TRINITY College has “got with the strength”, becoming part of the Anglican Schools Commission of Western Australia.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The school’s board yesterday said the move would allow Thurgoona and Baranduda campuses to expand even more as the fastest growing independent school on the Border.
The commission will run Trinity from next year.
The principal, Steven O’Connor, said being part of the commission would give Trinity the financial clout to fast-track new buildings and provide more chances for teachers and administration staff to develop their skills.
“Being a stand alone school in a small diocese was challenging and difficult,” he said.
“This provides us with the best environment and professional community for the college to grow and prosper.”
Mr O’Connor said Trinity was growing at 10 per cent a year and there now were about 1000 students.
It opened in 2002 with 17 students at Lavington’s St James Hall.
It moved to its Thurgoona site seven months later and the Baranduda campus opened in 2004.
Trinity is the schools commission’s biggest acquisition outside Western Australia and joins Wangaratta’s Cathedral College and the Cobram-based Anglican College.
Mr O’Connor said the next step forward for Trinity was a new senior school building.
“We have a grant to help pay for a senior school building,” he said.
“We had planned to build the first stage next year and the second in two or three years time.
“Now as an commission school, we can build both stages.”
The bishop of Wangaratta, the Reverend John Parkes, said the 3½ years experience of Wang- aratta Cathedral College being part of the commission had shown the partnership was “enormously beneficial.”
The commission will have more than 13,000 students and 1500 staff at its 14 schools next year.
Commission chief, the Reverend Peter Laurence said he was thrilled to “welcome Trinity into the family” and he was enthusiastic about the mutual benefits it would generate.
“Trinity has developed a strong reputation as a school of excellence and care and, together with its sister school Cathedral College Wangaratta, will now have new opportunities for growth, development and collegial support,” he said.