Update March 10

Kia ora koutou.

Despite the fact that we have no children it has been another busy day at Freeville School today.

This morning we had a meeting with our project team. From that I can say:

• We expect the builders to start work tomorrow making repairs to our least damaged areas so that they are ready and safe for children to use.
• We had the insurance company's structural engineer on site this morning. He has given the go ahead for rooms 5-8 to be demolished and we expect that this will take place next week so that it is done before the children return.
• The sewerage experts or whatever you'd call them are writing a report on the state of our sewerage system. We expect that this will result in a septic tank and pump system being put in.
• What will happen with the library to Room 4 is still undecided. The engineers all say that repairing those spaces will require a lot of work and may be uneconomical. The final decision will come down to a cost analysis of whether it is cheaper to repair or rebuild.
• The relocatable classrooms leave Dunedin tomorrow. They will be going on to the grass area behind Rooms 17, 13 & 14. It is our continued expectation that these will be ready after the Easter holidays.
• I understand that water is on in the street but that we have a mains problem within the school so still have no water.
• We have power to the hall because it comes in off Willryan Ave. The rest of the school still has no power as there is an Orion problem at the entry point to the school.
• The trip hazards in the concrete and asphalt will be removed by the builders.
• We will be having our large trees looked at to make sure that their root systems have not been compromised and that they are still strong and safe.

Today at Freeville:

• Bags were made available betweeen 11 am and 12 noon.
• The large areas of liquefaction were removed.
• The library shelves were taken down so that we can transfer our resources to them after they have been put up in the hall.
• We boxed up and moved resources, tables and chairs to the storage containers.
• We ripped up carpet so that it can be used in the hall.

Tomorrow a number of our staff are going to a professional development course to learn about how to assist children to deal with traumatic events through the medium of art.

On Monday we will be moving Room 6 to the staffroom, and what can't fit into a container; and emptying the resource room completely.

Memorial Service at Hagley Park

I know that next Friday the Christchurch City Council and others are planning a memorial service at Hagley Park followed by a walk through town.

I am sure that many people will find this a useful event and it may help them to rationalise and process the events that have taken place over the last couple of weeks.

My request to you is that you think very carefully before you take your children along to this event, in particular the walk through town. My wife is going to attend the service and walk; but we have decided that our children will not be, particularly our youngest children. Ted and I will be staying home. This is not because we don't think it is important. It is because in our opinion he doesn't need to see all that damage and to be reminded of the power of the earthquake. He was traumatised enough.

So please think carefully about whether going along will be a helpful or unhelpful experience for your children, and then make the decision you think is best.

Hei kona, keep safe and well.

John