Parents playing their way

Not everyone can afford to cough up for their children's education. One North Shore primary school has come up with a unique solution. Helen Laurent reports
Here's a handy way around the whack your wallet takes every time the local school puts outs its hand. Parents at Target Road Primary School in Glenfield are asked to donate $100 for the first of their children who enrol, then $20 for each sibling. But the school has an agreement with parents who cannot afford the money. They can donate 10 hours or more of labour around the school. Principal Bruce Julian says between 20 and 30 parents take up the scheme each year, taking on tasks such as gardening, repairing library books, coaching sports teams, building equipment and cooking sausages at fundraising events. "It's better than no contribution at all," Mr Julian says. "Any time there is parent involvement that is thoughtful and heartfelt can only add to the children's opportunities here." He says it can be hard to get donations from parents, but the ones who take up the labour scheme find it rewarding. "They really feel they are contributing to the school, even if it's not with cash." Neither the New Zealand Education Institute's Auckland office nor The New Zealand Secondary Schools Principals' Association had heard of any other schools with a similar scheme. Auckland Primary Principals' Association president Ken Pemberton thinks it is a good idea. "It is unique in that it is formalised. I haven't heard of it happening anywhere else."