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Footscray early learning boost By Benjamin Millar Design work will begin next month on a new early learning centre destined to be built alongside Footscray City Primary School. Early Childhood Education Minister Jenny Mikakos visited the Hyde Street site last Wednesday to outline the plans for a “one-stop-shop” that will bring together kindergarten, maternal child and health services and other family services as part of the Footscray Learning Precinct. The $15 million precinct will re-shape education in the area
by also providing high schooling across three campuses – a senior campus at Footscray City College and two co-ed campuses, at Gilmore College and a new building near Victoria University’s Footscray Nicholson campus. The new early learning centre will be built in partnership with Maribyrnong council. Footscray City Primary School principal Jessie Hand said the new centre created a great opportunity for early childhood and primary school teachers to work together. “The co-location of speech therapists, occupational therapists, then the maternal
child and health aspects, are a very exciting and unique opportunity,” she said. Ms Mikakos said the investment would help give families flexible, accessible and affordable kindergarten and childcare services. Maribyrnong community services director Clem Gillings said the council welcomed the funding announcement. “We are working closely with the state government to plan and design the integrated early learning centre, which will ultimately be managed by a third party provider,” she said.
Jenny Mikakos with pupils at Footscray City Primary School. (Supplied)
Gymnasts on a roll Two of Australia’s hottest gymnastic talents will be flying the flag for Footscray when they take on some of the planet’s best gymnasts at the 2018 Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships. Tori Singleton, 18 and Katelyn Dullard, 13, only recently partnered up as an artistic gymnastics team but dazzled selectors as they qualified for the world championships team. The pair will be Victoria’s sole competing representatives at the championships in Belgium in April, ending a long drought for the state in the national team. They came together at Footscray’s Team Adrenalin acrobatics centre, which specialises in acrobatic gymnastics for children and adults. Their coach Stephen Santo, a former artistic gymnast who will also be heading off to the championships as a team coach, said the whole centre has been buzzing since the squad was announced.
“Tori and Katelyn have got such a great connection, their choreography really stands out,” he said. “It’s really strong from the beginning to the end, it’s a really dynamic routine.” Mr Santo said the duo will be working on three routines in preparation for the 13-19 Women’s Pair category at the world championships, to be held April 4-10. Benjamin Millar
Gymnasts Katelyn, 13, and Tori, 18 are ready for the world stage. (Damjan Janevski)
NOW OPEN WERRIBEE’S FIRST EVER HEART LAB At the new cardiac laborator y at St Vincent’s Private Hospital Werribee specialist cardiac and vascular teams will offer diagnostic tests including angiography, stenting and pacemakers. Patients will be accommodated in specially monitored private rooms and cared for by trained cardiac nurses.
15 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY \ FEBRUARY 21, 2018