Cherrybrook Technology High School

Cherrybrook Technology High School is a purpose built Technology High School located at 28 - 44 Purchase Road, Cherrybrook NSW, Australia. The school was built in the late 1980s to support the rapid growth of the north-west sector in Sydney. With the school's completion and opening in 1992 the sheer size and capabilities of the school have grown beyond expectations. In 2002 a new two storey building with administration facilities on the ground floor and 12 classrooms on the top level was opened, bringing the permanent housing of the school up to 1250 students. 2009 saw the student population rise to over 2,000 for the first time.History and developmentSchool developmentThe school's development and planning began in the late 1980s. The Department of Education and Community at the time had decided to build the school on a block of land adjacent to John Purchase Public School; the land was previously occupied with orchards containing remnants of old growth forest. At the time the government was creating a chain of technology schools throughout NSW. The school was initiated into this chain after talks between the Minister of Education at the time, Dr Terry Metherell, and the then CEO of IBM, Mr. Brian Finn.The school hired its first principal and deputies in 1990 with Mrs. Lyn Wendtman as Principal and Mr. Peter Gillam and Mr. Dave Wilson as Deputy Principals. These three key figures took their duties up in February 1991 and were responsible for complex negotiations between businesses, Public Works, designers and builders. They also developed a local P&C, school council, school organisation, staffing and enrolment models and draft policies.The first students accepted into Cherrybrook Technology High School were accommodated and taught at Pennant Hills High School in 1991. They relocated to their new school in 1992. In 2008, Cherrybrook Technology High School achieved a peak enrolment of 1993 students, making it the largest public comprehensive secondary school in NSW and one of the largest schools in Australia.