New classrooms imminent for Kaiapoi school
By David Hill, local democracy reporter
Kaiapoi Borough School is hoping a new modular building design will speed up the the process of acquiring new classrooms.
After ending last year at close to capacity, principal Hayden van Lent is hoping to have two new classrooms in time for term four.
The new classrooms were being built in Nelson and were due to be trucked down to Kaiapoi by September.
"It’s exciting. Our school is growing," van Lent said.
"Last year we were close to capacity and the Ministry [of Education] recognised that and is moving quickly to ensure we can cater for the extra numbers.
"The modular design is a quicker design, so we have been pencilled in for further classrooms as the roll grows."
The school ended last year with 400 pupils, he said.
All of the classroom spaces were occupied in term four last year, with just the staffroom, hall and library available for use.
The school began the new school year with 375 pupils and was expected to keep growing due to the growth of the Silverstream sub-division.
The roll was just 301 back in July 2021.
The modular design or offsite manufactured buildings is a new method being utilised by the Ministry of Education to speed up the building process and minimise disruption for schools.
The new buildings can be used for roll growth, building replacement and emergency response.
As the buildings were built offsite, there was minimal disruption for the school.
The builders simply came in and laid the foundations before transporting the new buildings to the school.
Van Lent said while there was a standard design, the school had some options around its preferences for the interior layout.
"The process has been great and it means we can continue to focus on the most important thing, which is teaching and learning and giving our tamariki the best outcomes."
* Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air
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Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
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