Normally, every 5 years the ministry provides schools with a fund to help address all the schools property issues. There are strict criteria for spending the money with health and safety, and modernisation of existing plant the first two priorities. As a school we would use this funding pretty quickly.

So the SIP was a welcome injection. As there is no guarantee to ever get such a fund again, our school, along with most others have used the funds on some different projects. Here were our Board of Trustees three submissions.

1. Multi Purpose Turf - If you have visited school you may have seen the new blue turf in front of the big screen. This turf is designed to be multi purpose and used for such things as mini putt golf, croquet, bowls, badminton, padder tennis and big ball volleyball. We hope the children will enjoy these new activities.

2. A large canopy over the court area - This is to provide a shade spot on hot sunny days, a sheltered spot on cold wet days, and built to be an extension of the classrooms, as well as a second meeting place for school events and assemblies. This is due to be constructed over the next 6 months.

3. If funds allow, a resurfacing of the Motutapu Rd carpark. If we have the funds, this will happen after the hall upgrade.

PLEASE NOTE : The Ministry would not allow us to use the SIP money for the hall. The hall was already in our 5 Year Plan and the ministry have committed to helping with one third of the money required to update it. This is because the hall is two thirds owned by the community and one third owned by the ministry.

There will be more to come about our exciting hall project in upcoming newsletters.