A message from the Principal

It is safe to say that 2024 has not been the best year for our school buildings and grounds.

In fact, in the 142 years since it was built, I can't believe that SKiPPS has had a worse run of bad luck and disruption when it comes to the school facilities.

The first third of the year saw our school roof being replaced. Whilst the end results are magnificent and will hopefully keep us safe and dry (and looking great) for at least another 75 years, we were very happy to say goodbye to the builders, fences, noise, dust and disruption in May of this year. 

We loved having our entire school back and having access to all of our learning spaces.

Sadly this did not last long and, since then, there has been a number of unexpected issues that have reared their heads. Whilst regular maintenance and issues are natural in any building of our age, it feels unlucky and highly frustrating to have them come along at once. 

To keep everyone updated;

• Kitchen Dining Room and Art Room - As you may know, during the recent school holidays, mould was  discovered in the sub-floor of both the Art Room and the Kitchen Dining Room. The Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) has isolated the rooms and are acting quickly to address this issue. We still don't have a timeline for the full reinstatement of these spaces and I am working with the Education Department to speed this process up so we can regain access to these busy and important spaces.

• Drain blockage - this week saw the drains under the school become blocked which necessitated some emergency plumbing visits and I am happy to say this issue is now resolved. As a result of a minor leak, we will need to replace a section of the artificial turf in the quadrangle. We are on top of this and will be looking to do this asap. This section is currently isolated until the works are complete.

Beyond these immediate priorities, we are proceeding with the upgrade of the basketball court with the funds raised from our 2024 Fete. School Council are currently examining a range of products and quotes to ensure that the court material and design chosen will provide the best long-term solution for our community.

We are also starting work with a group of parents on a school masterplan. This is a document that will set out an inspiring long term vision for our school buildings and grounds. By imagining a 'best case scenario' of facilities, learning and play spaces for our school we will have something to champion and for the community to get behind. This will then allow us to seek major capital works funding from the Education Department to provide our students with the school that they deserve. 

As always, if any parents want to support in these projects or have any questions, I am happy to chat neil.scott@education.vic.gov.au 

Neil Scott

Principal