Staff and students at the Australian Christian College Hume in Benalla are loving life in its new premises, the former GOTAFE building on Samaria Rd.
The new building boasts a larger space that caters to its expanded year levels, now ranging from Prep to Year 9.
Principal Sam Woods said the move had been a resounding success.
“The move was completed during the recent school holidays, and the whole school began the year in the new premises in January,” Mr Woods said.
The new building has designated rooms for music, drama and art classes, which will allow the school to start a range of new programs.
“The staff’s favourite thing is we can fit more than two people in the staff room,” Mr Woods said.
“It’s such a terrific building in a really unique setting for a school, especially a combined primary and high school all in one building.
“It’s got a really unique feel and the kids are loving it, they think it’s so fancy.”
While they still have some work to do, Mr Woods said there were plans to install a new science lab, which would enable it to offer senior science classes.
The school intends to integrate all year levels into the new building, with the SmartPlay Early Learners Kindergarten still at the old site on Sydney Rd for the time being.
Mr Woods said they were working on the logistics of how to transfer those classes to the new premises.
“We intend to bring them over as soon as we can, but we have no date as yet,” he said.
“As soon as we can move them over, we will.”
Mr Woods said the school's expansion brought several challenges.
“But there are so many benefits, too. Specifically in the way we can start new programs, and we’ll become more robust as we expand,” he said.
The move to the new building was a result of the rapid and successful expansion of the school.
“People can attribute growth to a variety of things, but I think our motto, that we talk about, is ‘Our children are well known, well loved and well taught’ and the families that come and join us agree with that.”