Principal
The wait is finally over.
Many in the community will be aware that over the last two years the College has been planning to undertake significant and large scale capital projects. At the start of the year at Parent Information Evenings I promoted the fact that in 2019 the Treacy Building, the Early Learning Centre (ELC) and the Flats redevelopment project would commence. A critical step in the process was the approval from the State Government in its Ministerial Infrastructure Designation. The complexity of the projects has meant that the approval process has taken many months and longer than various consultants anticipated. We have used this added time to plan thoroughly to ensure that our design documentation is as accurate as possible. This extra planning will hopefully ensure better outcomes overall, save time through construction and keep the projects within budget.
So last week, we were doubly excited to receive a letter of approval to proceed from the Honourable Cameron Dick MP, Queensland Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning. In recent weeks, in anticipation of approval, we have commenced the tender process on the three projects and we are close to finalising the preferred list on two of them. We expect that the ELC will get underway prior to Christmas, with the Treacy Building refurbishment to commence in January and the Flats in the ensuing months. It is our hope that 2020 will see the completion of the ELC and the Flats, with the Treacy Building to continue into mid-2021. In the short term, there will obviously be some inconvenience ahead for the community but long term the projects will add greatly to the quality of the campus and experience of school for every Nudgee College student. There will be an information evening early in 2020 to inform and update the community further on these projects.
In considering these capital projects and their impact on the campus, I am compelled to mention the inspiring work of the NC Sustainability Committee at the College and its impact on the campus. Their work was a feature of a terrific Assembly on Tuesday and I thank Mr Andrew Hook (Teacher in Charge of Sustainability) and Year 12s Oliver Meyer and Kobie Smith for their leadership in this important area of College life. More than 70 students and various staff have been active in this group and their efforts have made a tangible difference to our school environment. I highlight just some of their achievements in making Nudgee College a ‘greener’ school.
Since implementation of recycling just over one year ago, we have recycled/saved from landfill: One tonne of E-waste; seven tonnes of general recycling; 48 tonnes of paper; 80,000kg of food compost; 60kg of print ink cartridges; 100kg of coffee cups; 10,000 cans and bottles; and removed 50 garbage bags of rubbish from the creek at the rear of the campus.
In terms of ecological sustainability over the past two years Nudgee College has: increased the size of the Nudgee College Conservation Park to 30 hectares; applications for Federal grants were successful, raising more than $17,000 for invasive weed control in the conservation park; identified a healthy population of sugar gliders living in our nest boxes; eradicated two pairs of breeding adult foxes; the 100 per cent electric-powered street sweeper was implemented as an alternate cleaning method, and students have planted more than 600 native trees
In further practical terms 70 boys have been involved this year in some way, including: the Paper Run crew; the tree planters; the Junior School Eco Warriors; the bottle sorters; boys involved with the Great Waste Audit, and students who have represented the College at EREA sustainability conferences.
Finally, this Friday it is World Teachers Day across Queensland, which provides an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the role of teachers. At Tuesday’s Assembly I spoke at length about our teachers, their capacity to be relationship builders as well as their professional expertise and skill in teaching of specific subjects and topics. Their dedication to the learning process in which they often challenge our boys to push themselves and aim higher was also highlighted. Through good teaching they have the capacity to change our boys. Importantly, our staff consistently display a very high level of care. There is an inexhaustible list of examples of what our teachers do each day and every week that goes above and beyond the ordinary expectations. So on Friday let’s be grateful to our teachers for their commitment and service to the young men of the College.
Mr Peter Fullagar
Principal
