The students of De Verrekijker primary school in Ter Apel will all be under one roof again in the foreseeable future. They will receive a new, temporary home.
Alderman Wietze Potze (PvdA) of the municipality of Westerwolde announced this on Tuesday.
“It is a temporary school, consisting of four classrooms in units, which will remain in place for at least two years,” he says.
Sagging and cracking
The actual home of the Christian primary school De Verrekijker is located near the center of Ter Apel. During the installation of a new ventilation system during the last summer holidays, it turned out that the roof had sagged and had cracks. “It’s not that the business is about to collapse, but we didn’t want to take any risks,” says Potze. “As a municipality, we are ultimately responsible for housing for education.”
It was decided to spread the 70 students and teachers across other schools. The youngest are now taught in rooms at the Heilige Gerardusschool in the neighboring village of Barnflair, the oldest in a unit at De Vlinder primary school in Ter Apel. The management is located in yet another building.
Undesirable situation
“That is an undesirable situation, that the students are spread out,” said Potze. “Because further research showed that a return to De Verrekijker is not possible in the short term, we have decided to build a new school.”
It will be located elsewhere in Ter Apel, on Robert Kochstraat, near a playground. “There is a site there that belongs to us and where we place the units containing the classrooms,” says Potze. “We have informed local residents and also the parents and staff of De Verrekijker. The intention is to start installing the new, temporary school immediately after the New Year.”
New construction
These will therefore remain in place for at least two years, until a new ‘real’ binocular is installed. “Because that is our intention, to build a new school,” said the councilor. “We could have a new roof installed, but that is a major investment. We decided that it would be better to go for new construction. I don’t know yet whether that new school will be located on the site of the current Binocular. We are still investigating what the best place is.”
Director Natasja Smit of De Verrekijker is happy with the new, temporary school. “Because at the moment it is indeed not ideal. You want the children and staff under one roof. It is also difficult for parents. Just think of transport, which is now very different. And think of Saint Martin and Sinterklaas, we want to celebrate that together and that is more difficult now. We are therefore pleased that we once again have a view of one shared accommodation.”