Catholic schools build for the future

The
Catholic Weekly
Online

Sydney
22 February 2004

A melting pot of faith

Jobs plan may hurt disabled

Theology of Body

First PNG Michaelites

Census data

‘Quiet revolution in our school buildings’

‘Outstanding’ approach to teaching

Cardinal will launch Project Compassion

Pregnant pause: First all-night ‘wake up’ call of baby acrobatics

Human rights

Alternative to IVF

Young take steps on interfaith road

Questions to shape choice of next Pope

Editorial: Value for money

Letters: Confession

Conversation: Fr Con Keogh, honoured for helping people rehabilitate themselves - ‘Insane’ priest who draws others to God

Easter – a renewal of life

Pancakes for peace

Catholic schools build for the future

St Joseph’s – a happy partnership where ‘everyone is bubbling over’

‘Getting value for their money’

Shot fanned flames of fear

Knocked out by Marists

Obituary: Capuchin Fr Ted gave up farming and shearing for a ‘late’ vocation

Obituary: Fr Colin, Renaissance man

... mud, sweat and gears? Crazy!

Riverview’s ‘Big Bird’

Catholic schools build for the future

‘EXCELLENT FACILITIES’: The science building at Patrician Brothers College, Fairfield

The primary and secondary systemic schools in the Archdiocese of Sydney have been undergoing a major facelift.

Over the past decade 98 of the 114 primary schools and 33 of the 35 secondary schools have undertaken major refurbishments and the construction of new buildings or are well advanced in the planning process to begin in 2004 or 2005.

This includes four new parish primary schools established on the growing southwest edge of Sydney at Hoxton Park, Prestons, Carnes Hill, and Holsworthy and the new regional secondary college at Hinchinbrook. Planning is also proceeding for a new secondary college at West Hoxton Park.

The Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell, told primary and secondary principals last year: “School building renovations that have been done in Sydney in recent years have achieved a very high standard. We should be very proud of the continuing renovations and upgrading of facilities that are taking place. We have some very fine additions in our schools today.”

Br Kelvin Canavan, executive director of schools, expressed his appreciation of what has been accomplished and the great support that has been provided by the parishes and by the parents to bring about these improvements.

He also acknowledged the support and encouragement of Bishop Geoffrey Robinson and members of the Sydney Archdiocesan Catholic Schools Board.

“I am particularly pleased that the 62,500 students who attend our schools are being provided with excellent facilities to learn in and that our teachers will have the very best of facilities in which to teach the contemporary curriculum,” Br Kelvin said.

Terry Keogh, the education office’s director of financial services, who has co-ordinated these changes, refers to “a quiet revolution in our school buildings over the past decade”.

Terry referred to the 1994 review of the archdiocesan school system that informed the present strategy, Towards 2005 – Strategic Management Plan.

“Among the many recommendations emerging from this review, there was a clear expression of the urgent need to improve the school facilities across the archdiocese,” he says.

“Our goal was not only to continue refurbishing and expanding existing schools, but also to establish new schools in growth areas and find the necessary finance to do it.

“In this period almost $290 million has been expended and I expect that in 2004 building projects totalling in excess of $40 million will commence.”

John Day, head of the school facilities and planning unit from 1992-2003, said that the last major building blitz in Sydney’s Catholic schools was almost 40 years ago – in the mid-1960s.

John referred to a special edition of The Catholic Weekly – dated June 11, 1964 – that carried the headline, How your money will be spent on schools.

This edition described a large building program of refurbishments and new schools across the larger archdiocese of the time, endorsed by the Archbishop, Cardinal Gilroy.

The changes had been made necessary by the introduction of the Wyndham scheme.

The total cost was £3 million – a huge amount of money for the times and all of it had to be raised by the parishes.

“However, by the 1990s it was time again to undertake a major refurbishment, brought about by the age of buildings, safety requirements, the changes to the curriculum and also to teaching methods,” he said.

Terry said that the local community initiates nearly all projects. Many have emerged from the educational audits that are conducted to meet the requirements of the NSW 1990 Education Reform Act to secure registration and accreditation.

The principal is often the person who first articulates the need in consultation with the parish priest.

The role of the Catholic Education Office is to respond, to provide advice through the school facilities officers and regional consultants and to support the local community both professionally and financially, within clear parameters. Equity across all of the 148 schools is a major consideration.

“One of our strengths is that the local community initiates and owns the project. We have deliberately avoided operating as a ‘public works department’.

There are four main sources of funding for capital development today.

The Federal Government provides some funding for pressing capital works and new schools – currently about $22 million a year to be allocated among the 11 NSW dioceses. In 2003 Sydney received a commitment of $3.7 million of federal assistance.

The State Government provides essential assistance through the interest subsidy scheme. This is highly valued and much appreciated by the Catholic community.

The subsidy allows each school community to, in effect, re-pay the capital over 20 years with the State Government subsidising the interest component.

However, as in the past, it is still the parents and parishioners who bear the main cost for capital improvements through building and maintenance levy collected in each school. In 2003 $11.8 million was collected by the primary and secondary schools and retained at the local level to assist with debt servicing, repairs and maintenance and building insurances.

The annual system budget makes a provision for capital expenditure. System capital grants are allocated according to financial need. In 2003 the school system funds provided $11 million to support local projects. These funds also come from parents.

The Sydney Catholic Development Fund provides loans for the capital works and refurbishments for systemic Catholic schools in the archdiocese.

These currently total $134 million. Loans are normally serviced over 20 years.

Paul Friend, general manager of the Catholic Development Fund, says: “The work being done to improve the school facilities across the archdiocese is truly impressive. It is wonderful for the Catholic Development Fund to be involved in this initiative and the partnership with the parishes, the schools, the parents, the Catholic Education Office and also governments.”