Sophie Conlon
A new era of education has officially begun at Mary MacKillop Memorial School, with the opening of the newly built Woods Learning Centre and renovated Early Years Learning Spaces.
The new centre features the complete refurbishment of the 1936 school building, as well as a contemporary extension.
Principal Nicole Coote said while the building had been in use for a little while, it was fantastic to see it officially opened and blessed on the last day of term one by Archbishop Patrick O’Regan.
“Having spaces that are innovative, 21st-century learning spaces, it provides opportunities for students to be creative and to be also really dedicated to their learning,” she said.
The new space is home to dedicated science and art rooms, and the old “not user-friendly building” was transformed into a custom built early years space.
“We completely gutted and reimagined, renovated and refurbished those learning spaces and now they are vibrant, they are really welcoming spaces,” she said.
Ms Coote said the community’s response to the new spaces had been positive.
“The school board have been extremely supportive in the whole journey of the building project and the response has been a really positive one,” she said.
“It has made people feel very happy and welcome coming in and they can see the benefits for the students in their learning.”
With a school history dating to 1866 starting with Australia’s first saint, Ms Coote believed Mary MacKillop would be proud of what they had achieved almost 160 years on.
“We’re so lucky here we call it our ‘Portland Street luckiness’ because we have the interpretive centre, then we have the church then we have the school and we’re so connected,” she said.
“Our students feel that connection of belonging and being a part of something and that’s what Mary MacKillop wanted.”
During the opening and blessing, Archbishop Patrick O’Regan said the dream started by Mary MacKillop and Julian Tenison-Woods was still strong today.
“A seed that was planted so long ago is still flourishing, different people have taken up that challenge… but it’s a miracle of a little becoming a lot,” he said.
Catholic Education South Australia executive director Neil McGoran said students would “truly appreciate the fantastic new facilities”.
“It’s wonderful that this project to renovate the original 1936 building really shows now the learning needs of children were carefully considered and planned for in the same way in this school began,” he said.
The South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools approved the project in March 2021 at a cost of $1.5 million, which was also supported through a state government grant of $500,000.
