ELOUERA SPECIAL SCHOOL

COOTAMUNDRA

Building the Education Revolution Grant

Primary Schools for the 21st Century

Elouera Special School has received funding under round two of this program to build a new extension to the school, the new wing will house a third classroom and a new art room.  Currently one of our classes is housed in the multi purpose hall which while designed so this could occur, is far from ideal.  In 2010 each class will have its own room and all classes will have access to the hall, sound and light room, library and art rooms. 

19 June 2010

We held an official opening of the building, Allan Young - Chief Executive Officer of the Elouera Association welcomed guests and gave a talk on the buildings construction commending the Designer Mr Graham Nixon and the builder Rod Knagge and his local sub contractors. 

The Chair of the Elouera Association Mr Neil McDonnell talked about the history of the Elouera Association, in particular the School and read our a letter from Deputy Prime Minister Julie Gillard congratulating the school on its building project.  Neil McDonnell thanked the CEO Mr Allan Young on his management of the project that ensure the building was a round one project that was completed on time and budget.

The Elouera Special School Principal Mrs Annette Field spoke about the bennefit that the new building will bring to students and cut the cake celebrating the day with Sam Hardy one of the Elouera Special Schools students. 

Mike & Judy Forster had the honour of unveiling the buildings plaque and declaring the project open.  Mike was our longest service President and Judy our longest service volunteer at the School both from 1975 until 2005. 

1 March 2010

Our major building works were ready so students could move in on the first week of term.  Other works were still required such as the operable wall and reinstating the landscaping and irrigation systems destroyed in the building and car park works.

Our new building adds a third class room to the School and the one that has operated from the hall over the past few years has moved into here freeing up the hall for use by everyone.  The new room with its brightly painted walls and specialised computing corner and storage is a hit with both staff and students.

In addition to the new class room we now have an art room that all three classes can use.  The room has storage for each class so their projects and materials can be placed away at the end of the lesson making the space available for the next class.

In addition to the building works as part of this project we added a covered area and new concrete near the Library giving covered access to the new building and a smooth pathway for those in wheel chairs.  Our younger kids love the extended paving as they also use it

In June we will be holding an official opening event at the School, we would like any previous staff, parents or students volunteers or board members to join us however we may not know where you all are so if you would like an invitation please contact Allan Young at our Head Office on 02 6942 6586 or email allan@elouera-association.com and we will arrange one to be sent to you. 

We would like to thank the Federal Government for their assistance in the building of these new facilities.  The Building the Education Revolution funds have enabled us to make a monumental step forward in the facilities available to students with a disability in our region.  Our project represents value for money and the local building contractors Rod Knagge and their many local sub contractors did a brilliant job that was on budget and on time.

I would like to thank every contractor and their staff who worked on this project for their professional approach to the job and how they took time to say hello to the kids that watched their progress in term four 2009. 

Thank You

Allan Young

Chief Executive Officer

Elouera Association Inc

The Building History

Picture taken by student Anthony McTaggart Elouera Special School

Regular Reports

This page will be updated with newest reports at the top of the page, bookmark this page and keep up to date with the progress. 

30/11/09 Looking Like a Building

Picture taken by student Anthony McTaggart Elouera Special School

Work is progressing towards lock up along with the concreting works outside of the building and near the Library replacing the pavers that were there previously.  The roof tiles have arrived and our builders are preparing the roof area with battens to install these.

The progress is encouraging to the goal of having the building ready for use in Term 1 2010.

06/11/09 Shaping Up    

Pictures taken by student Anthony McTaggart Elouera Special School

Our Builder Rod Knagge and his crew are getting things moving very quickly, in just a few weeks we have gone from an open space to having the footings, slab and frame up.  This week our students were allowed to place their hand prints into a corner of the cement for a historic record of who was at the School when the building was constructed. 

Having the frame up now, you can see how impressive this building is and how well it ties into the previous two stages of the Elouera Special School. 

Anthony McTaggart, a year 10 student at the School has been assisting in maintaining a record of the build by taking photo's of the works, his photo's feature in this web site, thank you Anthony. 

19/10/09 Work Commences

Pictures taken by student Anthony McTaggart Elouera Special School

After a redesign of the building was approved and final contracts entered into building works commenced over the October School Holiday.  The footings were poured and set and the first bricks laid ready for the pouring of the slab.  Already you can see the scale of this project an how it will improve the Elouera Special School.   

05/08/09 Progress Report

Our application to build was paused by the Cootamundra Shire Council as the building was partly in a previously unknown Sewer Easement.  We contracted Ian Pengelly to survey the site and a minor re-design is being done by Coota Designs to resolve the issue.  The redesign is not significant and we will in fact increase the area available to students as a result.  Building will commence on schedule and the changes will not impact on our opening the class in the 2010 year. 

Clearing works on the site were completed over the School Holidays by Rod Knagge so we have an official start of the project.  

06/07/09 Contract Awarded

Following approval of the tender process and outcomes by the AIS we have appointed Rod Knagge to build the new Elouera Special School classrooms.  Rod is a local Cootamundra Builder who uses many local contractors and between them employ many apprentices.  Its a good employment outcome for Cootamundra.

Congratulations Rod

26/06/09 - Tenders Closed

At the time tenders closed we had received six tenders from the following builders

                       Rod Knagge Building Services

                       JA & AG Prest Builder

                       Bill Smarts Floor & Wall Service

                       Mellross Homes

                       Paintrite Constructions Pty Ltd

                       Bilas Knight Pty Ltd

We did receive one tender the following week however this did not meet the deadline and was not considered. 

15/06/09 - Tenders Called

The call for tenders to build the new School Building was advertised in the Young and Cootamundra Newspapers, at least six builders have picked up packages.  Applications close Friday 26 June. 

12/06/09 - Design Complete

Coota Design has completed the design based on our preliminary concept drawings.  By using the same designer that was used in building the Harold Brady Building we can be assured of continuing the theme of the school. 

The design has some new features such as a covered walkway and access into the class rooms from this in a more traditional school layout.  The art room has three store rooms so each class can have their works of art locked away when the other classes use the room.  A new store room is included so the specialty equipment such as wheel chairs and walkers can be stored away when not in use.  This will also be the first class room built with a purpose built computer bench incorporated in the design. 

I am pleased with the plans Graham Nixon has produced.

11/06/09 - Funding Granted

The Hon Julia Gillard MP, Minister for Education and Deputy Prime Minister announced the successful applicants under the Building the Education Revolution and I am please to announce Elouera Special School was one of them.  So we get our new School Building.

06/05/09 - Application Completed

The application for the funding to complete the new building was submitted by the Chief Executive Officer and submitted two days before the closing date.  $250,000 in funding was applied for while early estimates of the buildings costs have it slightly higher than this. 

01/04/09 - The Concept Introduced

Following a number of ideas from Parents and discussions with staff the Chief Executive Officer presented the initial plan and concept to a meeting of parents and members.  Those present that had put in submissions were pleased that the concept had incorporated most of them. 

05/03/09 - Parents Asked For Input

A newsletter was sent out asking parents and staff for their ideas on what we could do with the Stimulus Package funds if we were able to apply.  We were after areas we could get the most value for current and future students of the School.

ELOUERA SPECIAL SCHOOL

SCOTT AVENUE

COOTAMUNDRA NSW AUSTRALIA

PH (02)6942 2064     FAX (02)6942 4464

EMAIL principal@elouera-association.com