$200,000 WINDFALL FOR RIVERINA AND CENTRAL WEST SCHOOLS

Some 20 Riverina and Central West Schools are sharing $200,000 in grants through the Local Schools Community Fund, Riverina Nationals’ MP and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack has announced.

“I have written to the successful schools to deliver this fantastic news, which I hope comes as an early Christmas present for them before they break for the holidays,” Mr McCormack said.

Mr McCormack said 55 schools applied for a grant through the Local Schools Community Fund, which offered $200,000 for each Federal electorate in Australia.

The grants were determined by an independent advisory committee which represented all sectors of the local primary and secondary education system.

“The value of the applications in the Riverina and Central West totalled more than $900,000,” Mr McCormack said.

“I would have loved to give every school everything they wanted, but, unfortunately, that was impossible. The advisory committee which assisted me in assessing the applications had an extremely difficult task and I thank them for all their hard work.”

Projects approved for funding range from small playground redevelopments and playground equipment to a technology upgrade and an astronomy and science education centre.

“At the heart of all the projects is improving learning opportunities and experiences for our children,” Mr McCormack said.

“In some cases, the schools which will receive funding would otherwise not have been able to undertake these important projects.

“Many of the schools which will receive grants are in areas hit hard by the drought and so the spending will be a welcome injection of money into local economies. I would like to thank all the schools which lodged applications and assure them their projects were very carefully considered.”

Local Schools Communities Program

School Project Federal Funding

Ardlethan Central School Community Garden Project $6,000

Forbes North Public School ACE Playground (Apply, $10,000

Challenge and Explore Playground)

Gundagai High School Gundagai High School facelift $5,500

Hennessy Catholic College, Young Equipment for Hennessy Catholic $14,982

College Young Music program

Illabo Public School Technology Upgrade $16,467

Koorawatha Public School Outdoor Playground $5,500

Middleton Public School, Parkes Project Enliven and Engagement Hub $5,000

Parkes High School DARE Project $5,000

St Brendan’s Primary School, Ganmain St Brendan's Playground Re-development $10,000

St Joseph’s School, Grenfell Library Celebrations $2,000

St Joseph’s Primary School, Peak Hill Beautification of school $10,000

St Mary’s War Memorial School, Projecting to a community $17,335

West Wyalong

Stockinbingal Public School Geoclimber Unit Playground Equipment $5,000

Sturt Public School, Kooringal STEM Playground $20,000

Temora Public School Shade structure for Infants playground $6,500

Trinity Catholic Primary School, School Hall Refurbishment $19,770

Murrumburrah

Trundle Central School School to Work Outdoor Workshop $20,000

 Ungarie Central School Collaborative Learning Space $5,446

Wagga Wagga Christian College Astronomy and Science Education Centre $10,000

Yerong Creek Public School Outdoor Barbecue Zone $5,500