Western Metropolitan Region
Hoppers Crossing Secondary College
It’s not every day that the Prime Minister makes a visit to your school, but for students at Hoppers Crossing Secondary College, that’s exactly what happened.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard visited the school in July to officially open their new state-of-the-art Science Centre, delivered through the Building the Education Revolution program. College principal Wayne Terrill said the school and community were thrilled to have the Prime Minister attended the event.
“The entire College community was absolutely delighted that the Prime Minister Julia Gillard was able to officially open the Science Centre. The School Captains and Student Leaders met the Prime Minister as she visited classes being conducted within the new facility. Approximately 160 people attended the opening and witnessed the Prime Minister’s opening address.”
Mr Terrill believes the facility will have a strong impact on student learning.
“Students and teachers not only from Hoppers Crossing Secondary College, but indeed across all government schools in Wyndham will have opportunities to engage with science and have access to the right facilities to inspire them and extend their understanding, by putting theory into practice.”
The Science Centre provides a mix of specialist spaces and a central space for collaborative work. The opportunity to incorporate some cutting-edge technologies into science learning programs is being embraced by the school.
The school has developed relationships within the science community that will support their vision of engaging students in science. Shimadzu Scientific Instruments have donated over $100,000 worth of specialised science equipment. Victoria University have offered their support in a number of ways, including working with the school to develop an inquiry based learning approach for their science program and providing professional development to teachers. Victoria University have also donated $40,000 towards the purchase of science equipment.
Mr Terrill has told that the excitement and activity surrounding the facility has continued well beyond the opening of the building in July.
“Since the Prime Minister’s official opening of the Science Centre in July, the students have been really enthusiastic about the work they are undertaking. With the addition of fish tanks, frogs, bearded dragons and blue tongue lizards, the students are now displaying more enthusiastic attitudes towards science from the moment they walk into the building. The students are really excited about the facility. The building has lifted the profile of science within our school and re-ignited the passion for students to examine the wonders of science.”
October, 2011
