Tooborac Primary School will not operate this year due to a lack of student enrolment.
The announcement follows the primary school’s 150th birthday celebrations in October last year.
Eleven students were enrolled at the primary school last year, but with no enrollments for the coming year, the school was forced into a ‘reorganisation process’.
A Department of Education spokesperson confirmed the school was ‘not officially closed’, but rather non-operational for the coming year, otherwise known as ‘de-staffed’.
“School council requested a reorganisation process to determine the long-term future of Tooborac Primary School in December 2023 after it became apparent there were no students enrolled for 2024,” the spokesperson said.
“We will consult with the local community about the future of Tooborac Primary School in the first half of 2024 before any further action is taken.”
Consultation with the Tooborac community will begin in coming months to determine whether there was enough enrollment interest to make the school operational again.
“Interested community members will be invited to attend a community drop-in session,” the department spokesperson said.
The school could be re-opened if new enrollments are made, but for now, staff have been deployed, and the premises are unmanned.
Member for Eurora Annabelle Cleeland said the school played an essential role in forming the fabric of Tooborac.
“Despite understanding the difficulties associated with declining enrolments at the school, any news of a school closing its doors is concerning for our regional communities,” she said.
“I recently attended the 150th-anniversary celebration of the Tooborac Primary School, and the stories of the school’s history and accomplishments demonstrated the important role the school has in the fabric of the town.”
With childcare shortages taking hold of the region, Ms Cleeland has turned her attention toward better uses for the school while it remains unoperational.
“I will be talking to the local community to better understand their hopes for the future of the school, something I have already received calls about,” she said.
“If closing the school is the only option, I am interested to see how the facilities at the campus can still be used for the betterment of the Tooborac community.
“Particularly, if these facilities can be repurposed into childcare or an early learning centre to address the growing concerns over the lack of these options in the town.”
The department is yet to decide on the use of the school building for the foreseeable future.
“The department will maintain the buildings and grounds at Tooborac Primary School until a decision is made on its future,” the spokesperson said.
Surrounding primary schools are at Pyalong, Heathcote, Lancefield, Puckapunyal and Kilmore Primary School.
