By Leanne Malcolm
The first new state primary school to open in the lower South Island in 30 years has welcomed its first students in Queenstown.
The school has attracted a lot of interest because it’s directly beneath the Queenstown airport flight path and because of the new age names assigned to classrooms and staff.
Excited pupils arrived for their first day at the brand new school that's not even finished yet.
But its futuristic design got an early nod of approval.
They do things differently at Remarkables Primary, school principal Debbie Dickinson gave a hint
“I’m sure just like me, you couldn't wait to pop on your backpacks and jump into your school clothes and get to school to see what adventures lay ahead in flora pod” she said.
Here, classrooms are pods, there are breakout rooms, a da Vinci space, caves and camp fires. The teachers are known as expedition leaders; even the principal’s personal assistant has a new moniker: she's the director of first impressions.
But the trustees are comfortable with the principal's new age approach.
Roy Thompson, Chairman of the school’s Board of Trustees said the approach will not be problematic.
“It’s not important in the great scheme of things, at the end of the day what the children learn and how they learn and what they achieve, those are the things that really count” he says.
Ms Dickson thinks the school’s new ideas will assist children with their learning.
“That whole idea of expeditions and going on them that's what learning’s about, you have to go on many different pathways.”
But the school's stuck on its own pathway. It was built directly on the approach to Queenstown airport, but Ms Dickson says noise shouldn't be a problem.
“They have um specially designed ceiling tiles within them they have soundproof vertiface, there’s triple glazing, and a special air circulation that ventilates with fresh air going in and out of the classroom.”
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Clive Geddes says the school's location could even influence career options.
“I think in 30 years time most of the airline pilots in NZ will have been to the Remarkables Primary School.
To do that, the kids will have to drag their eyes away from the view out of the window.
Pupils will have to wait until beginning of term three to get their school hall and library but once it’s completed this promises to be one of the most high tech and modern schools in the country.
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