mckinnon secondary college documents... · 2019-03-07 · strong focus on safe and efficient...

MCKINNON SECONDARY COLLEGE

www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au

New Campus Engagement Report

MCKINNON SECONDARY COLLEGENEW CAMPUS ENGAGEMENT REPORT

P 2

Since 2015, the Victorian Government has invested more than $3.8 billion to build new schools and modernise more than 1,300 existing ones. It has committed to continue that record funding and open 100 new schools over the next eight years.

To meet the needs of the growing local community and demand for future enrolments, the Victorian Government has committed to building a second campus for McKinnon Secondary College.

We want young people growing up in the McKinnon and Bentleigh area to be part of a rich, vibrant and supportive community. Schools are more than buildings, they are the heart of their neighbourhoods. The new McKinnon Secondary College campus will be an opportunity to further shape and enhance the wider community.

We are considering the best way to develop the new campus and, to help inform this process, we asked the local community what they want in terms of its design and facilities.


P 3

About the engagement

We engaged with students, teachers, parents and community members from McKinnon and the surrounding area from 27 August to 16 September 2018, on the design, features and use of the planned new McKinnon Secondary College campus.

In particular, we wanted to know what learning and teaching spaces they would like to have in the school, what they like about the existing school and what could be made better. We wanted to understand what aspects of the McKinnon school community are valued, and how the new campus can be best connected with the existing campus.

The design team will consider this input as they plan the new campus.

Engagement snapshot

Over 98 parents attended

workshops

59 teachers attended

workshops at the schools

More than 230 people

engaged

1330+ individual comments analysed

45% of online survey respondents

were students

67 students attended

workshops at the schools

P 4

What your community told us

Build on McKinnon’s community spirit and commitment to excellence

McKinnon Secondary College has a strong sense of community and it will be important for this to be maintained across the two campuses. Your community values the school’s reputation and culture of academic excellence, and students and parents appreciate the support and dedication of their teachers. Activities and events like camps, productions, sport and house events help keep everyone connected. A sense of pride in the community, learning environment and school facilities shone through in the feedback.

The existing school has great facilities, but these are under pressure

Feedback about pressures on space and facilities underscores the importance of the new campus for providing more capacity and facilities for this growing academic community.

Facilities like the theatre, gym, oval, the McKinnon Exploration and Research Centre (MERC) and dedicated Year 7 and 12 areas are highly valued. Participants also appreciated other critical areas, including the library and science facilities, but described how they are under pressure. Teachers spoke about the need for more space for meetings and student collaboration, and crowding is a challenge in thoroughfares and staff areas. Basic amenities like toilets and lockers were a common concern for both students and teachers and need to be expanded and updated, and more canteen space is needed. Your community agreed on the preference for a gym and library on the ground floor of the new campus.

Outdoor and green spaces are important to all for connection and retreat

We heard that outdoor areas, green space and communal areas at McKinnon are a highlight, with the oval and sheltered areas providing important places for hanging out with friends and quiet time. The Korean Garden is a much-loved space, offering a retreat and connection with nature. Your community wants outdoor recreation space to be a priority for the design of the new campus and we heard you want to see more green space, trees and sheltered areas. Outdoor teaching areas were suggested as a potential feature for consideration.

Here are the top five things we heard from McKinnon area locals, teachers, students and parents about the features and challenges at the existing campus and ideas about the new campus.


P 5

Shared events, safe access and technology will help connect the two campuses

Your community wants outdoor and indoor areas with capacity for the whole school, with many suggestions made about shared events and celebrations to connect the two campuses.

Feedback about connections between the two campuses recognised that a practical decision would be needed on how year levels or other groupings would be allocated, with many ideas about connections including regular whole-school events, shared events via videoconference, staff spending time at both campuses, and specialist facilities at the new campus e.g. STEM or art so all students spend some time there.

Access to the existing campus has some challenges, with limited space for parking, drop-off and pick-up. Parents in particular, had a strong focus on safe and efficient transport connections between the campuses, with cycling paths and a shuttle bus included in suggestions.

The existing school design and branding should be used at the new campus

The brand of the existing campus is strong, and your community would like to see this brand and existing design applied at the new campus. We heard that many of you like the modern design, ventilation and natural light of new facilities like the MERC and the theatre, and want to see these applied in the new building. The school’s uniform, logo, signage and flags were key suggestions for helping to connect the two campuses.


P 6

Your ideas We asked students, teachers and parents what they want in the new campus, what’s great about the school now, what could be improved, and how the two campuses could be well connected. Their visions for the new campus were captured by a graphic recorder, who illustrated what we heard.

McKinnon students are proud of their school’s position in

the broader community and love activities and events

like the school production, drama nights and fundraising

activities which bring together the whole school.

Students feel supported by their teachers and

enjoy peer support which is fostered

through activities like camps and clubs.


P 7

They appreciate the modern facilities at the existing campus, which contribute to their sense of pride and offer a great learning environment.

Students would like additional toilets and lockers, which are under pressure from growing student numbers.

Students love the outdoor areas and green space at McKinnon

and would like to see these areas improved further and

featured at the new campus.


P 8

Teachers are proud of the McKinnon school community, their support for students and

the modern spaces like lecture theatres, performance areas and STEM facilities.

The Korean Garden is an oasis for teachers and students alike.

Road safety and staff car parking were raised as key areas for consideration in

the new campus. Teachers would like to see more

storage, staff rooms, and meeting and student

collaboration areas both inside and outdoors.

Teachers highlighted the importance of

large gathering areas to

accommodate the whole school and use of technology

to keep the two campuses

together.

They also suggested that shared events

would maintain connections between the

campuses and that staff should work across both sites.

You can contact us:Victorian School Building Authority

1800 896 950

[email protected]

www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au

/victorianschoolbuild

For information in your language, please call the Victorian School Building Authority’s translation service on 03 9280 0712.

Next stepsWe have identified a potential site in Bentleigh East, within the East Village development, and are in discussions with the landowners.

We’ll provide your feedback and suggestions for the new school to the project team to ensure they are considered in the plans.

Final designs for the new campus, and details about how McKinnon Secondary College will operate across both campuses, will be progressed once a site has been finalised.

To stay up to date with the progress of the McKinnon Secondary College new campus, please visit schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au

mckinnon secondary college documents... · 2019-03-07 · strong focus on safe and efficient...

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