A rich history and sustainable future

Theodore Primary school is situated in the Tuggeranong Valley in the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT's) south. It has been operating for nine years and the location has a strong Indigenous background as the traditional home of the Ngunnawal people. There are many important Indigenous sites surrounding the school and this has had a major influence on the Indigenous studies offered to students.

The school itself is named after Edward Granville Theodore who was a politician, union founder, miner and businessman. Notably he was Premier of Queensland from 1919 to 1925 and the Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer in the James Scullin Federal Government during the Great Depression.

The school has received Building the Education Revolution (BER) funding totalling $2.65 million for the construction of a shade structure and a new multi-purpose building which includes several teaching spaces.

Theodore Primary's Principal, Ms Lyn Woodbury, said the funding has made an amazing difference to the programs the school offers students. 'Students are able to work in the new garden, growing food that is cooked and eaten in the new kitchen', she said.

'The new multi-purpose building is also used as a science room and students are learning about living in a sustainable manner.

'Teachers are motivated to include life skills in their programs as the kitchen and gardens are so accessible and the fittings are of such high quality', said Principal Woodbury.

The new building is also used as a performing arts room with the school band, dance groups and choir all enjoying a specialist space.

Theodore Primary, like many schools, is using BER Primary Schools for the 21st Century funding to support environmentally sustainable initiatives and to reduce energy and water consumption.

Theodore Primary recently installed a 20 kilowatt solar panel system which reduces the school's electricity bills and provides children with a working demonstration of renewable energy use.

The school is also one of over a hundred ACT schools taking part in the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI). It has received water-wise accreditation under AuSSI, a water audit report and a water best practice guide to teach children how to foster a sustainable future.

Principal Woodbury said 'Overall our expectations of what would be delivered have been exceeded as we have had a refurbishment of every permanent building (classrooms, hall, library, administration block, toilets), a new fence and photovoltaic cells. We are extremely grateful', she said.

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