Whitsunday School wants council to waive fees for kindergarten, STEM

A prestigious Queensland private school is asking a council to wipe developer fees for two projects it says will benefit the community. Read what they are.

A prestigious private school is asking the council to waive more than $100,000 in infrastructure fees for $12.86 million worth of expansion projects approved for development last year.

Whitsunday Anglican School, the most expensive private school in Mackay, has applied to Mackay Regional Council to approve concessions of $116,507.

The development charges cover the extension to the school’s kindergarten which would accommodate another 22 students, plus the building of a new Resource, Science and Design Centre.

Documents state the expansion of the kindergarten at the Andergrove school aims to meet the community’s growing needs for pre-prep education, while the RSDC will provide modern, specialised science and technology classrooms and laboratories.

“The RSDC will provide a learning environment specifically suited to STEM subjects with the aim of producing students highly skilled in this area, potentially leading to future innovation in local industries,” documents state.

Documents further state the projects will generate 60 jobs and directly inject $11.66 million into Mackay’s economy during construction with a total economic boost of up to $27.08 million.

As Whitsunday Anglican School is a registered not-for-profit charity, it is eligible for 100 per cent concessions to infrastructure charges under the Facilitating Development in the Mackay Region Policy.

Councillors are recommended to approve the school’s request during the ordinary meeting of council on Wednesday providing the developer uses local contractors and suppliers, there are no further costs incurred by council, and the development is completed and in use by September 14, 2024.

Whitsunday Anglican School proclaims to be one of Australia’s leading regional schools, with 14 per cent of its Year 12 2021 cohort scoring an ATAR of 99 or above.

Its kindergarten program, which costs $91.53 per day, incorporates iPads with children learning how to program robots using Bee Bots.

“We teach children the skills to be successful and happy in life, through confidence, persistence, organisation, getting along, and emotional resilience,” the school’s prospectus states.

Fees for prep year start at $6108 per year moving up to $11,359 per annum for students in Year 12.