Community
9 May, 2024
Emotional moment as Hampden opens
IT was an emotional moment when Hampden Specialist School officially unveiled its new campus to stakeholders, staff, students, school council representatives, family and friends last Friday.
Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney visited Hampden Specialist School P-6 Campus last Friday to officially open the $11.9 million development project which saw students relocate to the new site on Dow Street this year.
Ms Tierney, who has been a driving force for the new school facilities, toured the campus which campus features large classrooms, a multipurpose space, quiet areas, dining area, staff room, meeting rooms, an art room and a large exterior play area for students to enjoy.
The new campus also included landscaping and a bus shelter and drop off area to heighten safety for students.
Hampden Specialist School principal Kylie Carter offered her congratulations to all involved in the process, which took a bold idea and built it in to a reality for students to enjoy.
“While I feel so privileged that we’ve got this beautiful building, there was a lot of people before me, too many to mention, who had a big part in trying to get the money and the funds to get to where we are today,” she said.
“There was a lot of work done before I even took over this position and we secured the funding in the end.
“Anyone who had seen our previous campus at Terang knows this, by far, exceeds any expectations we may have had.
“The day we moved in here we thought their might have been a few little teething problems with students settling in, but the calming effect of the building was almost immediate with students being able to learn and teachers being able to teach without any bump in the curriculum at all.”
Mrs Carter praised the resilience of students during the transition, and said the process had made clear what makes Hampden Specialist School such an incredible school.
“When we went back to our old campus for a repurpose sale, we all said, “Did we always work here? Was it always just like this?” she said.
“You just stop seeing it, because it’s the kids, the staff and families who are what it’s all about at the end of the day.”
Ms Tierney said the project was only possible due to the tireless efforts of so many who had staunch advocates for giving Hampden Specialist School students the campus “they so richly deserve”.
“This is a project that has been a passion project for so many people, and can I thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done,” she said.
“This is not easy – it has been a long, long journey.
“I’ve kept an eye on this when I’ve been coming through Terang, Michael (Castersen, Terang College assistant principal) caught me here one weekend.
“We’ve kept tabs on it to make sure it was coming along and we could make the announcements and have the children on their new campus as soon as possible.”
Ms Tierney fought back tears as she recalled having been sent videos of Hampden Specialist School students arriving at their new campus for the first time, full of smiles and laugher as they eagerly explored their state-of-the-art facilities.
“These are the sorts of things, as a politician, that make the difference,” she said.
“I’m finding it a little bit hard to contain my emotions this morning because I do remember what it was like (at the old campus) – I didn’t have to work there and I didn’t have to be a student there.
“It was a hard slog at the old place, and to see it completely different for everyone now and in to the future just does make you think.
“Sometimes, when we work really hard together; as a community, local government and a state government, we really can make a difference.”