Temporary solution for Woodend School’s growth
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Woodend School is set to get a temporary new classroom in time for the new school year.
Ministry of Education spokesperson Sandra Orr said the ministry has been working with the school’s board of trustees on options to address the school’s growing school roll.
An offsite manufactured classroom will be delivered to Woodend School in time for term one as a temporary solution, she said.
In July, the ministry announced the school’s proposed building project was on hold, but subsequently met with the school to discuss alternative arrangements.
It followed a review of 352 school building projects in a bid to save $2 billion.
Woodend School principal Andrew Retallick said it has been a ‘‘frustrating’’ process
But he is pleased the ministry is starting to address to the school’s concerns.
The temporary classroom will provide some relief, but with the school roll set to pass 600 next year at least two new classrooms will be needed.
‘‘We still need to wait until July to know whether we will get any new permanent buildings,’’ he said.
‘‘It is frustrating because we want to start planning now, but they (the ministry) are saying there’s limited money, so we can’t start until we are on the list for roll growth.’’
Retallick said 124 new students were enrolled during this school year, including 60 new entrants.
‘‘The hardest ones to plan for are the across age groups enrolments, because you set your classrooms knowing it could change by one or two children.’’
He said the ministry had been receptive to the school’s concerns and had ensured the school had the right staffing levels to allow for next year’s growth.
Woodend School’s growth has been on the back of the booming Ravenswood subdivision.
A large new 1500-home subdivision has been proposed at nearby Waikuku as part of the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill, which will put pressure on local schools if it goes ahead.
Retallick said a rethink of the local school network was needed as Woodend School and neighbouring Pegasus Bay School had limited capacity for growth.
The Woodend School board of trustees has been contacted for comment.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!
⚠️ 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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