New school to be community ‘hub’
Mike Molloy plans to meet every family that enrols a child in his school. So far he’s introduced himself to 10 out of potentially
700.
The principal of Knights Stream School, an $11 million development due to open next year, says he wants to bring a culture of familiarity and trust to Canterbury’s fastest growing community.
About 5000 people moved to Halswell between 2013 and 2017, and the Christchurch City Council expects 20,000 more by 2043 – a
137 per cent increase. Last year, the Government fast-tracked the school from its original opening date of 2022.
Formerly called Halswell West School, it will initially open to 450 year 1 to 8 pupils, but has been designed for 700 to take pressure off oversubscribed Oaklands and Halswell primary schools.
Though new schools are often attractive to families enrolled at nearby schools, Molloy said Knights Stream was ‘‘here to support the network — we’re not here to compete’’. Thirty children have been enrolled since the school’s zone was finalised last week. Households south of Halswell Junction Rd to Longstaffs Rd will have an automatic right of enrolment at the school, which is sited on the corner of Richmond and Killarney Avenues.
Classrooms of up to 90 children will be taught by teams of three teachers, iPads will be provided so students don’t have to use ‘‘dad’s old computer that doesn’t run anything’’, and children will have the use of two playgrounds, netball courts, a library and, eventually, a bike track behind the school, Molloy said. Establishment board chair Warren Read said the school was ‘‘going to be a bit of a hub for the community’’.
While nearby Longhurst had a doctor’s office and cafes, there was little around the Knights Stream subdivision. A new skate park has recently opened across the road from the school.
Read said the board of trustees was seeking families’ input on the school’s ‘‘emerging values’’ – caring, courage, connection, creativity and curiosity – and hoped to evolve to reflect the community’s ideas.
That approach applied to the school’s future students too.