Principals Today #110

Issue 110 Term 2 | 2016

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LEADERS IN EDUCATION NEWS SINCE 1989

A discussion in deciles

THE QUESTION IS NO LONGER IF THE DECILE SYSTEM SHOULD BE REPLACED, BUT WHAT SHOULD REPLACE IT?

Getting serious about sugar THE WATER ONLY INITIATIVE GATHERS MOMENTUM

Paws for thought THE MISSING LINK IN OUR CURRICULUM

LIFE ONLINE Developing a culture of digital citizenship

Dollars and sense

a simple school payment system

Keeping classroomS germ-free this winter

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4 | BUDGET 2016

HEAD OFFICE

AUCK OFFICE

Hekia Parata outlines what the education sector gets in this year’s Budget

2 Ivan Jamieson Place Christchurch Airport Christchurch 8053

Level 6 10 Scotia Place Auckland

8 | A DISCUSSION IN DECILES

MANAGING DIRECTOR Gary Collins

GENERAL MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Kylie Palermo

NATIONAL SALES & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Clive Greenwood

The question is no longer if the decile system should be replaced, but what should replace it?

14 | GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT SUGAR

Stacey Coy Angela Barltrop Laura McLoed Anneka Te Whetu Lyn Wright Jo Pritchard

4 | THE OUTDATED MODEL OF learning space PRINCIPALS AS CEOS 12 | A PRINCIPAL’S SABBATICAL PPTA president Angela Roberts says secondary principals should be able to focus on educational leadership

6 | NEW H&S ACT IS NOW IN EFFECT What the new Health and Safety at Work Act means for your school

6 | SUPPORTING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

School’s out… of sugary and fizzy drinks as the water only initiative gathers momentum

What you need to know about the new international student code of practice

20 | PAWS FOR THOUGHT

6 | SKILLED TEACHERS AS VITAL AS EVER

ADMINISTRATION

Animal education – the missing link in New Zealand’s curriculum

Even at the age of 10, the quality of their early education still influences a child’s future

7 | HARD TO HANDLE

Phone: (03) 961 5050 Fax: 0800 555 054 Email: admin@academy.net.nz

Tips for controlling difficult students

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EDITOR JOURNALISTS

Healthy space 14 | GET YOUR CANTEEN PROFITABLE Combining efficiency with health conscious offerings 16 | HANDLING ALLERGIC REACTIONS Food allergy and anaphylaxis in schools 16 | BUGGING OUT How to keep your classroom germ-free this winter

working space 17 | MAKING CLASSROOMS EASIER ON THE EAR Classroom tech that makes it easier to hear and teach

19 | DOLLARS AND SENSE Cashless school payment system integrates with eTAP

Phone: (03) 961 5098 Email: editor@academy.net.nz

22 | LIFE ONLINE Developing a culture of digital citizenship

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So what’s it like going on a TeachNZ Secondary Principal’s sabbatical? Sacred Heart College principal, Jim Dale explains

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News | Viewpoints

By Hekia Parata, Minister of Education

Budget 2016 The Government has continued to prioritise education because we know that a great education is the thing that can make the most difference to the lives of our children.

The benefits are particularly pronounced for Māori and Pasifika, and for children from poorer families.

Budget 2016 contains extra education investment of more than $1.44 billion, increasing overall education spending by 2.5 percent to $11.04 billion in 2016/17.

That’s more than we will be spending on police, defence, transport, conservation and foreign affairs combined.

This investment is focused on getting additional resources to students who need it most, on better meeting the needs of students in special education, and on meeting the demands of roll growth.

For the first time, we are using a more student-focused approach to direct additional funding to schools with students that we know, from our social investment research, are more likely to need extra help to raise their level of achievement.

To this end, Budget 2016 targets an additional $43.2 million over four years to state and state-integrated schools educating up to 150,000 students from long term welfare-dependent families.

These students are one of the largest identifiable groups within our education system that is most at risk of educational underachievement.

We know that children whose parents have been receiving benefits for an extended period have a 48 percent chance of achieving NCEA Level 2 before the age of 21. By contrast, 73 percent of the general population will have NCEA Level 2 by the same age.

Research also shows that students without NCEA Level 2 have more

chance of ending up on a benefit or in the justice system, than those who have the qualification.

The additional funding will be targeted to schools according to the number of students they have, who have spent a significant proportion of their lives in benefit-dependent households. It will be allocated regardless of decile.

This targeted funding signals that we want to focus more discretionary education spending on the children at greatest risk of under-achievement.

It will result in schools receiving about $80 extra for every student from long term welfare-dependent backgrounds, compared to $16 if the funding had been allocated generally.

Other key spending areas in Budget 2016 include: An extra $436.1 million, to meet the growing demand for ECE. In 2019/20, the increase will provide funding for around 14,000 children entering ECE. An extra $42.1 million over the next four years for students with high and special education needs. This includes $15.3 million for another 1250 students to access in-class support, a $16.5 million increase in Ongoing Resource Scheme funding and an $8.9 million increase in Intensive Wraparound Service funding over the next four years.

New investment of $882.5 million in school infrastructure – more than double last year’s – to fund 480 new classrooms, nine new schools, two school expansions and the relocation and rebuilding of three schools and a kura.

