Improvements at Waitati School

Standing on the newly built deck at Waitati School yesterday is principal Tara O'Neill as the school undergoes multiple developments.

The deck was built using $55,000 given to the school by the Government last year to help stimulate the local economy, Ms O’Neill said. It just needed a roof before pupils could enjoy learning outside, she said.

It was just one of the projects under way at the school, with the first stages of a wall demolition between two classrooms beginning yesterday.

The school did not have a hall and installing a large sliding glass door in place of the wall would give the school a large communal area for events involving more than just one class of pupils.

The redevelopment cost about $280,000 and should be completed by the time pupils return to school in early February next year.