Parents axe school plan

Press, 26 May 1979, Page 6

Parents axe school plan

The Canterbury Education Board has decided against Form 1 and Form 2 pupils in the Avonhead, Russley, Merrin, and Westbum primary school districts attending intermediate schools in Riccarton or Fendalton from next February after a strong parent reaction to the proposal. The board had proposed that Russley and Avonhead school pupils attend Kirkwood Intermediate School, Riccarton, and that those from Westburn and Merrin schools attend Cobham Intermediate school, Fendalton.

But the board’s general manager (Mr D. Wilson) said that the results of a postal vote on the issue among parents had left no doubt about what they wanted. The results of the vote were: Avonhead, 33 for the proposal, 502 against; Merrin, 35, 386; Russley, 79, 392; Westbum, 61, 461.

Mr Wilson said that the board would have liked to see the form one and form two pupils at intermediate schools but it could not ignore the wishes of

parents. The board felt that there were advantages in the pupils* going to intermediate schools.

Intermediate schools “broke the ground” betweenprimary and secondary schools and facilities were generally better than at primary schools. Intermediate schools for example, had manual training facilities and science, art, and craft rooms.

Parents in the Russley, Avonhead, and Merrin school districts had indicated in a postal vote about five years ago that they would be willing to send their children to an Intermediate school in Avonhead if there was one.

Circumstances had changed since then and he could not see the district getting an intermediate school in the forseeable future. The board had therforee offered parents this alternative.

Among points raised by parents against the proposal were traffic hazards pupils would encounter while travelling the extra distance to school and concern about having to buy new uniforms.