Hammond Park Catholic primary school has completed its first week of kindergarten classes, two years after the Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia endorsed its establishment.
The new primary school has 17 children enrolled in its kindergarten program that began on Monday, February 4.
Principal Chris Cully said he was excited to have the school up and running.
“After six months of planning and preparation, it’s a delight to actually be operational and to see all the things that we talked about and planned start to happen, so it’s a very good feeling,” he said.
As a parish school, there will be a close connection between Mater Christi Catholic Parish and Hammond Park Primary.
Mater Christi parish priest, Father Bryan Rosling said he was looking forward to working closely with the school.
“The parishioners are very excited about it,” he said. “It’s gotten off to a really good start, I’m very pleased with it.”
Fr Rosling said the school would meet an urgent need in the community.
“The population is growing so quickly here,” he said. “This is the largest parish in the diocese, and one of the largest in the country.”
Fr Rosling personally interviewed each of the founding staff members before they were appointed.
Mr Cully said it was vital that the school exhibit a strong commitment to the Catholic faith.
“We have to maintain that because that’s what makes us different and sets us apart from other good educational institutions,” he said.
“We have to be faith-filled and faith-active people ourselves to give witness to the children and the families which come here.”
Unfortunately, a delay in the construction of the school building has required the first term classes be held at Mater Christi school hall.
“We had a number of challenges commencing the building because of environmental concerns and issues with the local jurisdiction,” Mr Cully said.
“Once they were overcome, building commenced and is moving fairly smartly.”
The school building is due to be completed on April 22, with staff and students able to take up residence there two weeks later.
Mr Cully, who has been a school principal for 14 years, said he was extremely grateful to Mater Christi Parish and Primary School for providing Hammond Park Primary School with temporary accommodation.
“I know other schools in our system which have started in shopping centres or houses which have been converted,” he said.
“We’re starting in a facility that is airconditioned, it’s big, it’s the perfect situation really, so I am very grateful.”
As a further result of building delays, the school has had to alter its planned entry levels for 2013.
Rather than beginning with one kindergarten, one pre-primary and one year one class, the school could only begin with kindergarten.
However, Mr Cully said it plans to have two classes of each group in 2014.