Port Hedland to have new primary school from 1998

16/10/96

The community of Port Hedland will have a new primary school from 1998, following a decision by Education Minister Colin Barnett today.

After months of negotiations with the local community and a visit to the town in June, the Minister has announced that a new primary school will be built on the oval of the existing Cooke Point Primary School to replace the town's two older schools which are in need of major upgrades. The new school will comprise brick buildings specifically designed to cater for cyclonic conditions.

The existing two primary schools, Cooke Point and Port Hedland primary schools will close and students of both schools will amalgamate at the new school, expected to cost approximately $6 million and open in early 1998. Surplus land will be sold once the new school is operational.

Mr Barnett said the new school would have 14 permanent classrooms, three pre-primary classrooms, a library/resource centre, an art-craft room and music room, an administration block and staff facilities. All the buildings would be air-cooled. Students would also share a reticulated sports oval with the shire.

The new school would also include a covered assembly area and canteen which were now standard facilities for all new primary schools in Western Australia.

"I personally discussed some options for the amalgamation of the two schools with the local communities in June and after further investigation by the Education Department, building a new school on the Cooke Point school oval was agreed to be the best option," Mr Barnett said.

"The school communities are in support of a new school being built, as opposed to upgrading Cooke Point Primary School, and I am sure they will be pleased with the school when it opens in 1998.

"It will be a very modern, state-of-the-art school and will include provision for the latest in computer technology, including fibre optic cabling, similar to the Yuluma Primary School currently being built in Perth."

Mr Barnett said that Education Director-General Cheryl Vardon would visit Port Hedland tomorrow and would discuss the new school as part of a tour of the Hedland and Karratha education districts.

"Parents, children and staff of the two existing schools will be invited to participate in the selection of possible names for the new primary school," he said.

"I expect that it will have a new identity, logo and colours which will incorporate the views of both school communities."

The Port Hedland School of the Air, currently located at Port Hedland primary school, is likely to relocate to a joint facility with the RFDS at the Port Hedland airport, following talks with staff and parents. Discussions between the Education Department and the RFDS are continuing with an announcement expected later this year.

Media contact: Justine Whittome (09) 222 9699