Blessing prepares school for lessons

Moses Matua, one of Lois Dear's pupils, helps carry holy water during the blessing. Picture / Alan Gibson

Strathmore School reopens today, three days after the body of murdered teacher Lois Dear was found in her classroom.

The day will begin with a full assembly, then pupils will head straight to class.

Trauma experts say the best way to help children to cope with such a horrific event is to restore their normal routine as quickly as possible.

The path was eased yesterday when police removed a cordon that had surrounded the grounds since assistant deputy principal Janene Baird discovered the battered body of Ms Dear.

At 3pm, a crowd of about 150 gathered in front of the school entrance, ready to enter the grounds after the red-and-white tape was torn down.

A priest said karakia (prayers), and a blessing in English.

"I'm asking God to come and take all the evilness that is in there [away] and have us walk in there together," he said.

The priest asked the crowd to hold hands and support one another as they filed through the gate.

Moses Matua, one of Ms Dear's 16 new entrants, led the procession with a bowl of holy water to rid each classroom of bad spirits.

Once inside the grounds, people stood with bowed heads and moved from building to building. After about half an hour, the solemnity was broken by children laughing and playing basketball.

Tracey Trainor, a mother with one child still at the school, said going back on to the grounds was "a bit overwhelming, but it was lovely".

Her son Kian, 9, said he was looking forward to starting school today. "I want to play with my friends."

Another mother, Jen Woodcock, said it was too early to heal and accept that someone had taken Ms Dear's life.

"I can't believe they would do something like this, in a school of all places."

During a press conference held by the school, principal Murray Kendrick and other staff admitted they were angry that someone would harm one of their tight-knit, committed group.

Ms Baird said: "It's obviously not a Strathmore past pupil."

Despite her horrific discovery on Sunday, she said she was coping well. "The culture of our school is very supportive."

Jean Smith, the Ministry of Education's regional manager and head of a trauma team counselling staff and pupils, said it was important to grieve, but it was crucial to re-establish normal routines quickly.

Parents had been told to be honest, but to use simple, non-graphic explanations when their children asked what had happened to Ms Dear.

Mothers of her pupils said the children had been upset seeing on television her body being wheeled out of the school.

Moses Matua's mother, Venus, said she felt obliged to tell her boy the truth.

"We told him that someone was mean and we don't know who the someone is, but someone was mean to Ms Dear and she died because of it."

A decision has yet to be made about whether the classroom where the 66-year-old teacher was killed will reopen.

Mr Kendrick said staff and parents would be consulted, but he favoured seeing it moved off the grounds.

"If I was a teacher in that room I'd feel a bit spooky about it ... with what's happened, and I suspect our parents would feel a bit uncomfortable having their children in that room too."

Ms Dear's pupils will be taught in a room next to the staff room today.

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