Eskdale Primary School students enjoy water again after the flood

Eskdale School students have been swimming at the EIT Institute of Sport facility.

Eskdale Primary School students have been enjoying a welcome break from makeshift classrooms with water safety lessons, swimming and some fun at the EIT Institute of Sport.

Eskdale Primary School deputy principal Mike Moriarty said there haven’t been too many ‘normal’ school days over the last month since Cyclone Gabrielle devastated the Eskdale area, including the school fields, playground and infrastructure.

He said 97 students were directly impacted by the natural disaster, with impacts ranging from “being lucky to be alive, to losing land or possessions, and everything in between”.

“With all the disruption, it has been great to get the children excited about trips away from Eskdale on a regular basis, and for many, it has been their first time visiting the regional aquatic centre and indoor arena.”

The school has been closed since mid-February, which meant students also missed out on their school-based learn-to-swim programme and swimming sports.

Hawke’s Bay Community Fitness Centre Trusts commercial manager Greg Howie contacted the school to offer the free Royston Learn to Swim/Water Safety Programme and its Education Outside of the Classroom Programme (EOC) with sport performance and programmes coach Ally Hislop.

“We knew that the school and families had been badly impacted by the cyclone, and having just launched our water education programme, we thought it would be great to create something positive and fun for the children.”

Ally adds the focus of the EOC Programme was on teamwork and participating in fun activities such as blindfold basketball, Swiss ball feet-pass, mountains and valleys and more.

“The students arrive with big smiles on their faces, ready to get stuck into the activities and have some fun. The excited squeals when they first ran out on to the basketball court for their first session - [that] was so cool to be a part of.

“They have been awesome. Every visit they have had has been nothing but positive, and [they’ve been] excited to participate in all activities. I admire their resilience, as some of them had had some tough times,” she said.

Mike said with the school impacted by the cyclone, the aim has been to provide routine and a sense of community by using the Petane Domain site, rather than using online teaching.

The school made the decision to relocate to Petane Domain, taking over the rugby, football, tennis and bowls clubrooms, along with sending some students to Westshore School and using the local Playcentre.

“When we first moved to the domain, it was pretty wet and muddy, but it has worked out really well and [is] much better than being online.

Students from Years 3 to 6 have been going to the institute and aquatic facility on Wednesdays and Fridays.

“They were really excited, as were the teachers, as it is an amazing facility.

The school will continue to visit the HB Aquatic Centre and Institute of Sport & Health weekly until the end of the term.