School smartens up
A Palmerston North school has a smart new look thanks to a cash injection.
Somerset Crescent School has completed some upgrades with funding from the Government’s $400 million school investment package, announced at the end of last year.
School across New Zealand received between $400,000 and $50,000 each under the scheme.
Somerset Crescent principal Teena Johnson said work had just finished on a new school car park, while new basketball hoops and resurfaced courts, as well as a new school sign, were not far away.
‘‘It reflects us in a really positive light and we’re proud of our environment,’’ she said.
‘‘It just shows that pride when our visitors come.’’
She said the car park was a good place to greet people and talk, as well as an entry point for the school.
Trees and vegetation from the old car park were pulled out and a retaining wall replaced. New native trees and plants were put in.
Artwork by pupils will eventually be displayed on the newly painted fence.
The school will employ a gardener to maintain the area.
Johnson first planned the upgrades at the start of last year, but the school couldn’t afford it until the funding came through.
Planning started in February and after a delay because of
Covid-19, the work has been completed.
The school installed two new basketball hoops recently, and will have two more installed and the courts resurfaced.
Johnson is consulting with an engineering company, an artist and a carver about creating the new school sign because it doesn’t have one. She said the school had planned to spend the money on resources for children, but the funding had to be spent on infrastructure projects.