ONE Tree Hill Primary School is promoting its new $2.5 million science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) building as the centre of technology learning in the town.

The school unveiled the new building – made possible by a State Government grant – on Friday, with Member for King Paula Luethen and Playford mayor Glenn Docherty in attendance.

School principal Krystal Keogh said the STEM building will benefit both the school and the wider community.

“We’ve got lots of exciting things still to come from the building, the kids have a lot of bright ideas,” she said.

“We’re going to be starting a robotics and a coding club in the school, which will also be open to the community.

“It’s opening up interest groups for the kids and the local community.”

The school also hopes to educate its students about plastics and how they harm the environment in a range of programs based out of the new building.

Features of the new building include a 3D printer and robotics equipment aimed at preparing children for future STEM careers.

Mrs Keogh said the advent of learning technology in the classroom was a great way to unlock students’ learning abilities.

“The technology kids can use now is amazing,” she said.

“We have interactive whiteboards in every classroom, every student has an iPad, (we have) laptops for our senior students, and now NAPLAN is online.

“It actually gives an opportunity to kids who are reluctant writers who don’t take in information well in a classroom setting.

“They are able to engage better with technology; we find some of our struggling learners interact with the technology and they produce more work than if they just sat and wrote with a pencil all day.

“Technology has a big role in the 21st century, and moving forward, so kids need to be tech savvy.”

At the launch of the building, Ms Luethen, who was representing state education minister John Gardner, said 75 per cent of the fastest growing industries in the world require some form of STEM
understanding.

“Globalisation is happening and is going to get more intense, technology is really changing the society we live in,” she said.

“For parents and students living in King and in South Australia, you should be getting really excited.”