Full steam ahead on STEM Heart project
By Wendy Shaw
Work is under way on a cutting-edge $17.3 million STEM development at St Patrick’s College in Launceston.
High-tech science labs, additional general learning and breakout spaces and a refectory-style cafeteria are all included in the self-funded STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) project at the Prospect site.
Demolition work started in December on out-dated science labs, an old clothing store and canteen, and an undercover area.
The project will include six new science labs, a STEM lab, two general classrooms, a computer lab, a virtual reality lab, a digitech lab, a makers’ workshop featuring a three-dimensional printer room, meeting rooms, office and storage space, green house, student toilets, an extension to the Barrett Gym to a full-sized basketball court, new canteen and servery, a student communal area and amphitheatre.
Known as the ‘STEM Heart’, college acting principal Liz Illingworth said the redevelopment would provide exciting new possibilities to equip the college’s students for their futures in a rapidly-changing world.
“It is called the STEM Heart as it is located in the heart of the college and will link with other key areas of campus,” Mrs Illingworth said.
“The size of the college has increased in recent years. There is a need for more teaching and learning space and those old science labs that were knocked down were very outdated for teaching and learning as it should be in 2023.
“Imagine the possibilities of what can come out of this new space and how well we are preparing our students for an innovative and creative future.”
The new facilities would promote a wide range of cross-curricular skills covering areas such as media and technology, literacy, productivity, social skills, communication, flexibility and initiative.
“These are all the opportunities that the students will have – and they already do – but not in a whizz-bang amazing space,” Mrs Illingworth added.
Deputy Principal and science teacher Patrick Moroney said STEM had become hugely popular as illustrated by fact that almost three-quarters of Middle School students now opt to study this as an elective.
“The new environment is going to encourage all those STEM qualities of creativity and initiative and the students are going to be inspired,” Mr Moroney added.
College business manager Karen Cole welcomed the fact that students would have access to first class facilities that would also be more wheelchair-accessible. The STEM classrooms would have ceilings high enough to fly drones inside and would be filled with natural light. The works were also an opportunity to update college plumbing and power infrastructure.
It is hoped that work will be completed by the end of 2024 and in use by term one of 2025. The college has 1,580 students across years 7 to 12.
For more information about St Patrick’s College’s STEM Heart project: https://vimeo.com/654759581