All of our changes are about raising the achievement of children and young people.

They are mutually reinforcing.

It’s in our collective interest that every child, in every school, is achieving to their potential. One day they will be running the country, staffing the hospitals and educating the next generation.

4 | Term 2, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz

By Angela Roberts, PPTA president

The outdated model of principals as ceos Secondary principals want more time to focus on educational leadership and to reflect, and less time spent on property management, meeting the demands of external agencies and general administration.

failure’, with proactive engagement at a regional level.

These are some of the findings from a recent NZCER report that won’t surprise any of you.

These changes show that the days of a CEO model of principal-ship are numbered.

This wish list is mirrored in the responses of classroom teachers and middle leaders in schools.

The Best Evidence Synthesis on school leadership provides an alternative.

“The big message… is that the closer educational leaders get to the core business of teaching and learning, the more likely they are to have a positive impact on students.”

Teachers want to reduce administrative paperwork and have time to share ideas and reflect.

The shared wishes of principals and teachers are worth pointing out, because there is sometimes a tendency to differentiate principals from teachers and to try and paint the two groups as having largely discrete needs and interests, or even pit the two groups against each other.

Since the seismic upheaval of Tomorrow’s Schools, the role of principal has been often compared to that of a CEO. While many principals are not comfortable with seeing their role as analogous to a private sector executive, in charge of delivering the widgets that the market demands, the system has incentivised behaviour that fitted this model, such as competing fiercely for ‘market share’.

But the wheels have begun to turn in the other direction.

The most obvious example of this is IES, which creates incentives and structures for collaboration rather than competition.

At the same time, the ministry is getting more involved in assisting schools before there’s a ‘market

There’s even a working party that has come out of the principals collective agreement that is going to look at adjusting the remuneration of principals from being based largely on student numbers (i.e. market share), to the magnitude of the educational challenge they face.

Instead of a principal being separate from the teachers in a school, they’re at their most effective when they are closely engaged.

One way in which principals can demonstrate this, and actively apply it, is by belonging to the same professional association and union that their teachers belong to; the PPTA. The Secondary Principals’ Council (NZSPC) of the PPTA represents principal members and plays a significant role, both within the association and in the wider sector.

NZSPC members recognise that while they have unique responsibilities within schools, when it comes down to the fundamentals, teachers’ and principals’ ambitions are the same; for every student to learn and achieve to the best of their abilities.

The artificial separation of principals from teachers is a relic of the competitive market-based reforms of the 1980s and 1990s, and it’s time this division was relegated to the history books.

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News | For the Staffroom

New H&S Act is now in effect

By Laura Baker

The new Health and Safety at Work Act came into force in April and effectively makes schools liable for fines of up to $3 million.

Entities including schools, community agencies and charity events now have a greater responsibility for ensuring health and safety is taken seriously.

The objective of the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) is to shift procedures from hazard spotting, to actively managing critical risks, with the intention of reducing workplace harm.

The HSWA broadens board of trustees’ primary duty of care. Under the act board of trustees hold the primary duty of care to ensure the health and safety of everybody involved with the school, so far as is reasonably practicable.

Boards now hold overall responsibility for health and safety and are responsible for providing resources to enable workers, students and others to carry out their health and safety duties.

Boards are expected to develop and review their health and safety policy to make sure it meets the obligations of the HSWA. They should exercise due diligence to ensure they comply with their duties and that policies and procedures are in place and are monitored.

follow - the difference is fines have increased markedly.

By increasing the fines, the HSWA hopes to encourage a proactive approach and keep people safe from harm.

Board of trustees, as an entity, can now face fines of up to $3 million if they are found to have engaged in reckless conduct that exposes any individual under its duty to risk of death or serious injury/illness.

For failure to comply with their health and safety duty, if an individual is exposed to risk of death or serious illness/injury, a fine of up to $1.5 million applies.

And on the lesser end of the scale, board of trustees could have to front up with $300,000 for failure to comply with its health and safety duty, if no risk of death or serious illness/injury is involved.

The act also makes principals liable for fines of up to $600,000 and up to five years in prison at the most serious end of offending.

Principals are also expected to participate in developing, reviewing and implementng health and safety procedures for workers and others in the workplace.

QUESTIONS AND ACTIONS TO CONSIDER Are your staff aware of the changes, new requirements and duties under the legislation?

INCREASED FINES Increased penalties for breaches of duty mean schools can now face hefty million dollar fines if they commit an offence under the new law.

Does the board have a plan in place for engaging all workers across the school about the new requirements and duties?

Like the Health and Safety Act of 1992, if board of trustees fail to put appropriate systems in place to identify potential harm and keep people safe, then prosecutions or penalties may

Have you used the Ministry’s Health and Safety presentation to help explain the legislation to your workers?

For more information on the HSWA, visit: www.education.govt.nz

Skilled teachers as vital as ever

By Laura Baker

A new report has found that the standard of early childhood education a child receives has a notable influence on their competencies up to the age of 10.

An Education Review Office report has linked mathematic skills taught during a child’s early years to later academic achievement. It’s a link that has promoted the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI), to stress the importance of skilled and resourced teachers in early childhood education (ECE).

