DID you know that Gralee school wasn’t always Gralee and it also wasn’t the first school to be located on the block running between Currawang and Yanco avenues?
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What we now know as Gralee School was established as Allambie School and was originally located within the Leeton town circle.
However, the Yanco Avenue site was the original home of the Gralee Infants School, which sat at the back of the block and faced Currawang Avenue.
The school occupied the site until about 1970. That building burned down just after it closed.
However, the history of Allambie School dates back to 1967, when Neville Hunt, president of the Leeton branch of Children’s Welfare Association, convened a public meeting to establish a school catering for students with disabilities.
In 1968 the school officially commenced with 10 students. After several weeks, the class moved to the Seventh Day Adventist Church, formerly located in Wade Avenue, where the school remained for five years.
With Mrs Ellen Overs as supervisor of the class, volunteer mothers were rostered throughout the week.
Fund-raising contributed to the construction of a new school building on the Yanco Avenue block, which was completed in 1974.
The Governor of NSW, Sir Roden Cutler, accompanied by his wife Lady Joan, officially opened the new school building on March 9, 1974.
Also present also at the opening were Mr Hunt and his wife Phyllis, Mrs Overs (now principal) and teacher Miss Lyn Hunt.
The the first extensions - another classroom and extra storage - were added in 1978.
In 1988, the Department of Education took over the delivery of educational services at Allambie and re-established the Gralee name.
Portables were added at the rear to provide extra classroom space in the last 20 years, with other general changes including the addition of an external toilet. The P&C has extensively refurbished the playground and added a bike track.
“It largely comes from community support,” principal Peter Hingston said of the changes on the site.
“Every dollar that comes in goes out on upgrading and replacing.”
Gralee School has 17 students this year.
“Numbers vary,” Mr Hingston said. “Twenty-four was the most we’ve had and a couple of years ago we had 22.”
Helping students prepare for life
GRALEE School serves the communities of Leeton, Narrandera and Barellan, providing education opportunities for children with a disability.
Staff members work with parents, therapists and the Leeton Community of Public Schools to provide students with skills and strategies to reach their full potential - socially, emotionally, academically and physically - and preparing them for independent or supported living beyond school.
Mr Hingston has been in charge at the school for seven years
“We strive to promote equity for all,” he said.
The community support shown for the school continues to amaze him.
“For both the big events, where big funds are raised, as well as regarding the waiving or reducing of costs for some services,” Mr Hingston said.
“It speaks volumes and it happens all the time.”