2002

18th November 2002
New School for St Paul's Primary School Gateshead
New school buildings at St Paul's Primary School Gateshead will be officially opened and blessed during a ceremony this Wednesday 20th November at 10:00 am.

Mr Peter King MP, Federal Member for Wentworth will officially open the new buildings while the Most Reverend Michael Malone, Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle, will lead the blessing ceremony.

Wednesday's opening follows three years of planning and construction work involving the parish, school and diocesan communities as well as Federal and State governments. Total cost of the project is $2,165,269.

Opened in 1964, St Paul's Primary School is a single stream K-6 school with a current enrolment of 210 students. The decision to upgrade the existing school was due to the age of the buildings and the changing needs of the school community.

"The school and parish communities are very excited about our new facilities", said Ms Wanda Fogg, Principal of St Paul's Primary School. "We are grateful to the Federal and State Governments and the parish and diocesan community for providing the finances necessary to construct a whole new school which is the newest, and I believe, the most functional in the diocese."

The new buildings include nine classrooms, an administration area, library, school assembly area, canteen, covered shelter area and toilet block.

Other guests attending the opening include Fr Terry Sylvester (Parish Priest, Charlestown and Gateshead), Mr Michael Bowman (Director of Catholic Schools); Sr Dorothy Casey RSJ (formerly Sr Killian, the school's first principal); Ms Jill Hall MP (Federal Member for Shortland); members of the School Building Committee, Parish Council and Finance Committee; and Catholic Schools Office personnel. Many parishioners and parents will also be in attendance.

Monsignor Francis Coolahan and Monsignor Roger Kennedy (both deceased and former parish priests of Gateshead) will be remembered and honoured during the ceremony.

"Both priests have been instrumental in the development of the parish and school communities. The library will be dedicated to Monsignor Coolahan because it was he who initiated the current project. The school assembly area will be dedicated to Monsignor Kennedy, fondly remembered as 'the Father of Gateshead'. It was his foresight in the purchase of land in the early 1960's which allowed for the new school to be constructed on its present site, while still allowing for huge playing fields and a car park which are great assets to the school and parish communities", said Ms Fogg.

The official opening and blessing will take place at 10:00 am on Wednesday 20th November. St Paul's Primary School is located at Felton Street Gateshead.

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