Flight-path pupils get hearing boost

Puhinui School in Papatoetoe is directly under the flight path to Auckland International Airport but the days when screaming jets interrupted teaching are over.

Classrooms at the school have been equipped with sound-amplifying systems enabling children to hear teachers - and teachers to hear children - thanks to grant money from the airport.

Yesterday afternoon, as jets flew above Room 25 at the school, about 25 pupils aged five and six listened attentively to teacher Nicky Newell.

"The children can hear me clearer, can't you?" Miss Newell asks.

"Yes," comes the reply.

"And they are more alert, especially when I am over one side of the room and they're over on the other side ...

"It's good for my voice, too."

The reading lesson continues in surround-sound.

Principal Kevin Hornby said that over the years noise-level readings in classrooms, and studies on the issue, led the school to decide on the sound systems. "Research shows children benefit if they hear every word."

The sound systems provided this year came from the airport company, which gives $250,000 annually to an airport noise mitigation community trust. It, in turn, granted the school money for the systems.

The amplifiers come on top of three sound-proofed acoustic classrooms - the result of last year's $250,000 contribution from the company. Under the Manukau District Plan, which provides for the construction of a second airport runway, the airport company is required to meet obligations to mitigate the impacts of aircraft noise on the community.

The company is required to pay for the acoustic treatment of existing homes and schools in the main noise impact areas. The company will be making offers of help to about 450 homes by April next year.

The long-term project requires most homeowners to contribute some of the cost of the acoustic treatment depending where the homes are within noise contours.