Slab goes down for building

The slab for the new administration building at Hedland Senior High School was laid last week as the first stage of the school’s redevelopment progresses.

The $11.5 million stage 1 redevelopment includes a refit of Hardie House and the establishment of a new administration building, set to reorientate the front of the school to the Hamilton Road side.

Under the project, the current administration building will become vacant, providing eight new office spaces, while the Hardie House refit will provide an additional six general-purpose classrooms and two IT labs.

Another four classrooms have been pegged out for stage 2 of the project.

HSHS principal John Burke said he was hopeful stage 1 would be complete early next year, with a view to roll students into new classrooms at the start of term 1.

“Once stage 2 is also complete we’ll have an additional 12 classrooms, which will really free up the rest of the school and allow the Matt Dann Centre to become solely for performing arts,” he said.

“By and large we’re set out in learning areas here so it’s likely that one particular learning area will have the new area, although there’s a break-out space in Hardie House that will be a common room for senior students. So even though there will be different age groups taught in the building, it will have a real footprint for the older students.”

Mr Burke said the school was long overdue for a face lift.

“We’re a modern school but we’re still in a 1971 building,” he said.

“We’re hoping the reorientation of the school will lift the physical impression of the site, which will parallel the outcomes for the students.”