I wanted to get a big 50th birthday present in 2021 for Holland Park High School but the present was so big it took me a year to wrap it.
An $18 Million investment by the Palaszczuk Government in Holland Park High School is part of an ongoing investment in schools and infrastructure which has seen 21 new schools built across the state since 2015 and a revitalisation of existing schools, particularly in Brisbane and Greenslopes.
Principal Ben Jack described this as the biggest investment in Holland Park High since it was opened 51 years ago. He outlined the key elements of the building program:
- New Manual Arts block
- Creation of Student Wellbeing Hub
- Development of a Hospitality Hub
- Establishing a Grade 7 Precinct
- Administration Building upgrade
The Wellbeing Hub is a really exciting aspect of this development. I lead the Government's Inquiry into Opportunities to Improve Mental Health of Queenslanders. Education Queensland's Wellbeing Packages that are being rolled out in state schools was recognised as playing a vital role in preventing or responding to child and youth mental health issues. The Committee made 57 recommendations including the expanded roll out of GPs, Nurses, Psychologists, Social and Youth Workers. This Hub will house all of those services in an easily accessible location for students.
I advocate strongly for infrastructure investment in local schools. New or improved infrastructure in local schools delivered by the Palaszczuk Government include:
- Classrooms
- Halls
- Sporting facilities
- Stem centres
- Dance and performance class rooms
- Outside School Hour Care buildings
- Playgrounds
- Security fences
- Disability access
- Air-conditioning for every classroom
- Solar panels for every school
I will continue to work with school communities, principals, staff and P&C's to ensure that we continue to improve our local schools. I will always back our local schools.
