On Tuesday, 1September, we were fortunate enough to have the Minister for Education and Minister for Industrial Relations, the Honourable Grace Grace, the Minister for Fire and Emergency Services and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, the Honourable Craig Crawford and the Director General for the Department of Education, Mr Tony Cook visit Tropical North Learning Academy Smithfield State High School. This visit was to not only turn the first sod for the new $8.4 million STEM and innovation facility but also tour the new $12 million Centre for Athlete Development and Performing Arts. Our school leaders had the unique opportunity to meet the Education Minister and Director General, discuss the progress on the new facilities and tour the current works. Minister Grace and Mr Cook spent the afternoon having lunch with our support staff and teacher aides in recognition of their contribution to the education of our students.
The new $8.4 million important project will give the Smithfield State High School community their first two-storey learning block with four STEM learning classrooms and a further 4 makerspace and robotics rooms and 2 new staffrooms. The building will also include an innovative wellbeing centre where students can access support as well as health and wellbeing services. In the design of this building I believe we're creating a fantastic learning and wellbeing hub that will link students with the services they need to support their education. The new teaching block will focus around STEM and Innovation which will allow us to provide 21st Century learning experiences in these discipline areas. Teachers will utilise this facility to empower students with skills to succeed and adapt to this increasingly complex changing, technological world. It is an opportunity to see our school grow and develop as we will be able to offer a range of new student experiences including new STEM subjects and the creation of a wellbeing hub. When the project is complete these new services will provide students with not only the technical skills but also the social and emotional skills that are critical to succeed at school and in life