Tears flow at school break-up

Kathy Webb
A classroom at Turiroa School near Wairoa was taken away to another school last Friday, just two days after tearful Turiroa children finished their lessons in it.
Principal Diane McCallum said the school break-up last Wednesday was an emotional occasion.
"It was pretty heart-wrenching. Some were very, very upset and a couple of the younger ones just had to be taken away."
Turiroa School is merging with Hillneath, on the Hillneath site in Wairoa, under the name of Tiaho, as part of a reorganisation of Wairoa district schools by Education Minister Trevor Mallard.
The upheaval took on a physical reality on Friday when trucks arrived at Turiroa and removed a classroom to another school.
Mrs McCallum said she was pleased the children were not around to see everything being taken apart.
Teachers and other staff were busy tidying up this week, and would finish on Wednesday. All her staff have jobs to go to next year, and Tiaho's staffing should be announced soon, she said.
Staff at North Clyde School in Wairoa continued clearing out their classrooms today. Children had their last classes at the 73-year-old school last Wednesday, (DEC8) and the teachers will finish up on Wednesday this week.
The caretaker will put his lawnmower away for the last time on December 27.
North Clyde children will go to Wairoa Primary School, across the other side of town, when they begin a new school year in January.
Raupunga School, between Napier and Wairoa, will merge with Mohaka School at Mohaka, while Opoutama, between Nuhaka and Mahia, will merge with Te Mahia School at Mahia.
Te Reinga School, open for 91 years, will merge with Ruakituri School at Ruakituri.
Tuai and Kokako Schools will combine in a new school to be built at Tuai.
Wairoa College will become a form one-to-seven school from next year, taking intermediate-aged pupils from primary schools in the town.
Wairoa is not the only part of Hawke's Bay to have experienced an education review in recent times.
Several primary schools in the Dannevirke area merged at the end of the 2003 school year.
Matamau and Ormondville Schools were merged with Norsewood School for the start of 2004, and the students of Rua Roa School made the move to Ruahine School at the same time.
Dannevirke North School's students were moved to Hillcrest School, with the merged school scheduled to re-open on the revamped Dannevirke North site early next year, but not at the start of term one. Awariki School was closed at the end of 2003.