Kandos Public School principal Todd Morley and his staff have been on a mission and thanks to support from the NSW Government they have been able to sign off on a pet project that is sure to enhance the learning experience of their students.
Last year Member for Bathurst Paul Toole announced funding of $25,000 for a fit-out of a 50-year-old, derelict rail carriage that had been sitting in the school’s grounds.
At the time Mr Morley said he was elated with the news as it meant he could start organising the refurbishment of the carriage as an additional space for use as teacher and learning facilities by occupational therapy professionals and visiting counsellors.
The good news is that work is now complete and Kandos Public School has a new learning centre that’s going gangbusters.
Mr Morley said the first part of the project was a huge job in itself, with the removal of three huge, old gum trees next to the carriage which had been deemed a safety risk.
“Getting those trees down made such a huge difference to the space where the carriage is located,” he said.
“The fit-out was finished four weeks ago and it’s been in use flat-chat since then. We call it our STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) Centre. It’s even got air conditioning and a tiled checkerboard style floor which acts as coding for the robots to follow.
“The kids really love it. It’s engaging and allows for hands-on, inquiry-based learning.”
Mr Toole said the school also has plans to develop a sustainable garden near the carriage with an Indigenous focus under the banner of “growing food for life”.
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