The NZEI national president, Louise Green says quality early childhood education is vital.

“The ERO report shows that at the age of 10, the quality of early childhood education still influences children’s competencies that lead to a successful adulthood, and that mathematical ability is one of the most influential factors.”

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“This doesn’t mean that other skills such creativity and curiosity, as well as social and self-esteem skills, are not equally important. But it is very clear that good quality teaching in early childhood is critical.”

Louise stresses that good quality ECE is not about hot-housing kids and pushing them into algebra before five, but there is a need for a balance between spontaneous child-initiated play and planned mathematical learning.

Unfortunately, she says funding cuts to ECE services and the government’s market-driven approach means that many children will be missing out on quality teaching and learning at a young age.

“The government got it wrong when it reduced funding for qualified teaching at kindergarten and early childhood services six years ago.”

Supporting international students

By Lydia Truesdale

A new international student code of practice aimed at strengthening the level of care and support received by international students will come into effect on July 1.

As part of the Education Amendment Act 2015, the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016 will, when enforced, replace the current code of practice that was established in 2002.

Also coming into effect on July 1 is the new International Student Contract Dispute Resolution Scheme (DRS). The DRS aims to provide a “faster and more effective forum for resolving contract and financial disagreements between students and providers,” says Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister, Steven Joyce.

The new code outlines 10 objectives that signatories must comply with.

They encompass: marketing and promotion, managing and monitoring of agents, offers, enrolment and contracts, immigration matters, orientation, safety and wellbeing, student support, advice and services, managing withdrawal and closure, dealing with grievances, and compliance with the DRS.

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She says this highlights the importance of qualified and skilled (ECE) teachers who are able to follow the curriculum and engage in and develop rich conversations with children that support their exploration and learning.

Both the new code of practice and DRS apply to all education institutes – from early education to tertiary providers – who wish to have international students on their roll.

The code administrator, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), will be responsible for enforcing the code and sanctioning those who breach it.

Joyce believes that international students are an integral part of the community, and it’s important that

while in New Zealand studying their needs are met with the highest possible level of care.

More than 100,000 international students come to New Zealand each year. They contribute roughly $2.85 billion per year to our economy, including supporting more than 30,000 jobs.

Stephen Joyce says New Zealand has always made it a priority to offer its international students a “high quality education and a positive, wellsupported experience.

“New Zealand was one of the first countries to adopt a code of practice in 2002. This new code will ensure we remain a world leader in the pastoral care of international students.

“New Zealand’s future is about being well-connected to the world and especially the Asia-Pacific region.

“International education helps build strong linkages with our trading partners now and into the future.

“The study experience for Kiwi students is enriched by international students studying here, and when our international students go home they become life-long ambassadors for New Zealand.”

More information about the new code of practice and DRS can be found at: http://www.education.govt.nz/ ministry-of-education/legislation/ regulations-to-support-internationalstudents/

News | In the Classroom

Hard to handle Tips for controlling difficult students

By Laura Baker

Most teachers have at least one difficult student who, for a variety of reasons, frequently misbehaves and is disruptive, disrespectful and rude.

It can be demoralising and create unhappiness with your job in general when it feels impossible to defuse their negative behaviour.

Fortunately, there are ways in which you, as an educator, can encourage students to behave.

BE A CONFIDANT Sadly, there is often a deeper reason why a student is misbehaving in class.

Often some of the toughest kids to teach come from difficult home situations. They might be experiencing unstable housing, a family split-up or a lack of resources for adequate food, clothing or other basic necessities.

Children who have a rough home life or face neglect often act out in school to receive attention. If you suspect this is the case with a student, make an effort to show you care about them.

Take an interest in their lives, not just their grades. Being an available, trustworthy and positive influence in their lives may be what is needed to turn their attitude around.

BREAK IT DOWN Punishment is a short term solution to what is likely an ongoing problem and does little to solve the problems that lead to the misbehaviour.

Impersonal punishment, such as detention or rubbish duty, is unlikely going to prevent the student from repeating the bad behaviour in the future. Instead, opt for a restorative process by sitting down with them in an informal setting and working through these questions:

HAVE A PRIVATE WORD Teenagers who are disruptive in class are often motivated by the need to perform for their peers. This behaviour is encouraged and rewarded amongst cliques when they achieve a rise out of their teacher.

To combat this behaviour, speak to the student in private about their behaviour, rather than reprimanding them in front of the class. They’ll be a lot less willing to challenge your authority without the backing and praise of their peers.

• What happened?

KEEP YOUR COOL

• What were you thinking about at the time?

• Who has been affected by what you have done? In what way?

Take a deep breath and remain calm and in control of your actions. It may mean taking a few moments to compose yourself when you feel upset or overcome with frustration and resentment.

• What do you think you need to do to make things right?

Students can sense your mood and will know if you become less rational

• What have you thought about since?

and agitated. This can be contagious and set other students off, or even egg them on to really push your buttons.

Do your best to set a positive tone and model and appropriate response children react, adults respond.

STAMP OUT THE SOURCE Sometimes even after repeated attempts to refocus a student they choose not to participate correctly. Bad behaviour can spread like wildfire and therefore must be extinguished at the source before it catches.

