A $680,000 funding boost for Melton Secondary College will help improve students literacy, numeracy and creative thinking, principal David Reynolds believes.
Last week, the state government announced $747 million in extra funding to state schools for next year, with Melton schools receiving $5.4 million.
Melton Secondary College will get the largest sum ($680,000) in the area, followed by Coburn Primary School ($648,000) and Kurunjang Secondary College ($633,000).
Mr Reynolds said the school would use the extra funding to expand programs that focus on literacy and numeracy, and would possibly employ extra staff.
“If we hadn’t received the funding, I think it would’ve meant we would’ve have to spread current funds very, very carefully,” he said.
“We would have been unable to provide such strong support for the literacy and numeracy priorities we have.
“The challenge is for all students to make that fantastic growth … and that requires more funding when we have students who are at such different levels.
“The approach we’re taking is strongly supported by research and we are starting to see improvement.”
Mr Reynolds said the school, which places a big emphasis on student health and happiness, had developed several programs to support students and the extra state government funding would help the school deliver those programs.
One of the municipality’s most chronically over-crowded schools, Melton Specialist School, received less than $100,000.
Acting principal Evan Savage refused to be drawn on whether or not the funding would be sufficient to address issues the school is facing.
“The additional equity funding that our school will receive in 2016 is a positive announcement for the school community,” Mr Savage said in a statement.
“While there are many possible ways that this funding may be used to make improvements to the school, this is a decision that will be made during term four as we identify priorities based on the needs of the students and the school as a whole.”
Melton MP Don Nardella said the extra funding was exactly what schools in the area needed.
