Transportables, be gone: Fraser Park Primary School gets $10 million

Outdated learning facilities at a Murray Bridge primary school will be demolished and replaced, the state government has announced.

Transportables, be gone: Fraser Park Primary School gets $10 million
Principal Kimberly Rathjen and reception students Azalea, Jaxon and Phoebe are exciting for new beginnings at Fraser Park Primary School. Photo: Liana Webster.

A new era will soon begin at Fraser Park Primary School thanks to a $10 million government investment announced on Wednesday.

Each of the old transportable buildings will be demolished and replaced with much-needed classroom and administration facilities.

Both the preschool and school will stay operating as usual while the new facilities are built in stages.

Kimberly Rathjen has been working hard to change the culture of the school since she became its principal in 2022.

"The biggest thing for me is our school community and our local community deserve a school they can be proud of and feel comfortable in," she said.

Fraser Park currently has 72 students enrolled, of whom 85 per cent come from families experiencing socio-economic disadvantage.

"We've been working really hard to have a focus on learning, inclusion, supporting our families and building numbers ... last year we went from three to four classes," Ms Rathjen said.

"Everyone has been working hard to change the perception of the school with simple things, like the new school uniform."

The school, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year, is now on the verge of having a fifth class and its preschool service has moved to full-time.

It is back to doing a sports day, camps and excursions, and even participating in SAPSASA for the first time in a long while.

Planning is now underway with the school to develop building plans that will meet its education and capacity requirements. 

The school is yet to hear confirmation about construction times or approvals, but its staff are excited to see the improved facilities.

Six schools will benefit from state funding

The investment was announced as part of a $50 million spend on priority infrastructure at schools across South Australia.

State Education, Training and Skills Minister Blair Boyer said every investment was aimed at making sure families could be confident when choosing a school.

"Investing in our people, particularly our young people, is one of the best investments a government can make, and ensuring they have access to a great education with great facilities is the first step," he said.

"This funding is targeted to help public schools with the greatest need deliver an education for students in facilities that are modern and fit for purpose."

The Liberal Party had previously promised $2.1 million to replace some of Fraser Park's transportable classrooms during the 2022 election campaign, but was unable to follow through after failing to win government.

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