Last Friday was a busy day at GLC as we cut the ribbon on our Armstrong Creek campus' newest building and formally installed Executive Principal Ms Sue Ellis.

While students had been able to use the building since the start of term, on Friday 8 March, the ribbon was officially cut on Ngarrwa, our new Year 11 & 12 Centre, by Parliamentary Sectary for Education Darren Cheeseman and GLC Executive Principal Ms Sue Ellis.

The opening ceremony, which featured a blessing by Pastor Lester Priebbenow, District Bishop Victoria and Tasmania, Lutheran Church of Australia was held upstairs in the campus’ first two-storey building, following a tour of the facility for Darren Cheeseman by our two College Captains, Jessita and Zach.

The building features 12 new General Learning Areas (classrooms), several break out learning spaces, Year 11 and 12 common areas, a tiered amphitheatre-style presentation space known as ‘The Cove’, outdoor learning areas, and three smaller tutorial classrooms ideally suited to smaller VCE classes. Operable walls in the General Learning Areas allow these spaces to be transformed into larger, multi-use rooms for use by students and the broader College community.

The Wadawurrung word for knowledge, ‘Ngarrwa’ was chosen as the name by the GLC Board from a range of options, reflecting the purpose of the new facility and recognition of the Traditional Owners on whose land GLC Armstrong Creek is located.

The $8.7 million project was jointly funded by the GLC local community and the Victorian State Government, with $2.8 million funding from Round 4 of the Government’s Non-Government Schools Capital Fund. The College was grateful to receive a bequest from John and Iris Bowen, which also contributed to the new build.

Once the ribbon cutting was complete, the event turned to the formal installation of Ms Ellis as the College’s Executive Principal, following her commencement in the role at the start of the year.

Presented by outgoing Chair of the GLC Board, Dr Craig Tischler, Ms Ellis was installed by Pastor Lester Priebbenow, District Bishop Victoria and Tasmania, Lutheran Church of Australia. Assisting in the ceremony, were four of Primary Captains from GLC’s St John’s Newtown and Armstrong Creek campuses who helped present Ms Ellis with her tokens of office: an academic gown, stole, bible and cross.