Kotemaori School students to start Term 4 in new classrooms after Cyclone Gabrielle rebuild

As seen in the Hawke’s Bay Today written by Michaela Gower

The students at Kotemaori School are set to start Term 4 inside their brand-new and purpose-built classrooms after spending more than a year learning from the kitchen tables at Putorino School.

The school’s ageing building suffered water damage and asbestos was found during checks in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Principal Roxine Habib said it deemed an unsafe environment to learn in because of the black mould and leaking roof. The students have been involved in the rebuild and travelled to Hastings, where their new classrooms were being built.

They helped with ideas during the design process and picked the lime-green colour for the walls to match their school colours.

Habib, who started with the school at the beginning of 2024, said the delivery of the classrooms in the first week of Term 3 marked a significant milestone for the school of 15 students, one fulltime administrator and teacher aide of three days a week.

The buildings were transported from Hastings on trucks which navigated State Highway 2 and the temporary bridge over the Waikare River.

“We are excited to be our own identity again,” Habib said

The principal said Hawke’s Bay Homes worked with the school to make it a learning experience and the visits fostered excitement for the rebuild.

“They were able to go around and count the windows and doors and step it out to make sure it was the right length.”

Habib said one classroom would be dedicated to learning, with the other building serving as an administration space.

“Everything is modern compared to the last building.”

Habib said the placement of the buildings was important and she collaborated with other schools and was able to suit the design to their needs.

They had enough space for the school to grow and it would be completely fitted with new furniture and equipment, although Habib said she had found some old school desks that the students would repurpose.

“It was predicted at the end of last year that we should have 25 on our roll by the end of the year.”

Habib said the school had also recently got a new school van, which enabled students to get to and from school.

She said the diesel vehicle was efficient, cost-effective and had helped with student attendance.

“I’ve got a kid at our school that would only come one day a fortnight; now he is there every day.”

Habib described the rural school as the hub of the community. “It brings everyone all to one place,” she said.

“We have got the right people out here to fight for our school, otherwise I feel like it would have closed.”