SALDA interested in taking over Seton College campus
One week following the shock announcement a Brisbane private school would close, a sister organisation has said it wants to step in and save the facility.
Southeast
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It might not be all doom and gloom for a Brisbane private school which was set to close, with an Australian education group willing to step in and save it.
Speech and Language Development Australia, the country’s peak body for supporting and advocating for the needs of children with speech, language and related disorders, has inquired about taking over Seton College after it was announced the high school would close in 2024.
Brisbane Catholic Education announced the decision last week to close the Mt Gravatt East school, which has 224 students and has been open since 1964.
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The decision sparked enormous reaction from current and former parents and students, with a petition to Save Seton gaining more than 3000 signatures as well as a Save Seton committee being formed.
However, SALDA chairman Peter Seldon said they were aware of the situation and were looking at the viability of expanding their services through a multi-campus delivery at the Seton College site, in addition to their Fig Tree Pocket location.
The takeover would include acquiring the Seton College block, which is believed to be worth $10-12 million.
“We understand that the specialised learning environments are there to bring out the best in the children where mainstream education has failed or is inadequately resourced to make appropriate adjustments or provide ancillary therapies which are in the best interests of students,” Mr Seldon said.
“We understand the good work which is being done at Seton and are keenly interested in continuing those services.
“The campus will be a strategic fit with the specialist environment and therapies currently offered to students and parents in the Brisbane region.’
Mr Seldon said SALDA provided holistic, innovative and effective therapy, education and support services.
Those services include The Glenleighden School at Fig Tree Pocket, School Support
Services, Professional Learning Portfolio and research and advocacy initiatives.
The Glenleighden School provides programs for preschool to secondary students with
crossover to mainstream.
“It provides comprehensive, intensive multidisciplinary programs which are highly individualised, addressing the full scope of the students’ developmental and learning needs,” Mr Seldon said.
He also said conversations with the relevant parties, including members of all three levels of government, have started.
Current Seton College parent, Kylie Jensen, said what The Glenleighden School offered was different but they would love any option other than closing.
“Obviously we would prefer to save Seton College as it is now before anything like this,” she said.
“Just because it is still different and our kids love Seton College the way it is and it is the best environment for them.
“But we would still like the possibility of The Glenleighden School taking the campus over the whole thing shutting down.”
A Brisbane Catholic Education spokesman said their immediate focus at Seton College remains on the five-year plan to work with students and their families and staff.
“We have been contacted by an education provider wanting to talk about plans for Seton College,” he said.
“We are happy to engage with providers who wish to discuss any plans for the school.
“Any plans would require relevant government accreditation and approvals, which are not a matter for BCE.”