Rangiora principal hails return to 'normality'

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Northern Outlook

From local democracy reporter David Hill:

Rangiora High School principal Bruce Kearney is hailing a return to ‘‘normality’’.

After three years of Covid-19 disruption, schools are able to get back to doing the things they used to do - like field trips, school camps, sports, school assemblies and parent-teacher interviews.

‘‘We are re-focusing away from wellbeing and getting back into teaching and learning,’’ Kearney said.

‘‘For three years we were focused on whether teachers were well enough to come to school and whether students were well enough to learn.

‘‘We were literally sitting in school and thinking, ‘crikey, are we going to be able to open tomorrow’.’’

The ever present threat of staff and student illness and government interventions now seemed to be in the past, he said.

Participation numbers in sport was high and Rangiora Pasefika students had joined forces with Kaiapoi High School to compete in Polyfest.

Rangiora High School now had 50 international students from seven countries, with its international programme back in full swing.

‘‘I’m not saying Covid has gone, but we are changing the way we deal with it,’’ Kearney said.

‘‘And we are seeing the change with our young people.

‘‘They are far more optimistic, which is important because they have so much going on in their lives like social media and facing climate change.

‘‘If you ask the kids what they want, it is sports tournaments, school balls and stage competitions like ShowQuest and the Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival.’’

All of these things are back in 2023, while a school production was also planned.

For the vast majority of young people, school was the only time they got to experience those things, Kearney said.

The school was also busy conducting a review of its teaching and learning and its large open learning space, the Rakahuri building.

Kearney said a report was due to come out at the end of the term.
A second review was being conducted of the school farm, with a stocktake of the farm being completed this term.

The stocktake would help to inform some recommendations of what the farm could become in the future.

Kearney said the farm had shearing sheds which were not being used for shearing, so it opened up the possibility of offering a shearing course.

Alternatively, the school may decide not to have animals on the farm.
‘‘We are facing some pressure as residential housing is starting to close in on us and people buying properties on our fence line may not want to go to sleep at night to the noise of farm animals.

"But I will not be the principal who sells the farm.’’