Those who persistently misbehave, despite fair warning, do not belong in the same environment as students who care and put in effort. At this point they need to be removed from the position to disrupt other students’ education.

Depending on their age this might mean they are sent to a time-out corner in the classroom or to the principal’s office.

www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 2, 2016 | 7

News | Cover Story

A discussion in deciles

By Lydia Trusdale

Discussions about the decile system have surfaced in the news media and educational circles as far back as 2012, but have gained serious momentum of late.

Chairperson of the Education Council, Barbara Ala’atoa, believes the time is right to review the decile system.

“Most educators acknowledge that the current system is far too blunt an instrument to resource the complex environments schools exist in,” she says.

The question is no longer ‘should the decile system be replaced?’ but “what should replace it?’

SYSTEM OVERVIEW The decile system was created in 1995 in response to National’s de-zoning policy. It aims to provide schools and kura with differential funding to level the playing field for students and offer equal learning opportunities to all.

Schools are categorised on a 1-10 scale; decile 1 schools being the 10 percent of schools with the highest proportion of students from low socio-economic neighbourhoods.

Decile ratings are recalculated every five years using data from the latest Census, and only then are schools able to challenge their rating, though they aren’t guaranteed their application will be successful.

WHY THE SYSTEM NEEDS TO CHANGE Many believe the decile system is rigid – it cannot flex to meet schools’ fluctuating needs. With funding only recalculated every five years and based on the school’s geographical positioning, as opposed to students individual learning needs, the system is arguably out of date. This presents several limitations: 1. Insufficient funding At risk students can be found in any school. The current one-size-fits-all funding system doesn’t take into account the regular roll changes and, therefore, regular changes in learning needs that most schools experience over a five year period.

“It almost appears that this policy assumes those in higher deciles have fewer learning needs. That is not always the case,” says Firth School principal James Eldridge.

Porirua College principal, Susanne Jungersen, says the needs of students who come from poor households are not covered by the financial support provided by the government.

“It really helps, but it isn’t sufficient, because the way that children are impacted on coming from poor households is multi-layered,” she says.

It must be noted that between 2004 and 2015 operational budgets rose 55 percent, and New Zealand remains in the top three OECD countries for government spending on schooling.

8 | Term 2, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz

Silvia Park School principal and chair of the education council, Barbara Ala’alatoa

2. Financial disparity New Zealand’s three types of schools (private, state and stateintegrated), are subject to varied amounts of government funding.

While private schools receive some government funding, it is “considerably less” than what state and state-integrated schools receive.

Papatoetoe High School principal Peter Gall believes the decile system has “not addressed the disparity in a full range of educational outcomes that was the main intended goal of the policy”.

Decile 1 schools receive $1,000 more per student than decile 10 schools. While that figure alone doesn’t appear hugely influential, when multiplied by the number of students at a school it soon can be.

3. Erroneous stigma There appears to be a collective, albeit erroneous perception, that a school’s decile rating is a quality determinant, with low decile schools offering a substandard education or learning environment.

Furthermore, there is no cap on the amount of total funding a school is eligible to receive through fundraising, fees or donations, aiding the disproportionate wedge of total funding between schools – sometimes up to $15 million difference.

Lindisfarne College (decile 9), which has 496 students, received a total $16,031,269 in supported funding, while Hastings Intermediate (decile 3), with 477 students, received just $126,801.

That’s equates to a difference of more than $30, 000 per student.

Many principals rely on donations to cover the shortfalls not met by government funding. But with some schools’ financial support totalling a considerable amount more, this counteracts the equality the system intends to bring.

Mana College principal John Murdoch adds, “It’s not a level playing field at all, and the funding formula for that playing field is out of kilter”.

Education Minister Hekia Parata states it is “absolutely not the case that decile is a proxy for the quality of teaching and learning,” however she does believe the system to be a “blunt instrument” that she’d like to replace.

“Too many of the community’s most important stakeholders don’t know how to gauge a school’s effectiveness, so decile ratings have become a convenient way of making this judgement,” says Silvia Park School principal and chair of the education council, Barbara Ala’alatoa.

4. Segregation Parents have admitted to bypassing the local school in favour of higher decile schools outside their zone due to the stigma surrounding deciles.

Ministry of Education statistics show there are more than 80,000 state

News | Cover Story

“

Those in low socioeconomic communities have little choice however, and schools in those areas have become increasingly segregated and parents are disempowered.

”

school students commuting out of zone. In Auckland, 15 percent of primary and secondary school students attend schools outside the zone they live in, while in Christchurch that figure is 18 percent, Hamilton 19 percent, and Wellington nine percent. The national figure currently sits at around 11 percent.

As it stands, schools are responsible for the total number of out of zone students they take. In extreme cases, families are even relocating from low decile areas to be positioned within higher decile schools’ zones.

Some believe this movement is creating a stronger segregation of low income earning families who don’t have the means or opportunity to relocate – consequently creating a rise in low decile communities and therefore low decile schools.

“Those in low socio-economic communities have little choice however, and schools in those areas

have become increasingly segregated and parents are disempowered,” says Peter Gall.

NCEA Level 3 or higher than students from schools in the lowest two deciles (1 and 2).

