McKinnon Secondary College students are starting the year in a brand-new campus, with the opening of the school’s new East Campus for the start of Term 1, delivered by the Andrews Labor Government.
Minister for Education James Merlino and Member for Bentleigh Nick Staikos today visited the school to officially open the campus in Bentleigh East, which will serve as the new middle school campus.
The campus includes a new four-storey building that will cater for up to 1100 students in Years 8 and 9, with world-class, modern learning environments for science, technology, design, art, music and drama – as well as a brand-new gymnasium with retractable seating, a commercial kitchen, outdoor sports amenities and landscaping.
McKinnon Secondary is one of the state’s largest secondary colleges, with more than 2200 students enrolled – and to support population growth in the city’s inner south-east, the new campus has boosted the school’s enrolment capacity to up to 3000 students across the college.
McKinnon Secondary College’s East Village campus is one of 14 new schools and campuses the Labor Government is opening in 2022 as part of its work to deliver 100 new schools by 2026 – with 48 of those schools now open for students and families in Victoria’s fastest-growing areas.
In the past seven years, the Government has invested more than $10.9 billion in building new schools and more than 1,700 school upgrades – creating around 13,500 local jobs in construction and associated industries when Victoria needs it most.
To protect students, staff and school communities and reduce learning disruption, the Labor Government has delivered a full suite of COVIDSafe measures to keep schools safe and keep classrooms open.
All schools have received their first order of rapid antigen tests, with 6.6 million kits already delivered for the first fortnight’s supply of surveillance testing, helping to stop the spread of coronavirus before it reaches the classroom.
This surveillance testing is strongly recommended for all primary and secondary school students and staff, twice-weekly at home before school, while students and staff at specialist schools are recommended to test five days each week due to the higher risk of severe illness for medically vulnerable children.
All 51,000 air purification devices have arrived in government and low-fee non-government schools in time for the beginning of term, helping remove potentially infectious particles from high-risk areas of schools – while more than 300 shade sails are already under construction, helping more classes learn safely outdoors.
As stated by Minister for Education James Merlino
“We’re delivering a fantastic education for students in every corner of Victoria – and this new campus at McKinnon Secondary is proof that we’re keeping pace with demand for great schools in our fastest-growing suburbs.”
As stated by Member for Bentleigh Nick Staikos
“It’s wonderful to see McKinnon Secondary College’s new campus finally open – this is a world-class new school site, and I know students and staff will have the best opportunities to succeed here.”
