Minister Piccoli said he had a particular interest in visiting Moree East Public School (MEPS) to see the progress of a $14 million redevelopment of the school.

“The environment is good, the teaching is good, the leadership is good and the engagement of the community is good. When you tick all those boxes kids can’t help but learn,” he said.

Minister Piccoli also spoke to various community organisations involved in MEPS and enjoyed hearing the progress of students.

“What the school is doing and what these groups are doing is exactly what we want to see in Connected Communities. All the different agencies, whether its health, the PCYC or Salvation Army, are working together in the interest of children so this is a great example of how Connected Communities should work,” he said.

“It’s been great to hear over the past three years the suspensions have dropped by more than half. The student’s engagement is much better, the school is doing great things and generally behaviour is better.”

Minister Piccoli said the tour was a great way to see and hear first-hand the issues and progress each individual school has had.

“We’ve been out to other Connected Communities Schools all for the same reason. You’re here first-hand, unfiltered, to see what teachers, etc… think about everything that’s going on. I know there were some issues around the new starting times for MEPS so it was good to be able to speak to local people first-hand about it.”

“I always find visiting schools is the most direct way of finding out what’s going on and what schools need, what’s going well and what’s not going well.”

After viewing the buildings, Minister Piccoli, accompanied by Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall, said he was excited for the future.

“I am certainly with a view that the environment you work in alters your mood. If you walk into a school with old buildings it says to kids how much education is valued. When kids walk into a brand new facility like that just changes the outlook, and they are designed to help student engagement. The 80 plus year old buildings are just designed as four walls.

“The light will be amazing, you’ll be able to see outside, the trees the calming  nature and parents are going to walk into this school when it’s all finished and go ‘I think it would be really good for my kids to go here.”

At Moree Secondary College the Minister and Mr Marshall saw the school’s eco garden, visited the Clontarf room and heard from the Sista Speak participants.

“We continue to back Connected Communities. Not every parent agrees with everything a school does whether that’s Moree or any other school, but what schools really need is the full backing of parents,” he said.