5. White flight According to Ministry figures, the number of Pakeha students attending decile 1, 2 and 3 schools has halved since the year 2000, while schools in ‘rich’ neighbourhoods – decile 8, 9 and 10 schools – had more Pakeha students than they did 10 years ago.

In 2015, just 49.8 percent of all school leavers achieved NCEA Level 3 or higher. While this figure has grown during the past six years (from 41.9 percent in 2009), there still remains more than 50 percent of all school leavers failing to achieve Level 3 or higher.

Secondary Principals’ Association president Patrick Walsh notes, “In the school sector at least, there is a growing division on ethnic and socio-economic lines, which I would suggest is not a good thing for New Zealand society”.

However, there is variation among schools within each decile, with “some schools in the lowest deciles with a greater proportion of students achieving NCEA Level 3 or above than some schools in the highest deciles,” – Education Counts says.

The Ministry believes Pakeha aren’t necessarily avoiding low decile schools.

Rather, changing demographics such as population, the creation of new schools and movements in schools’ decile ratings could be the reason behind the decline of Pakeha student numbers in low decile schools.

WHAT SHOULD REPLACE THE DECILE SYSTEM?

6. An ‘uneducated’ generation Poor academic performance may very well be the result of a poor decile system.

Statistics on the Education Counts website show a clear correlation between a school’s decile ranking and the number of students that achieve NCEA standards.

Data from 2014 shows that students at the highest decile schools (9 and 10) were 2.7 times more likely to achieve

In May, the Minister announced the establishment of an advisory group to “test and refine a set of proposed directions for change”.

The majority of support is behind replacing the decile system with an accurate, needs-based funding model.

Secondary Principals Council chair, Allan Vester, is of the view that “New Zealand’s long tail of educational underachievement will require a multi-faceted approach and any funding changes need to be significant to have any realistic chance of really making a difference”.

Hekia Parata has publicly acknowledged the need to review the system, but said it’s unlikely a decision will be reached before the next recalculation of decile ratings due in 2019.

In March she proposed replacing deciles with a system that paid schools more for individual students who were more likely to underachieve if they met one of four risk factors.

The advisory group brings together 18 leaders from across the early childhood and schooling sectors, and will be chaired by Secretary for Education, Peter Hughes.

From June until August 31, the group will be talking to and seeking input from the wider education sector on the proposed directions for change.

Babara Ala’alatoa believes good progress is being made. She adds the Education Council is committed to working with teachers across New Zealand to “hear their ideas and help actualise ways of ensuring any new funding system gives teachers the ability to get the right resources in place to meet the needs of individual students”.

One thing is certain though. The education sector needs a funding model that is fluid and dynamic, a model that can ebb and flow, a model that can accommodate consistent roll changes, technological advancements and, essentially, the evolution of education.

Our future leaders deserve a future to look forward to.

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- An app and Push Notification will be available by the end of the year to make booking your relievers even easier!

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www.nzreliefteachers.co.nz NZRT is not a recruitment agency, if you find a reliever you wish to employ from the website, there are no contractual obligations to NZRT, in fact, we’d be happy for both parties! www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 2, 2016 | 9

Working Space | Furniture

All about flexible learning At Woods, we believe that education is of the utmost importance – not just for the children of today but for our world tomorrow.

This belief has driven our team, for over half a century, to study how children learn – from a behavioural, ergonomic and cognitive perspective – and to develop furniture that is flexible, adaptable and stimulating.

Our product range positively enhances the educational environment, ensuring our children are reaching their full learning potential.

Though it may not be known by many, Woods has been supplying products to the New Zealand market through a sales agency since 1996. And while we have had much success with our ever-popular PantoFlex chair, Hokki stool and DuraPos chair, we felt it was time to make our entire product range available to New Zealand customers.

Therefore, we’re extremely excited to introduce our full range of products which inspire education and allow students to perform better in a flexible and stimulating setting.

There is an added benefit here – value for money; by buying direct from the manufacturer, on-selling costs are a thing of the past.

At Woods, not only are we committed to providing inspired and flexible learning environments, we are also passionate about providing a better world for future generations.

At our factory we have adopted processes of utilising solar power, harvesting rainwater, waste minimisation, resource conservation, recycling and sustainable manufacturing decisions and processes.

It is this consideration that sets us apart and this is the contribution we are making to the world of tomorrow.

Additionally, we proudly manufacture our products to the highest quality standards, of AS/NZS 4610, ensuring our products meet the demands of classrooms today and well into the future. We back this promise with a 10 year warranty on the entire Woods range.

“

We create furniture that inspires and enables students to reach their full learning potential, and contributes to a better future for them and our planet.

”

Catering to students at all levels far and wide Woods supplies furniture to preschools, kindergartens, primary schools, high schools and tertiary institutions throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East.

Setting the standard Woods Student Chairs conform to the highest standards: AS/NZS 4610.2, AS/NZS 4610.3, ISO 5970 and EN 1729.

WE’RE FOR FLEXIBLE LEARNING.

“

We believe that furniture can improve the learning environment.

”

Flexible learning solutions Project and team work, social learning and collaborative behaviour need the high flexibility that Woods designs offer. With a large range of products tested and approved by AFRDI, Woods can confidently guarantee their furniture for 10 years.

