AIR CONDITIONING
SUBCOMMITTEE
Background to the MPSS Air Conditioning Project
This is a P&C project, and the subcommittee is headed up by Simone Cheadle and Lisa Craven.
The Middle Park State School P&C is committed to enhancing the learning environment for the students of Middle Park State School.
In March 2009 we conducted a survey to get input from the school community as to the facilities and resources that were considered priorities. This information was used to assist with the development of the P&C’s 3-5 year facilities plan and to form part of our Triennial School Review.
The number one priority identified by both parents and staff was to provide air-conditioned classrooms. Other projects identified included installation of interactive whiteboards, upgrading playgrounds, an extension/upgrade of the library/resource centre (to include a technology centre) and a hall.
We are very fortunate to have most of these major projects funded through the recent government NSP and BER funding made available to all schools. The only major project that we have not been able to source outside funding for is air conditioning.
The survey included a question asking parents and staff what one improvement could be made to improve classroom learning environments. Air conditioning was identified by 58% of respondents as the single most popular desired improvement (see graph).
The P&C supports the parents and teachers in their desire to air condition the classrooms, and has been working behind the scenes on this project for some time. We believe that air-conditioned classrooms will provide our students and teachers with an environment more conducive to learning.
Air conditioning the school is a major project for our school and P&C and we are going to need a lot of parental support to enable it to proceed as quickly as possible. Accordingly, we would like to call on the whole Middle Park State School community for their support.
UPDATE: August 2011
Contracts for the air-conditioning project were signed at the school on Friday, 29 July by Mike Nolan, School Principal, Terry McCarthy, P&C President, and Warwick Johnson, Service Manager for FIXZIT Ipswich. Stage 1 of the project will commence with the Senior Primary classrooms (Blocks 4/5) having their air-conditioning, and the required electrical upgrades, installed the week commencing Monday, 15 August. The OSHC building will have its air-conditioning installed the week commencing Monday, 22 August.
We have also applied for the necessary Site Approval from Education Queensland for Stage 2 (Blocks 1/2/3) to commence in the first week of the September/October school holidays. Stage 3 of the project (Prep and Demountables 1/3/5/6) will follow in the December/January school holidays so that all classrooms should be air-conditioned for the commencement of school in January 2012.
UPDATE: June 2011
The
selection committee has met and appraised all tenders received. A
recommendation was taken to the P&C meeting on Wednesday, 8th June.
At
this meeting, approval was sought for the scope of works for the air
conditioning project, the selection of the successful applicant for the
air conditioning project, for the P&C to enter into a contract with
the successful applicant, and for an application to be submitted to the
Queensland Treasury for a loan. Approval was given to all these items.
The
scope of work for the whole Air Conditioning program includes the
necessary electrical upgrades and the air conditioning of 30 classrooms
plus the Outside School Hour Care building plus the administration
block. This project is to broken into 3 stages.
Stage
1 of the project has been submitted to Education Queensland for
approval. Once approval has been received, work may begin (remembering
that much of the work can only be performed during school holidays).
UPDATE: May 2011
The air conditioning project is a priority for the P&C for 2011. Now that work has been completed on the new resource centre and hall, we are able to move forward with our plans to air condition the school.
There are 2 parts to this project - the electrical upgrades that the school needs and the purchase and installation of the air conditioning systems.
Currently, the school does not have the electrical capacity to support the running of air conditioning. We require an electrical upgrade by Energex, as well as internal upgrades to our main switch board and to some of the classroom blocks.
Invitations to tender for this project were advertised in the Courier Mail. Tenders closed on the 20th May 2011.
Some of the electrical and installation work can only be performed during school holidays. It is anticipated to have all electrical work and air conditioners installed and up and running by the start of the 2012 school year.
We look forward to keeping you up-to-date with developments.
