The Armidale Secondary College opened with fanfare recently, but because of COVID-19 restrictions, not many people other than teachers and students have been able to go inside.
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School principal Caz Lasker took The Armidale Express on a tour recently to give us an idea of the kind of state-of-the-art education facility a $121 million budget can buy.
In our first instalment, we took a tour of the year 12 neighbourhood (one of six neighbourhoods in the school) with sports captain Tanaka Marume while Ms Lasker took us through the outside layout.
The new school is comprised of 79 new classrooms, specialised spaces for science, industrial arts and hospitality and sports facilities and covered connections between indoor and outdoor learning.
Last week we took a tour of the technology-driven state-of-the-art agricultural centre and permaculture garden.
This week, we look at the refurbished and restored heritage building that was at the heart of Armidale High School.
Armidale High School was established in 1920, and the school merged with Duval High School in January 2019 to allow for the newly-established Armidale Secondary College.
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Our tour guides joining Ms Lasker this week are the arts captains Arrawyn Gow and Dylan Knox, and vice-captains Evelyn Ward and Bassam Aldakhi.
It will still be some time before parents and the general public can tour the new $121 million facility.
"This evening we will have Year 12 parents through," Ms Laser said.
"At the moment, COVID-19 restrictions allow us to only have a maximum of 100 people onsite outside for a maximum of one hour.
"So we will have Year 7 and Year 12 parents through the school this week, then Year 8,9, 10 and 11 parents in the following weeks.
"The wider community will be after that, but with only 100 people allowed, it makes it very hard, so we are hoping the COVID restrictions will be eased soon."