• Wainuiomata and Parkway Colleges are to merge on the Parkway site.
• Wainuiomata Intermediate and Parkway Intermediate will merge on the Parkway Intermediate site.
• The merged college and intermediate will have a combined board of trustees.
• Parkway and Sun Valley will merge on the Parkway school site while Fernlea and Arakura will continue on their current sites.
• Wainuiomata and Wood Hatton primary schools are to merge on the Wainuiomata School site and Glendale and Pencarrow are to merge on the Glendale site.

A Brighter Future for Education in Wainuiomata

Context

Wainuiomata has 14 state or state-integrated schools. The oldest of these was founded in 1857. All of these schools have earned positive Education Review Office reports in recent years and help our young people get a quality education.

The pamphlet goes on to explain...

In the 1950s and '60s Wainuiomata grew very rapidly. Many schools were built to accommodate this new growth. Over recent years, the numbers of young people in Wainuiomata have been declining. In 1991 there were 3636 students in schools here. This year, 2001, there are 3127. It's estimated that in 20 years time there will only be around 2000. The way schools were designed in the 1960s won't provide the best fit for the community of the future.

Principals in Wainuiomata were aware of the predicted drop in student numbers so in the late 1990s they began to discuss ideas for the future. they saw an opportunity to take a fresh look at what is important for the community and to think about what schools could really offfer, without being constrained by the existing number and type of schools.

In 1999 the principals asked the Ministry of Education to help this community look at ideas. To achieve this, the Ministry engaged an independent facilitator who worked with a local reference group. Up to the end of 2000, 45 public meetings were held and a number of newspaper articles appeared in local papers focusing on the question of schooling in Wainuiomata.

In another round of consultation held this year, a number of options were developed and further discussed and refined. The reference group made recommendations to the Minister of Education on how they think schooling should be shaped to best meet the needs of the community. In light of their suggestions, the Minister has announced a proposal for schooling in Wainuiomata in the future. See the proposal
Schools and the public are now invited to respond to the Minister's proposals.

The community has an opportunity to consolidate resources in the district, Instead of them being spread ont thinly, we have the chance to concentrate them into a smaller number of schools which can then afford to offer the best in teaching and learning facilities.

Merging schools saves money -  but instead of the government just taking back those savings to spend elsewhere, much of that money will be tagged for improbing education in Wainuiomata over the next few years. The new schools will be able to choose how that extra money is used. It might be used to upgrade their facilities, get more computers, buy curriculum resources or increase staff numbers.

In essence, the extra resources can be used to make education in Wainuiomata even better than before.

The main consideration in the review was how we can make what we have got, even better, I twas important that which ever option was selected, students had access to:

• a technology centre
• second chance education
• special needs facilities
• a full service college
• guidance staff to supplement the work of resource teachers specialising in literacy, learning and behaviour.

It was also important that the bi-cultural and multi-cultural needs of the community are addressed.

How did we indentify which schools could be merged?

While good technology, innovative teaching and great management could be provided anywhere in the district, the capacity and location of some schools made it more sensible for schooling to be offered at ceratin sites. That means that some schools had to merge. There were a number of things that were considered when choosing the sites for schools into the future. They were the:

• capacity to give students a better schooling

• general opinion of the community

• location of schools to gibe reasonable access for all families

• capacity of schools to accommodate additional students and facilities

• range of existing facilities on school sites

• capacity to provide for the needs of particular groups such as Maori, Pacific, special education, early childhood and second chance students.

• costs and savings associated with operating different combinations of schools.

In light of the recommendations from the community and the Ministry of Education, the Minister proposes the following shape for schooling in Wainuiomata.

• One secondary school on the Wainuiomata College site.
• One intermediate school on the Wainuiomata Intermedate site.
• One full primary school on the Glendale site.
• One contributing primary school on the vacated Parkway Intermediate School site.
• One contributing primary school on the Wainuiomata School site.
• One contributing primary school on the Arakura School site.

Wainuiomata College and Parkway College will merge. Wainuiomata Intermediate and Parkway Intermediate will merge. The new college and the new intermediate will share a common Board of Trustees.

Glendale School and Pencarrow School will merge on the Glendale site.

Fernlea School, Parkway School and Sun Valley School will merge on the vacated Parkway Intermediate School site.

Wainuiomata School and Woodhatton School will merge on the Wainuiomata School site.

Arakura School will continue on its current site.

The minister of Education will nominate an independent chair or chairs to the panels that will appoint the Principals of the merging schools.

If the minister confirms his proposal, following the final rond of consultation, a timetable will be developed to implement the changes.

The overall structure in this option is proposed because the Minister and the reference group both believe it best meets the needs of the community now and into the future.

In light of the recommendations from the community and the Ministry of Education, the Minister proposes the following shape for schooling in Wainuiomata.

• One secondary school on the Wainuiomata College site.
• One intermediate school on the Wainuiomata Intermedate site.
• One full primary school on the Glendale site.
• One contributing primary school on the vacated Parkway Intermediate School site.
• One contributing primary school on the Wainuiomata School site.
• One contributing primary school on the Arakura School site.

Wainuiomata College and Parkway College will merge. Wainuiomata Intermediate and Parkway Intermediate will merge. The new college and the new intermediate will share a common Board of Trustees.

Glendale School and Pencarrow School will merge on the Glendale site.

Fernlea School, Parkway School and Sun Valley School will merge on the vacated Parkway Intermediate School site.

Wainuiomata School and Woodhatton School will merge on the Wainuiomata School site.

Arakura School will continue on its current site.

The minister of Education will nominate an independent chair or chairs to the panels that will appoint the Principals of the merging schools.

If the minister confirms his proposal, following the final rond of consultation, a timetable will be developed to implement the changes.

The overall structure in this option is proposed because the Minister and the reference group both believe it best meets the needs of the community now and into the future.