WOWOWed at Kirwee Model School

WOWOWed at Kirwee Model School

On the last day of school 2009, Selwyn District Mayor Kelvin Coe and I gave Kirwee Model School a special presentation.

When the Principal, Mr Bailey first told me that Kirwee Model School was going to do WOWOW, I was stoked. Not only because it meant I had one more school doing the programme, but because Kirwee is a small rural school with just 134 children and almost half of them travel by school bus, they were prepared to rise to the challenge.

I didn’t know how well they were doing until I read the article in the local newspaper about WOWOW at Kirwee that said bus children were biking 6 km with the principal, and that the participation rate was 96% – now that’s dedication.

Selwyn is mainly a rural district and my job focuses on road safety and active transport for school kids. My job is the only one in New Zealand that is for a rural council. That means we had to prove that active transport programmes for schools would be possible in the country.

Most schools in rural areas were established a long time ago – some more than 100 years ago, when there was just a handful of kids on the school roll and people travelled by horse or on foot. Populations have grown and school rolls have grown, meaning that for most kids these days, wheeling or walking to a rural school is almost impossible.

The WOWOW programme aims to get children back on their feet on the journey to school, and in turn reducing the number of cars on the road. For eight weeks of Terms 2 and 4, kids who walk or wheel to school tick off their trip cards and wall chart every Wednesday morning, hoping that their ticks will give them the winning edge. At week 5 all children receive a WOWOW sticker, and Wowow the dog visits all schools who take part.

On Wednesday 11 November it was Kirwee’s turn for the visit by Wowow the dog, and what a reception! It was cold and it had been raining, but we had the most amazing welcome we’ve ever had, with all the kids, the Principal, staff and parents meeting us at the front gate with cameras and videos all eager to meet Wowow and give him a pat. All the bus kids were drinking a hot Milo, their reward for biking such a long distance, and in the wind and rain too, what legends!

When I was adding up the WOWOW totals from all of the schools that took part, it was clear to see that Kirwee was head and shoulders above the rest. Not that this is a competition between schools – it isn’t, but their dedication and commitment was something to be recognised, and here’s why…

Now remembering that Kirwee is a small rural school with just 134 children and almost half of them travel by school bus, they had:

· The highest rate of 100% class participation

· The highest school-wide overall participation (88%)

· The highest winning class percentage (96%)

· The highest participation rate of school bus kids

Now isn’t that something to shout about? Especially when people say it can’t be done in a rural area – Kirwee has proved them wrong.

And, not forgetting the class winners at Kirwee – Room 4 – with an overall participation percentage of 96 – they won the tickets to Orana Park, the class certificate and the Wowow the dog trophy. Well done Room 4!

Thanks Kirwee Model School for your awesome effort and I look forward to WOWOWing with you in 2010.

Carolyn Bennison

Schools Travelwise Co-ordinator

Selwyn District Council

Further information: Carolyn.Bennison@selwyn.govt.nz, .