14 | COMMUNITY Whangārei Boys’ High School: Leighs Construction Rebuild underway at Whangārei Boys Karen Phelps The project will include new technology, arts, languages, maths, sciences, social sciences, physical education and health classrooms. The upgrade of Whangārei Boys’ High School will bring new opportunities to both the students and the wider community, says Principal Karen Gilbert-Smith. Leighs Construction is undertaking the school rebuild project and Karen says that the company has been great to work with. It’s been an important relationship as the project is significant and will involve a new entrance including a bridge that will link the new school site to Western Hills Drive / State Highway 1. During construction this has provided access to the building site eliminating the need to go through the centre of the school. Karen says this has meant less disruption to the school and minimised health and safety risks. The new school is being built on the Western Field in an approach that will result in the replacement of approximately 80% of buildings. The project will include new technology, arts, languages, maths, sciences, social sciences, physical education and health classrooms. Two existing gyms will be kept and the current performing arts block will become the school museum. Karen says that currently the facilities are spread out over the site so the new school will bring the faculties together, which should result in greater connection for the benefit of the students and staff, for example opportunities for curriculum development and cross curriculum works. There will be a new auditorium, which Karen says will be of real benefit to the community. “Not only will it mean the 1300 students can have an assembly all together for the first time but we hope it will be a facility for the community to use as well.” A dedicated engineering academy built by Guyco and funded by the Provincial Growth Fund will be one new feature, which will free up classrooms in the technology department, currently used for this purpose, releasing pressure on the general teaching spaces. It’s also led to a collaboration with local firm Culham Engineering, which has liaised with the school to develop an engineering curriculum that will assist students to transition to an apprenticeship after Year 12. “It’s about equipping the students with the right skills so they are ahead of the game,” says Karen. “They go onto site on Culham Engineering projects and gain experience. Many have gone on to complete apprenticeships with the company.” A particularly nice synergy is that students – past and present – have been able to utilise PH: 0800 125 959 www.airmaster.co.nz e: info@airmaster.co.nz their skills as part of the school upgrade project. For example students from the engineering academy have made some of the outdoor furniture. “We really hope that once the current students hear those stories of students working on the project it will give them a better sense of connection to the new school by sitting on something some of their mates have built,” she says. A food technology block will be a brand new offering for students: “We’ll be offering this subject for the first time and the students are very excited about this option.” Another new feature of the new school will be the school museum. Whangārei Boys’ High School has a history dating back 140 years and Karen says that having a place to display memorabilia that was accessible to the public was important. “Because the entire school is getting rebuilt this will enable the old boys network to still have a sense of connection to the place. As there will no longer be any classroom spaces they will recognise, this museum will be hugely important.” The project is currently the biggest investment being made in any school in New Zealand. Ageing buildings and weather-tightness issues were the catalyst for the Government investment. Karen says it has been a long time in the making with staff and students having to make do with very substandard facilities for many years with problems such as leaking, asbestos and earthquake strengthening issues to name but a few.
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