The expansion includes a new computer centre, five new classrooms, renovated Learning Support rooms, a new access drive from Woodlands Road, new bathrooms and changing rooms.

The computer centre, now housed in a new air-conditioned suite, has been named in memory of the late Charles T.M. Collis -- a Saltus "Old Boy'' and former trustee of the school who died in January.

According to Saltus headmaster Trevor Rowell, generous gifts from Mr. Collis' estate and his family and friends made the project possible.

And Junior School head teacher Christine DeSilva said she was very pleased with the overall quality of the project and with the new facilities which will be officially opened on Tuesday.

"We were able to welcome our returning students, and our new pupils, with brand new classrooms and freshly painted older ones,'' Mrs. DeSilva said.

"The whole school looks very well indeed, and our new entrance drive and staircase on the Woodlands Road side of Saltus is a very impressive sight!'' The new Collis Computer Information Centre is connected to Saltus' powerful SchoolNet server, located in the Senior School, via fibre optic cable which also links the facility to the school's multimedia library, to the Internet, to all classrooms and to the administration centre.

There is also a RadioLan network connection which permits students to log their laptop computers onto the SchoolNet via wireless technology. All 84 students in Saltus Junior Seven year now have laptop computers as part of the school's Learning Through Laptops initiative.

The new computer centre is equipped with 22 MacIntosh desktop computers in a considerably-enhanced instructional environment which replaces the older facility which had antiquated machines.

Junior School students are introduced to keyboarding skills and basic computer concepts as early as age eight through timetabled Information Technology classes taught by Junior School IT head Peter LePage.

"Information Technology is becoming more and more important as the world progresses through the so-called Information Age,'' Mr. LePage said. "Saltus children are introduced to computers in the Preparatory School, and their formal education in the field continues in both the Junior and Senior schools.

Having a first-class facility like the new centre is an enormous help and we are all certainly grateful for the generous contributions which made it possible.''