Kaiapoi school moves away from open-plan classrooms
By local democracy reporter David Hill:
Kaiapoi’s oldest school is returning to traditional single-cell classrooms as it looks to the future.
Kaiapoi Borough School opened two new classrooms on Monday (November 6), on the eve of its 150 year anniversary celebrations on November 24.
Principal Hayden van Lent said two-thirds of the school had been rebuilt since the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, giving the school a new look.
The new classrooms provided more space for roll growth, with the design going back to the more traditional single cell classrooms.
"We know it works well and it works for our tamariki and our community," van Lent said.
"They are exciting spaces and we still have the ability to be flexible."
Doors between the two classrooms could be opened up to use as one big space when needed and they were equipped with break-out rooms, wet spaces and electric windows.
The classrooms were a kitset design built by Fitzgerald Construction in Nelson.
Representatives from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tūāhuriri offered a blessing on Monday, and were joined by Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey and representatives from the Ministry of Education and Fitzgerald Construction.
Junior students also came to view their new classrooms, before moving in on Wednesday.
The school will be hosting an open day on Friday, November 24, to mark its 150th anniversary.
A mihi whakatau (formal welcome) will be held at 12pm, with lunch provided.
Lunch will be followed by school tours, the burying of a time capsule, a tree planting and the cutting of the cake in the hall.
■ Public interest journalism funded through New Zealand on Air.
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⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
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