Member for Light Tony Piccolo, St Brigid’s Catholic School principal Paul Bennett and Adelaide Archbishop Patrick O’Regan in the school’s new learning pod space, which was unveiled last Tuesday. PHOTO: Brendan Simpkins
Brendan Simpkins
MORE than a year after work started, St Brigid’s Catholic School at Evanston officially opened its state-of-the-art learning pods last week.
Work on the $3.4 million project began last April and was completed on time and on budget, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is stage 1 of St Brigid’s school master plan, featuring media rooms with green screens, conference rooms, breakout spaces and STEM and visual arts rooms. The two pods were designed by Adelaide architects Swanbury Penglase, with construction by Harold & Kite.
Designed to create a flexible and adaptable learning space, the building caters for students to work collaboratively and independently.
The pods feature acoustic treatment to create a calm environment for children with sensory needs.
Principal Paul Bennett said the learning space had transformed the school, and allowed for the expansion of its curriculum.
The pods were officially opened with an assembly last Tuesday attended by Adelaide Archbishop Patrick O’Regan, director of Catholic Education Dr Neil McGoran and Education Minister John Gardner.
The pods sit behind the gymnasium and are on the former site of a playground and sports shed. They have also replaced six transportable classrooms.
An $800,000 grant was awarded to St Brigid’s through the State Government’s Capital Works Program. Construction was completed last November.
The master plan includes two more stages – construction and refurbishment for a new chapel and learning spaces for early and junior years, and an upgrade to the existing administration area.
