Fire has silver lining

CARLY TAWHIAO

AFTER many months of work, May Road Primary School has risen from the ashes.

A celebration will take place on Tuesday to acknowledge the completion of the Richardson Rd school's repaired administration block and new resource room which was set alight by a disastrous Guy Fawkes prank.

At least $750,000 worth of equipment including books, teaching resources and music equipment, as well as office and printing equipment, went up in flames.

While repairs took place, the school's parents' room became the makeshift office during term one.

Principal Lynda Stuart says although the rebuild involved structural work such as replacing the roof, windows and ceilings, there was also an opportunity to change the layout of the space to take advantage of the sunlight.

"We've utilised the space in a different way. There is a new learning area for withdrawal classes and extension programmes," she says.

"I was told the day after the fire I would find silver linings. Some of the variations the school has paid for but it is an opportune time."

Despite having new facilities, the resource shelves are only partially stocked.

"We've got no old school journals. There is so much good New Zealand writing in them," says Mrs Stuart.

"Re-resourcing the school is going to be an ongoing issue and we just have to acknowledge it's going to take time."

Mrs Stuart hopes other schools can help by donating a school journal published from 1990 onwards.

"Over time the community, staff, parents and my principal colleagues have been amazing. People connected to the school. The list is really long."

She is also using the experience asa personal learning curve and is in the process of writing about the journey the school went through.

"There is little research on the effects of fires around schools in New Zealand. Most of it is from the UK," she says.

"It started off as narrative but is now moving more into facts and impacts. The lesson I've learned through this situation is that you really have to keep on ensuring you're getting the very best," she says.

Mrs Stuart says if she can help schools like Mangere East Primary School and Kerikeri High School in Northland, which have been the most recently victims of arson, then it's worth it.

- © Fairfax NZ News