Teacher Dana Cowles speaks after initially being told Kawakawa School could not have a beehive.
After initially thinking they would not be able to get the beehive they were so excited for - there is now hope for Kawakawa School.
The last few weeks have been a rollercoaster ride for the Northland kura.
Staff and students were excited after receiving a $1000 Countdown grant to get a beehive project underway, but that turned to sadness after initially being told by Far North District Council they were not allowed to have the hive.
Now, after enquiries from the Northern Advocate, the school has hope.
Dean Myburgh, Far North District council general manager of district services, replied yesterdayafternoon and said the school can apply for a licence to have hives.
"I apologise if Kawakawa School was given the impression no licence would be issued. That is not correct. No decision can be made until a licence application has been made and we have all the information," he said.
"I am aware that working beehives can be a valuable educational tool, especially where it is linked with the biology curriculum or to school gardens. I urge Kawakawa School to apply for a bee keeping licence. If they need to discuss the application process, I would be happy to do that with them," he said.
Ocean Vlaardingerbroek (front), teacher Dana Cowles and classmates Tahlia Henry, Payton Maihi and Tunisia Wilson were sad when they were told they wouldn't be allowed a beehive at the school. Photo/Michael Cunningham
Teacher Dana Cowles she was feeling a "whole roller coaster of reactions" when the Advocate let her know there was still a chance the school could have a beehive.
But before the reprieve came, she said it was "a bit rough".
"I could understand if we were wanting multiple hives, but we only want one little hive."
Cowles said the school applied for the Countdown grant because there was an unused space at the back of the classrooms and they wanted to do something different.
"I've been wanting to do a study anyway on bees through school. It was something I was planning on doing and I thought this would be a really awesome opportunity to do it.
"The learning that can come from it. Going as far as maths with the graphing of all the data you collect from the hives, looking at bee friendly gardens, and all that kind of stuff," she said.
Cowles said the school was "fully excited".
"We had a couple of mentors that were set up and ready to show us and they came out and checked out the site and thought it was cool and they'd checked out a couple of hives that we've found as well."
She said when she told the students the school wouldn't be getting a beehive, they were upset.
"Some of them were a little happy about it because they were a bit scared of bees - but that was also part of the learning around it too, realising they're not as dangerous and they're not out to sting you and hurt you.
Cowles said she would now be contacting Countdown to let them know they may be able to have the beehive again, and she would get in touch with the Far North District Council.