Flexible Flexible furniture such as desks and Storage Porters™ on castors allow for the interior space of the room to be changed around to suit various activities.

Adaptable Adaptable furniture such as Iris Tables™, Byte Tables and Triquetra Pods™ can be used for collaborative learning styles and also as individual desks.

Stimulating Stimulating learning environments are made easy with Woods’ colours and imaginative shapes that have been designed by experts to improve the pedagogy. Woods’ colours, product designs and expertise in creating successful learning environments bring education to life.

Environmentally friendly Woods is committed to a more sustainable world for future generations. Now, perhaps more than ever before in human history, we need to be acutely aware of our ‘footprint’ on the earth. So we are playing our part in reducing the impact of the industry on the environment and all the company’s products are developed with this key criteria in mind.

Product range Seating solutions The Woods Educational Furniture range offers seating for your school including seating for classrooms, science, art, music, computer seminars and conferences.

10 | Term 2, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz

Security lockers The Woods Educational Furniture Security Locker range and storage solutions are available in numerous configurations, to suit any school environment from corridors to sporting facilities.

Student desks Woods Educational Furniture manufactures a range of tables and desks including classroom tables, computer desks, workstations, staff desks, meeting tables, multi-purpose benches and adjustable tub desks.

To find out more about our innovative range of educational furniture contact: Aron Fuller on 0275 344 282 or email aron@woodsfurniturenz.co.nz

www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 2, 2016 | 11

Learning Space | Ministry of Education

Learning Space | Special education

A principal’s sabbatical

More focus on skilled special education support needed

Sacred Heart College principal Jim Dale received a TeachNZ Secondary Principal’s Sabbatical to take time out from his day to day role to visit feeder primary schools and strengthen the connection between the College in Auckland and their Marist roots in France.

NZEI Te Riu Roa says it welcomes the roll out of funding for a further 1,250 students to get teacher aide support in this year’s Budget and the Minister of Education’s pledge for further funding for teacher aides in future.

Why did you apply for the Secondary Principal’s Sabbatical?

In essence, it was a rare, rare opportunity to step outside of my day to day job because we can get far too introverted when we do our jobs.

But National President Louise Green says there is a real need to target resourcing to formalise the role of Special Education Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) in schools.

It gave me the chance to visit Sacred Heart College’s feeder primary schools and other schools.

I had a valuable opportunity to visit my peers at their school, to see my colleagues in action, and to see the special programmes they ran. It gave me the opportunity to have a look from the outside and measure us against best practice in other schools.

I saw some really exciting initiatives and innovative programmes that were happening. I met with the children who will be coming into Sacred Heart next year and years to come, and to see how prepared they were in numeracy, literacy and the use of IT. And they were able to see their new Principal in their current learning environment.

How has it impacted your role as a principal?

It has meant that we will be better ready for those children in terms of getting better data, getting better connections from our school to them, particularly with myself and our head of academic studies who is also a key member of staff Year 7 and 8.

We will do a better job at integrating those young children into a new system, because it’s tough on them.

They’re coming from a small primary school to a large secondary school.

And if we can do that job better, we’ll make better scholars and better Marist citizens, as we call them.

And in terms of their faith?

In terms of their faith, that was the second part of my Sabbatical. I wanted to make sure that our Marist mission, as we perceive it, was in harmony with what our founder had in mind.

So I went all the way to France to walk in his footsteps to see where he lived.

To get a sense of connection with why he did what he did for the young boys and young people in France, along with Marist Fathers and Marist Sisters.

“

Our job as principals, whether it be for boys or girls, is to create the best citizens for our nation.

We can only do that by constantly reviewing, resetting what we do and how we do it.

”

- Sacred Heart College principal Jim Dale

Why was it that a Marist brother, Saint Marcellin Champagnat, felt compelled to take action? The Secondary Principal’s Sabbatical reinforced my Marist philosophy. It reinforced my commitment to protect, develop, educate and take care of our children and it also reinforced the fact that I’m in a privileged position.

As a principal, I can make a difference in their lives. If I don’t do it, who else will?

What would you advise principals thinking about doing a Sabbatical?

How can they prepare?

Smell the grass. Get out of your office.

Go and look outside the framework of your current job. Have the decency to work with the people around you. Go into their schools and make sure that what you’re doing is actually a good fit for the children. And if you do all the things I’m suggesting, you’ll be a better principal for it.

One last word?

Our job as principals, whether it be for boys or girls, is to create the best citizens for our nation. We can only do that by constantly reviewing, resetting what we do and how we do it. You cannot get a perspective if you’re in your school all the time without getting a release and a new perspective and learning from others, and they learn from you.

“The additional $15.3 million to fund more teacher aides is desperately needed, but is only one part of a much bigger picture. It will not go nearly far enough to support the tens of thousands of children who need additional learning support.

“That’s why we’ve been calling for acknowledgement and formalisation of the SENCO role.”

SENCOs are teachers who play a key role in schools by ensuring that students and their families get the learning support they need.

“But it is a role that is often made more difficult because of a lack of formal recognition and a shortage of resources.”

