Maydena school to close

EDUCATION minister Nick McKim has today announced that Maydena Primary School will "merge" with Westerway Primary School, effectively closing at the end of this year.

• The Mercury newspaper has the story here.
• ABC News has the story here.

EDUCATION MINISTER'S MEDIA STATEMENT

First Schools to Amalgamate Under Transition Fund

Monday, September 24, 2012
Nick McKim MHA
Minister for Education and Skills

The Minister for Education and Skills, Nick McKim, today announced the first two schools to voluntarily amalgamate under the Government's School Transition Fund initiative. Mr McKim said that following a decision made by the Maydena School Association for their school to amalgamate with the Westerway Primary School on the Westerway site in 2013, the Maydena School will close at the end of 2012.

"In this year's State Budget, the Government established a $3.5 million School Transition Fund to encourage innovation within school communities who wished to co-locate, amalgamate, close or explore other options relating to their future," Mr McKim said.

"The Maydena school community and staff have been discussing the issue of educational provision against a declining enrolment since the beginning of this year. The School Transition Fund presented them with an opportunity to strengthen the quality of their children's education into the future. The Westerway School community is very excited and looks forward to working with the Maydena school community to further strengthen the education provision for all students."

The Principal of Maydena Primary School, Ben Richardson, said the school community and staff see the amalgamation as being in the best educational and social interests of students. Mr McKim said that he had informed the Australian Government of the amalgamation.

"Representatives from the Maydena School Community and the Derwent Valley Council will be invited to meet with the Department of Education to discuss the possible future use of the school hall and playground equipment that was provided by funding from the Building Education Revolution. "I would like to congratulate both school communities on being so proactive and consultative in supporting their children's learning into the future," he said.

Mr McKim said that the Department of Education has worked with the Maydena school community and has agreed to a number of requests. These included:

• funding of new school uniforms for the Maydena students;
• the continuation of the Launching into Learning Program at Maydena for 2013;
• the relocation and display of the Maydena School historical items at Westerway; and
• ensuring that there is support for students, staff and parents throughout the transition process.

Mr McKim said that after meeting costs associated with the Maydena School Association's requests, net savings of nearly half a million dollars over next the next three years will be achieved.