CASTERTON’S ‘Red’ and ‘Blue’ schools are celebrating a big start to the 2023 school year.

Sacred Heart is in the unusual but welcome position of welcoming five new preps – all girls! – as they start their primary education journey.

Katie Campbell, Lilah Knight, Zara Norris, Pippa Sawyer and Livy Smith are beginning their schooling journeys at Blue School, Livy following in the footsteps of mum, Carli and Uncle Rick, who also attended the school on the hill.

Sacred Heart is also enjoying the fruits of local labourers – Casterton district tradesmen finished installing the school’s new roof, just in time for the new school year to begin.\

School principal, Suzie McManus said enrolment had been low but the school was still excited with its numbers.

“We could do with a few more, but we’re excited we’ve got five preppies – same as last year,” she said.

The school has also welcomed two new teachers for the year, with Marlee Gartlan teaching Years 3 and 4 and Angel Weisbach teaching Indonesian.

At Casterton Primary, construction – or deconstruction – is about to get underway for renovations to several areas of the school.

Principal Jill Robertson said the sharing of classrooms, playgrounds and other areas while demolition and construction took place was already making for a “challenging” but exciting start to the year.

“It’s really just a big adventure and we’re really excited about what’s to come,” she said.

In addition to 18 Grade Preps – the highest enrolment of first-years for some time – Mrs Robertson said Red School was excited to welcome five additional students across the senior grades.

“These are new families who have come to town, which is exciting for us, but also exciting for Casterton,” she said.