Excitement is building among families in Adelaide’s north with construction of Riverbanks College B-12 in Angle Vale now complete.
The brand-new Riverbanks College B-12 is one of four new public schools that will open its doors in term one next year as part of the Marshall Liberal Government’s record $1.4 billion education build.
Today, more than 70 of the school’s newest staff members participated in workshops and familiarised themselves with their new contemporary teaching spaces in preparation to welcome their first cohort of students at the start of next year.
The school will open with progressive enrolments from 2022, starting with preschool to year 8. Around 500 students will attend the school on day one, with 1675 students expected to attend by 2026.
Premier Steven Marshall and Minister for Education John Gardner met with the team of specialist and generalist teachers and support staff as they toured the new facilities.
“The Marshall Liberal Government is building what matters, delivering world class learning environments right across the state that will support young people to excel and inspire curiosity and success,” said Premier Marshall.
“The breadth of Riverbanks College B-12’s build is absolutely incredible and the growing number of families in the north will greatly benefit from access to state-of-the-art early learning and education facilities at their fingertips.
“Local jobs have also been supported throughout the process, with a number of local businesses engaged to supply materials and services to support the build, as well as, of course, providing a well-deserved feed for those working onsite.”
Six of Riverbanks College B-12’s new secondary years teachers are in the group of 167 teachers from stand-alone primary schools who secured a high school teaching role in a South Australian public school for 2022 as part of the move of year 7 into high school.
The move has also seen more than 500 temporary teachers appointed into permanent secondary roles across the state for 2022.
“Year 7 moving into high school has presented opportunities for teaching staff to secure permanent roles, including more than one hundred and fifty primary teachers moving to a secondary setting for the first time,” said Minister Gardner.
“This process has also provided job security for many of our valued educators on contracts, meaning we can retain more high-quality teaching staff in our public schools.
“I want to congratulate all staff at Riverbanks College B-12 on this new chapter and wish them well for their first year in this fantastic new facility.”
“Our team have come from public and independent schools across the state and between us we have a wealth of experience in the delivery of quality learning and a shared passion for successful learning and life outcomes for all our students,” said Riverbanks College B-12 Principal Joe Priolo.
“We have recruited highly skilled and highly experienced members of our leadership, teaching and paraprofessional teams, all of whom are passionate about realising our moral purpose of meeting the needs of every child, every day.
“We look forward to working in close partnership with our families, and wider community to ensure the growth and success of your child.”
The expansive build provides dedicated areas for high quality learning in the early years, primary, and senior school and offers strong connections between internal and external spaces.
Framed by 684.5 tonnes of steel and 4,900 square metres ofglass, the impressive structure required more than 669,000 hours worked onsite by a total of 2,450 personnel.
Community inclusion is a key feature of the new build, with many school spaces available for community use outside of school hours such as the expansive sporting facilities and gymnasium and 300 seat performing arts centre.
