Celebrating 50 years at Robins Rd

Principal Fiona Cavanagh, fourth from right, with long-serving teachers, from left, Susan McIntyre, Lynda Baker, Julie Walker, Sarah Ferguson, Julie Little, Rochelle Broughton and Justine Lock (deputy principal). PHOTO: PHILIP CHANDLER

Queenstown’s oldest school moved to a ‘new’ site 50 years ago. Queenstown Primary’s celebrating the anniversary this week with a reunion for past students. Philip Chandler checks out the pulse of a very special school.

Quick history lesson first.

Queenstown District School, now Queenstown Primary School (QPS), was established in the goldrush era in 1863 on Stanley St.

In te reo Maori it’s Te Kura Tuatihi O Tahuna — ‘the first school in Queenstown’.

Needing more space, it opened on its current Robins Rd site in February, 1975.

The high school also left Stanley St the same year, initially for Fryer St — it was then forms 1 to 7, but QPS later took over forms 1 and 2 (now years 7 and 8).

QPS was officially opened by Education Minister Phil Amos on April 29 that year in an exercise Mountain Scene called "a colossal waste of time and money", though it noted mayor Warren Cooper added "light relief".

QPS’s longest-serving teacher, at least at Robins Rd, has been Mark Douglas — known as ‘Mr D’ from his early days — who retired in 2018 after 38 years.

In his first year he introduced the year 6 Stewart Island camp and played a huge role in outdoor education.

Today’s longest-serving teacher’s Julie Walker, who during 32 years has been junior and middle school team leader and introduced structured literacy.

Currently a three days-a-week release teacher, she says QPS’s longest-serving principal, the late Mel Gazzard, who led the school from ’87 till 2005, was "a real role model".

"He put his staff first, then his students, then the parents — his pedagogy was, if your staff are happy, your students will be happy, if your students are happy, your families will be happy.

"When we were all gathered at his funeral, we talked about how he had given so many past teachers the rite of passage to become senior teachers, deputy principals, principals, because he was a huge mentor."

Walker says the school enjoys great community support.

"Outdoor education has always been a big part of our programme, but we also have the ‘garden to table’ — we’ve got a garden and the senior classes take a turn to prepare a meal."

As for what’s different about today’s students, "they’re very IT-savvy".

She also notes there’s been a huge increase in nationalities — now 30-plus — and the school has an English-as-a-second language teacher.

Current principal Fiona Cavanagh, nearly 11 years in the role, says what she loves is "the energy from the kids and the staff".

"I love our families, I’ve got to know them so well, and I follow our kids at high school, I’m probably their biggest fan on Facebook, always liking everything."

Three out of Wakatipu High’s four head students are QPS alumni this year, she notes.

Last year she told Scene the school’s a unique environment.

"I’ve probably been at 10 schools, and the children here are the easiest I’ve ever worked with.

"They’re respectful, but that’s because the teachers are amazing."

Cavanagh’s overseen a huge redevelopment project, including 11 replacement classrooms — uplifted from Wakatipu High — plus a new junior playground, sandpit, astroturf surfaces and a whanau room with cooking facilities.

She credits board members Newell Hodgson and Richie Heap in particular.

Last year’s official opening of the upgrade also saw the launch of ‘The QPS Project’, a $400,000 fundraising initiative to further improve outdoor spaces and reflect the site’s importance as former wetlands for manu whenua.

Projects under way include a celestial compass and designs for four pou (posts) and a waharoa (gateway) at the school entrance.

Thursdays and Fridays, Cavanagh hands her job to her longtime deputy Matt Leach so she can work across local schools both on ‘matatauranga Maori’, or knowledge of Maori culture, and raising literacy levels.