Two-thirds of SENCOs who responded to a survey earlier this year by NZEI said they did not have enough time to fulfil this role adequately.

“Currently, schools face major and systemic problems in meeting

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12 | Term 2, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz

Louise Green says this is compounded by the government’s public sector funding cap which has created shortages of specialists and longer waiting lists for children that require assessment and support through the Ministry of Education’s Special Education staff.

IHC New Zealand says new money for teacher aides won’t necessarily mean children with disabilities get the education all children deserve.

IHC director of advocacy, Trish Grant says “Many teacher aides do a great job. But the fact remains that they are the least well paid, least well trained and supported and are therefore the less capable of ensuring quality education for children.

“Children with disabilities do best in schools where the board, principal and all teachers are committed to inclusive education and ensuring good learning outcomes for all children,” she says.

“We need an education policy that supports that. This money would be far better spent on a proper plan for building teacher and school capability.

“Any investment is good, but $15.3 million over four years is not nearly enough. Teacher aides are a valuable part of the solution – but we need much smarter thinking and a far greater commitment to our children’s future.”

The right of all children to attend their local school The Human Rights Commission says New Zealand children have a right to attend their local school and more needs to be done to ensure this is a reality for disabled children.

“We know it is still the norm for families of disabled kids to battle just to get their child into school, on a school camp or to access the support they need to receive a good education,” Paul Gibson, Disability Rights Commissioner says.

“The UN Committee on the Rights of People with Disabilities consistently tells us we need to up our game. The Ministry of Education should include the rights of disabled students in their current review of the Education Act.

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additional learning support needs for children.”

“All New Zealand children have a right to attend and be included in their local school and more needs to be done to ensure this is a reality for disabled children.”

The Commission says government needs to define disability consistently across sectors, so we can collect better data and track the life of a disabled child through to adulthood.

While there is a consistent call for better resourcing, this doesn’t always mean an increased budget, Paul says.

“A school’s attitude matters; how confident and competent a principal and teachers are when it comes to educating all their students, including those students with a disability, makes a huge difference.”

Healthy Space | Healthy Canteens

Get your canteen profitable A school canteen is an integral part of the school environment and is also important when it comes to providing healthy foods and increasing opportunities to learn.

Consuming healthy foods and drinks can improve the health and wellbeing of students. Research also shows that creating a culture of healthy eating and helping children to develop healthy food behaviours will increase opportunities to learn and support them as they grow into adults.

Through its free schools-based initiative – Fuelled4life - the Heart Foundation can help your school to provide a healthy food environment for students. Fuelled4life is based on the Ministry of Health’s Food and Beverage Classification System (FBCS).

It aims to: increase young people’s opportunities to access healthier foods and beverages; inspire food services to provide tasty, nutritious products, and encourage the food industry to produce and supply healthier products for young people.

To sign up for to Fuelled4life and to receive your free Fuelled4life School Canteen Catering Guide, go to www.fuelled4life.org.nz. For more information, contact the Fuelled4life team on (09) 526 8550 or email Larissab@heartfoundation.org.nz To help you get started, conduct a survey to establish the school culture and demographic. Based on the results, you can then begin to develop strategies around product, place, presentation, price and promotion. Here are some tips to get you started towards a healthier more profitable canteen.

you like about the canteen and what don’t you like? What do students think about the canteen generally? How well is the canteen connected to the school and wider community? What does the food on offer look like? How is the food served and how is the food promoted to students? Do you think the canteen connects with the community and if not how can we make that connection?

We eat with our eyes, so display your food in an attractive way. Use clear containers so that your customers can easily see it. Presentation includes making sure your canteen is tidy and as attractive as it can be, and is a place where your students will want to spend their time.

Getting serious about sugar

By Lydia Truesdale

PRICE Students care a great deal about value for money, so price is important.

Consider running daily or weekly specials on certain items. Keep pricing simple i.e. $1.50 as opposed to $1.49.

Always check the selling price with students, as they will compare the cost with what they can buy outside the school gate.

The consumption of sugary drinks in schools is believed to be a leading factor behind poor health, behavioural performance and academic achievement in children – an issue that various authorities say needs to be addressed.

PROMOTION Promotion aims to make your students aware of what you have to sell and to convince them to buy it. Products sell best when they sound interesting, so try these tips :

The Ministries of Health and Education are together challenging schools to ban sugary drinks, with a directive that encourages the implementation of water only policies.

• Have a daily specials board and circulate canteen specials via the school notices/newsletter

PRODUCT The information from the survey can then be used to select suitable products and put in place appropriate pricing and promotional strategies.

Also think about freshness, variety, seasonal options, and ‘limited time’ specials to keep them coming back for more. This also includes where products are placed in the canteen and if the students can see the healthy options.

• When introducing a new product, reduce the cost of the product for the first week and advertise the special price as ‘limited time’ offer

PLACE / PRESENTATION Creating a positive image for the canteen is a great way to get students involved and to gain their ‘buy in’.

When thinking about the canteen as a place, it is helpful to consider the canteen’s image.

• Run a competition to name a new canteen food or re-design the canteen menu

This includes asking your customers a range of questions including: what does the canteen look like? What do

• Have a ‘What can you buy for $1’ poster and list all the items that can be brought for this amount or under.

