Coldstream community boosted by Lyrebird College launch
After years of planning, fundraising, campaigning and endless sleepless nights, Melissa Handbury (founder of Lyrebird College) along with Principal Julie Kugler and their team of dedicated staff have celebrated the beginning of a momentous occasion at the Lyrebird College open day last week.
Lyrebird College a specialist school for students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) officially opened for term 1, 2021 after receiving Victorian Registration Qualification Authority (VRQA) approval late last year. Last week celebrated the beginning of a new chapter at its first open day for the year with families, friends and local members of parliament present to celebrate the occasion (pictured inset).
From humble beginnings, a team of community volunteers formed the College Board back in 2016 and have worked tirelessly towards getting the school to where it is today privately raising funds for the project over the last four years.
Fleetwood were fortunate enough to play a major role in providing the school with an affordable and efficient solution that stretched the boards funds as far as possible. Being able to deliver a state of the art modular solution in the time frame provided has allowed the school to begin its journey in the best possible way. Providing students and staff with all the required necessities that students with ASD require succeeding when it comes to learning and growing as people.
Based in the Yarra Ranges, the school is located between the Coldstream Primary School and Kindergarten on the same schoolgrounds. The location is ideal for the College as they will be able to serve many families in the Eastern Corridor of Melbourne as well as becoming part of the re-energised Coldstream Education Precinct consisting of the Coldstream Primary School, Yarra Ranges Kindergarten, Maternal Health Centre and playgroup.
The special needs school will provide a quality, tailored and outcome focused education option for families with a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder in a fun and safe setting.
The education choice for a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder is an important decision a family has to make and Fleetwood are honoured to be able to help another local community meet the challenge of providing the very best education facilities for its students.
With an initial enrolment of 14 students in two classes the opportunity to grow in the future is imminent as the school is already looking to add a further two buildings to the campus in order to cater to a broader age group of students.
To find out more about this project, you can visit the school’s website at Lyrebird College or view the Lyrebird Project Profile.
