Work at Murray Bridge High School progresses ahead of year 7s' arrival
The school will accomodate an extra 200 students from 2022. Here's what's happening.
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The biggest upheaval of Murray Bridge High School in 40 years is progressing according to plan, according to the building site's manager and school staff.
Numerous transportable buildings have been cleared away to make room for the two-storey Sturt Building, which will house up to 400 middle school students when year 7s transfer from primary schools in 2022.
As well as 16 year 7 and 8 classrooms, it will include dedicated spaces for the school's inclusive education and Indigenous studies students, a "maker space" for creative types, and several common areas.
Some of the demountable classrooms which previously sat between the main school building and the gymnasium will be moved closer to the trade training centre on Long Island Road and used for agricultural classes and the school's better behaviour centre.
New tech studies spaces are also being built there; the old ones will become an entrepreneurial hub; arts rooms will be refurbished; and the different sporting and play preferences of year 7s are being considered, too.
State MP Adrian Pederick visited the construction site on Monday to see how his government’s $20 million investment is being spent.
Site manager Martin Lunn said a 100-tonne crane would arrive from local contractors Moore Engineering in the coming days, and that the foundation for the tech studies building was due to be poured this weekend.
The work will be ongoing for some time, though.
The middle school's walls will only go up in about four months, and it is not expected to be finished until October 2021.
Until then, students and staff are making use of every nook and cranny elsewhere on the high school's grounds, team teaching or sharing spaces wherever possible.
That was the price of progress, suggested business manager Bryce Gillett.
"It has been a year or more in the planning stages," he said.
"To see it actually in progress is really good."
More information: www.mbhs.sa.edu.au.
Photos of Paula Hahesy, Bryce Gillett, Martin Lunn and Adrian Pederick: Peri Strathearn. Image: Murray Bridge High School.