late 2024, when stage one is expected to be complete.
“The school would find this impossible to navigate with staffing and the needs of their students and their families.”
Ms O’Keeffe stated that stage one of the development would take up about half of the decommissioned site and would include the early works for stage two, which would accommodate the senior students.
The current site at Verney Rd was originally designed to accommodate 75 students. The school currently has an enrolment of 250 students, with 116 staff, and continues to grow.
The school also faces safety risks: it is located on a busy intersection with a bus exchange, with no street parking, potentially putting parents and students — many of whom have physical disabilities or sensory issues — at risk.
“With the reduction of outdoor space and jammed facilities, the school is trying to function on an overcrowded and overpopulated site,” Ms O’Keeffe said.
“This is a wonderful school who want to provide the very best of education, care and support for their students. The students, staff and families deserve better. They deserve a future plan, a safe and stable learning environment and fully functional and appropriate facilities.”
