Helen Forlong
Catholic Schools Board Limited will be investing a further $3 million for upgrading primary school administration areas in Catholic primary schools this year. The work is part of an ongoing commitment by CSBL, begun in 2000, to bring administrative offices up to date to accommodate the increasing needs of the staff who care for the wellbeing of students.
CSBL’s Chief Executive Officer Mary Neazor says that the design of the primary administrations has changed dramatically over the past 20 years. Some of the features of the modern administration include larger offices to accommodate a rise in staff numbers and technology; a larger principal’s office for meeting parents and social agencies; a separate interview room (depending on the school roll); a larger staffroom to accommodate support staff and visitors as well as teachers; storage for resources and stationery and a copy room; facilities for students with disabilities, a sickroom and area for dealing with health and hygiene; a reception area for parents and visitors; and, in some designs, a separate small reception area for students.
Mary says that since 2000 CSBL has spent $5.5 million upgrading 22 administrations at primary schools. Nine administrations are currently being completed through the 2005 Property Programme at a cost of $2 million and a further 24 are planned by 2008.
Administration upgrades planned in the 2006 Property Programme are:
St Joseph’s, Picton
St Michael’s, Taita
St Francis Xavier, Tawa
Chanel College, Masterton
St Anthony’s, Pahiatua
St Peter Chanel, Otaki
St Bernard’s, Brooklyn
Reignier School, Taradale
Our Lady of Lourdes, PN
St Matthew’s, Marton
Sacred Heart, Thorndon
St Pius X, New Plymouth
Also planned for 2006 is the upgrade of the technology block at Chanel College, Masterton.