Grandis Primary School deputy principal Trudy Jones, principal Steve Bevan and corporate services manager Jackie Norman.
Camera IconGrandis Primary School deputy principal Trudy Jones, principal Steve Bevan and corporate services manager Jackie Norman. Credit: Supplied/Martin Kennealey d490389

Banksia Grove school getting set for Grandis opening

Lucy JarvisWanneroo Times

GRANDIS Primary School staff have spent the past two weeks preparing the Banksia Grove classrooms for their first students.

The first stage of the school will open on Monday for kindergarten and pre-primary students, with a foundation cohort of 18 teachers and support staff led by principal Steve Bevan.

Mr Bevan said they were excited about welcoming the first children, with enrolment numbers higher than expected.

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Corporate services manager Jackie Norman said they already had about 80 enrolled in kindy and more than 35 enrolled in pre-primary.

“A lot of young families are building their first home in this area,” she said.

The school will hold a welcome barbecue for the first students and their parents today so they can meet their teachers and see their classrooms.

“It’s been really good to see how enthusiastic the staff are – they have all been in and given up their holidays to come and set up their classrooms,” Mr Bevan said.

The principal said their aim in the first week was to settle students in quickly.

Deputy principal Trudy Jones, who was deputy principal at Connolly Primary, said all the young students would be adjusting to a new environment.

“We’ve ensured that we have got additional support staff on site for the first week,” she said.

“All our education assistants are special needs education assistants.”

The first stage includes two kindy and two pre-primary classrooms, playground, an administration building and a multi-purpose room that will accommodate the library and staff room.

The first stage of Grandis Primary School opens to students next week.
Camera IconThe first stage of Grandis Primary School opens to students next week. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Construction of the rest of the school will take place around the fenced early learning area throughout this year.

“Kids will be excited about seeing trucks and construction happening,” Mr Bevan said.

Enrolments for years 1 to 6 are due to open in June for the 2020 school year.Mr Bevan said the school logo represented a banksia flower and the name came from the grandis type of banksia flower.

Mrs Norman said the community helped select the logo in a poll last year, and it had been great to get their input.

Mr Bevan said they would go through the process of forming a school board and P&C this year.

Having worked at Yanchep Beach Primary School as foundation registrar when it opened in 2014, Mrs Norman said she was looking forward to the staged process which would give them more time to recruit teachers and buy resources for next year.

Joseph Banks Secondary College let the foundation team use a room on its grounds last year until they got the keys in January and Mrs Norman said it had been great to be based in the suburb so parents could visit their temporary office.

Education Minister Sue Ellery is expected to officially open the school in March.