Save the Children Kindergarten reopens in Mooroopna

The start of Term 1 saw children and staff move back into a brand new kinder building, in Mooroopna in Central Victoria, after a year away at a temporary location generously provided by South Shepparton Community Church while the renovations took place. 

The old 1960s-era kinder has been replaced with a state-of-the-art, engaging and welcoming learning space for children. 

This includes a major increase in the size of the kinder’s learning and outdoors areas, new bathroom fixtures, a new kitchen and new storage, offices and entry ways.

The renovations increased the overall floor size by about 50 per cent, boosting the kindergarten’s capacity by 26 places, across the three and four-year-old cohorts.

Save the Children regional manager Andrew Holloway said this project increased the capacity of the kindergarten from 27 to 40 children per age group, allowing 26 more children across two age groups to access quality preschool education each year.
 
“An additional room has enabled us to provide more holistic support to children and their families by giving us a space to deliver more ancillary services such as allied health and family and educational supports,” Mr Holloway said.  
 
“We are grateful to the many businesses that have donated more than $100,000 worth of materials or pro bono services to build the kindergarten, especially Hayball Architects, who contributed the design works for the new kinder free of charge, and Diverse Builders who helped with sourcing donated materials and services.”

Many businesses donated goods for the renovation at reduced or no cost, while Hayball Architects provided their entire services for the project pro bono. 

The $570,000 renovation was funded by the Victorian Government and Save the Children.

The refurbished kindergarten will be officially opened by Member for Northern Victoria Region Mark Gepp and Save the Children’s Australian Services Director Heather Finlayson on Tuesday May 15 at 10am.

When: Tuesday 15th May at 9.45am for a 10am start 
Where: 17 O'Brien Street, Mooroopna

Call Alex Sampson on 0429 943 027 or Jess Brennan on 0421 334 918 for interviews.