Rissa brings treats to tidy students at Chertsey School
Room 3 at Chertsey School in Ashburton got a delightful surprise at the end of last term when their cleaner Floresa ‘Rissa’ Aquino rewarded them with ice blocks and chocolates for being the cleanest classroom for Term One.
Rissa has been cleaning the small South Canterbury school for two years and decided to introduce the school’s very first Cleanest Classroom Competition last term. With only 40 students at Chertsey School, it didn’t take long for the initiative to inspire pride across the school.
Although Rissa usually works after hours and rarely crosses paths with students, this time she popped into the classroom to meet them in person.
Chertsey School Principal Claire Maria says her visit made a big impression.
“It was so good to make a connection because the students never meet the person who cleans the school. It was definitely motivating.”
Rissa spoke with the students about how their small efforts like picking up rubbish and clearing the floor make a big difference to her work. The sweet treats were her way of thanking them for their efforts.
“It was lovely for our Tamariki to meet Rissa and talk about how they can take responsibility to help make her job easier,” says Claire.
Chertsey School staff put a strong focus on teaching students to take pride in their space. One of the ways they do that is through their Tidy Champs programme. Every day at 2pm, students break into their house groups to help tidy up the outdoor areas. As the school doesn’t have a caretaker, it’s a great way for the kids to pitch in and keep the grounds clean.
“Ultimately, we just want the kids to be responsible for their learning spaces,” says Claire.
While this was the first time Rissa has interacted with the students, she’s already got a great relationship with the staff. Claire says they often share stories about family life and parenting, and the open communication makes it easy to work together.
“Having CrestClean and Rissa as part of our team has been a great decision.”
