Wee Waa High School ready for a new year

Wee Waa High School’s staff and school community has successfully met the significant challenges of re-locating to a new campus and are ready for the start of the 2021 year.

The school is sharing the Wee Waa Public School campus. New demountable classrooms have been arriving over the holidays and been successfully installed and students are settling in to their new accommodation.

There is plenty of space for students and administration – and a bonus is the great air conditioning, staff commented.

The school has a full complement of teachers, with all positions filled and even a number of potential recruits if needed.

Many country NSW schools have difficulty in attracting teachers.

“It is a very encouraging start to the year,” said principal Annabel Doust.

Staff began work last Wednesday, with two staff development days, Year 7, 11 and 12 students returned to school on Friday and the whole school student body was back on Monday.

Wee Waa High has permanent teaching staff of 23 plus administration staff of 12.

There are 27 Year 7 students starting in 2021.

Wee Waa High School was closed at its old location last year due to health concerns and students were relocated to Wee Waa Public School in Term 4.

After a challenging transition period, students and staff successfully moved into their new accommodation.

Eleven demountables have been moved onto the public school site and high, infants and primary students are occupying the existing buildings with more offices to be built under the main public school building.

“We are well catered for with accommodation,” said principal Doust.

“There are special purpose classrooms for science, food technology, metals and engineering and a dedicated library demountable.

“Students have settled in and we are looking forward to the year.

“We are offering a full curriculum right through to the HSC in all subjects.”

Recreation breaks are timed so infants, primary and high students don’t overlap.

Meanwhile, investigations into the cause of the health issues at the former high school buildings is still being investigated.

The Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said she was conscious of the need to bring certainty to the community and would be acting on the future needs of Wee Waa High School as soon as possible.

This could mean the construction of a new Wee Waa High School on a new site. A fast tracking construction method could be used.