The building is on track and now a second school opening at Serpentine Creek and Scenic roads, Redland Bay in 2024 needs to be named.
This was one of the topics under discussion at an inaugural community meeting held on June 19.
There, future students and families were able to meet the principal Sue Hendriks who spoke about her personal history, introduced key people and asked for input on naming the school, choosing its colours, enrolment and joining the community advisory committee.
“I feel honoured to be a principal at a new school,” she said.
“We have to do everything from the ground up – every pencil, every piece of paper.
“We are looking at policy and curriculum while we go shopping for furniture.”
Ms Hendriks said Education Queensland had various guidelines for naming a school which included naming it after the locality, local flora and fauna, indigenous names or after a deceased person who has made a significant contribution.
She also went through possible colours for the school.
“Red would be for the soil, the colour for First Nations people and the colours of the scarlet honey eater,” Ms Hendriks said.
“Teal is for the water ways and the dams on site. Gold is for the mangroves and the cottonwood tree and grey is for the dugong, the whale and the glossy black cockatoo.
“People seem to like the colours, so we shall probably use these in some form or another.”
Ms Hendricks has worked throughout Queensland including Mt Isa, Dalby and Texas. She was head of junior school at Clayfield College and said she was thrilled to join the team at the new school.
The team includes deputy principal Susan Bunce and prep teacher Emma Brownscombe who also attended the meeting, along with business manager Kylie Ramsay and communications and community relations officer Kelly Marc.
The $64m school opens for students from prep to Year 6 and will initially cater to 636 students, with an expected growth to 1234 students. The school will cater for Shoreline and other developments.
Services include a uniform shop, canteen and out of school hours care, all to be outsourced.
“My motto for the school is to ‘Keep Learning, Be Kind and to Have Fun’,” Ms Hendriks said.
“I want the children to want to be there. I hope to cater to the needs of each child differently and make an impact on each child’s life.
“If I can foster a love for your fellow man, this will go a long way.”
People wishing to suggest names and put in expressions of interest for enrolment are invited to go on Facebook to new school @Redland Bay.
