In 2009, under the Federal Government’s ‘Building the Education Revolution’ initiative, Parkhurst State School constructed 'Zone 21', a facility that endorses our vision and beliefs around 21st century teaching and learning. Zone 21 was awarded the Regional Master Builders’ Award for its innovative design and construction and has also been recognised nationwide for its uniqueness. Zone 21 includes a cinema zone with capacity for two hundred students and state of the art technology, including one of the largest interactive whiteboards currently available and a host of audio visual and multimedia equipment, including a document camera, DVD recorder and surround sound system.
The school’s ‘Library Zone’ has a renewed vision for reading, having done away with tradiitonal shelving making way for contemporary ‘front facing’ shelving to guide students in the selection of reading materials. The library zone has an open feeling with soft, mobile furnishings that allows teachers to customise the space according to their teaching needs. The library zone also houses an LED television that allows teachers to connect their laptops.
Zone 21 also houses two seminar rooms, also equiped with LED televisions and space for up to sixteen individuals in each. This zone also has the capability to open into one large space. Zone 21 is also the home of one of the school’s two 1:1 learning environments. The computer centre provides capacity for thirty two learners to utilise computers for learning as well as an interactive whiteboard, document camera, printer and scanner.
Zone 21 has wireless access to the internet and school’s network as well as a surround sound system throughout. The use of glass enhances the ‘open’ feeling within the centre and provides maximum supervision of learners. Zone 21 also has outdoor learning areas that provide opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom.