Building a legacy

Now, with the help of Geoff Allemand and Peter Matthews, she is documenting the changes she has witnessed in a book set for publication later this year.

Here is a brief timeline of some of the information her book will include, highlighting the incredible history and impact of Verney Road School on students, staff and the wider community.

VERNEY ROAD SCHOOL– Formerly Graham St Special School and Goulburn Special Developmental School.

Graham Street Special School (GSSS)

In early 1978, the Minister for Special Education made the statement that a special school for intellectually handicapped children was to be established in Shepparton.

The first stage commenced in Term 2, 1978, and was temporarily housed in the Hayes Street Special Education Unit building.

The second stage was expected to commence in Term 3, 1978, but due to inclement weather, this did not happen. (It eventually happened in 2002 with the move to Verney Rd.)

In February 1979, they moved to the Graham St site with 30 children and seven teachers and were housed in eight relocatable units.

The overall aim of the school was to equip each child with sufficient skills so that he or she would be able to adequately cope with present-day society.

In order to achieve this, a survival reading vocabulary became an integral part of the school curriculum.

Goulburn Special Developmental School (GSDS)

In 1980, the Shepparton Special Developmental School was established at the GV (adult) Centre in Bowenhall St, Shepparton.

They had 39 students — 27 full-time and 12 part-time.

They occupied three classrooms and, due to crowding, had to rotate days they attended.

After nine months, an additional two portable classrooms, an office, and a staffroom were placed on a vacant block over the road.

The school section of the GV Centre was taken over by the Department of Education in 1983, and they moved to Gowrie St to a specially designed school and became the Goulburn Special Developmental School (GSDS).

The GV Centre also had an Early Education Program (EEP) that became part of the new GSDS — one of only 14 in the state.

This has been an important part of the GSDS and also Verney Road School.

This program has developed and become an integral part of the Early Childhood Services offered in the Shepparton district, with families travelling long distances to attend.

Verney Road School (VRS)

In 1996, the “Shepparton Special Education Working Party” was formed with representation from both GSDS and GSSS councils and the Goulburn North East Region Office to look at special education issues in the area.

They met regularly throughout 1996.

GSSS had dwindling student numbers due to the government push for integration and not enough funds to provide the programs needed.

The GSDS had continued to grow in student numbers and had serious duty of care issues due to limited space.

In 1997, the school communities met to discuss the issue of a possible merger.

Feasibility studies were done and architects appointed, and a master plan created to redevelop the old North Technical School site.

In 1999, GSDS and GSSS merged and officially became Verney Road School, with the two campuses — Gowrie St and Graham St.

They had hoped to be in the new school during 2000, but at the last minute, it was discovered that the buildings had white ants and were in too much disrepair to renovate.

Therefore, it was to be bulldozed, and the architects went back to the drawing board to start again.

It seemed unfortunate at the time, but it was to the school’s advantage in the end, as a purpose-built school was designed.

The building was completed in time for everyone to move in just before the end of the 2001 school year.

There were 12 classrooms, a library, art room, home crafts room, music room and multipurpose room.

The total cost of the school was $3,185,874.

The government contributed $2,867,412, and the school contributed $385,416 to the buildings (two extra classrooms, a sensory room, PMP room, spa and disabled toilets) and $218,000 to equip and establish the grounds.

VRS has been an integral part of developing the Hume Region Special Schools Curriculum, which provides a relevant and functional curriculum consistent with VELS.

It is available to all schools on the internet.