• Introduce combo meals that include a sandwich/wrap, fruit or yoghurt and water • Rename new products with names that make the foods more appealing and exciting e.g. Wicked Chicken Wrap

• Use ‘two-for-one’ deals, prizes, incentives and implement canteen loyalty cards to promote the sale of food in the canteen

In March the Secretary for Education, Peter Hughes, appealed to schools to adopt water only policies in a letter highlighting the rise of childhood health issues linked to sugar.

“Sugary drinks are a very big contributor to obesity, as well as damaging kids’ oral health and increasing their likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes,” he wrote.

The water only initiative has gathered strong support from leaders throughout the education sector.

Head of early learning and student achievement for the Ministry of Education, Lisa Rodgers, fully supports Hughes’ request for a nationwide ban of sugary drinks in schools.

Rodgers adds that sugary drink consumption correlates to poor performance and problem behaviour.

“Research shows that poor diet and nutrition are contributors to lower academic achievement in children,” she says.

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A water only policy prohibits the sale of sugary drinks on site, therefore limiting students’ access to and consumption of unhealthy beverages.

The Ministries are pushing for plain, reduced fat milk as an alternative to sugary and fizzy drinks.

According to Ministry figures, there are 2,538 schools nationwide and roughly 10 percent of them (250 or so) have water only policies in place.

West Spreydon School in Christchurch is one school to have banned the sale and distribution of sugary drinks on site.

Principal Marriene Langton has noticed marked improvements in student health, behaviour and performance in the years since adopting a water only policy.

Langton is taking innovative measures to generate awareness on the topic: in March she allowed students to tip a bucket of water over her head and spray her with water.

She says her “rather unusual” take on the ice bucket challenge was an attempt to persuade other schools to take notice, look at the statistics and benefits, and consider going water only.

“We have a real focus on healthy eating and healthy living in our school… there is no need for juice, fizzy or sugary drinks in schools,” Marriene says.

The water only directive coincides with calls for the government to place a sugar tax on fizzy drinks.

You can read more about water only policies in schools at: http://goo.gl/qsokNE

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Healthy Space | Allergies

How to keep your classroom germ-free this winter Cold and flu season is well and truly upon us and while it is inevitable some of your students will fall ill, there are measures you can take to help reduce the spread of bugs.

Wash hands - Washing hands after using the bathroom should be a given, but students can become lazy and neglectful. Remind them it’s important to properly wash their hands with warm water and soap after using the bathroom. It takes about 20 seconds of washing to thoroughly kill germs. It is also a good idea to wash hands before eating too.

Keep your students healthy and in attendance this winter by doing your bit to create a healthy classroom environment.

Disinfect high traffic areas - Clean commonly touched surfaces such as door knobs, tables and books with a disinfectant spray.

Provide hand sanitizer - Make hand sanitizer freely available in your classroom and encourage your students to use it. A quick squirt after a sneeze is a good idea.

Don’t share germs - Explain to your students that they mustn’t share things like drink bottles or chap sticks with their friends, because they are covered in germs and easily pass on illness.

Toss tissues – Provide tissues in your classroom and encourage your students to throw them away after one

use. Used tissues harbour germs and can spread sickness quickly if left lying around.

Into the elbow – Cough and sneeze into the elbow or upper arm rather than into your hand. The solid part of the arm is better at blocking germs from spreading than your hand and it keeps down the number of germy palms.

Handling allergic reactions Food allergy and anaphylaxis in schools Food allergy has significantly increased in prevalence in recent times, with some studies indicating a doubling in numbers in the last decade alone.

It is estimated one in 10 New Zealand children under the age of two will have a food allergy. Although many children eventually out grow their food allergies, it is likely up to eight percent of school-age children will be affected, reducing to around five percent in adolescence.

And with the implementation of the new Health and Safety at Work Act, which came into force on April 4, there’s never been a better time to look at your school’s health and safety procedures.

The main concern in respect to food allergy is the risk of anaphylaxis. This is where an allergic reaction, which can happen in minutes, causes swelling which affects the airways and/or

the cardio-vascular system, and is potentially life threatening. Other aspects which make it challenging to manage include that: • There is no cure or treatment (although immunotherapy or desensitisation is possible in the future), so complete avoidance of the food concerned is the key to managing food allergy • The foods concerned are primary items in the everyday diet of New Zealanders, i.e. cow’s milk (dairy), eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat – and therefore very difficult to avoid • Intra-muscular injection of adrenaline is the only treatment for anaphylaxis outside a hospital setting. Adrenaline auto-injectors e.g. EpiPen, are designed to give a pre-measured one dose injection and are easy to use. However, they are not subsidised in New Zealand (although funded in Australia and many other countries), and may be unaffordable for some families.

Schools should have policies and procedures in place with three key objectives: • Staff are able to respond appropriately if a student has an anaphylactic (life-threatening) reaction • Risk is minimised through strategies enabling the student to avoid exposure to the food(s) concerned • Students with food allergies are able to participate in all school activities as their peers.

First aid training, required for a certain number of staff under health and safety legislation, includes the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis and the emergency response.

In many areas, Public Health Nurses can also arrange anaphylaxis training sessions for school staff, usually at the beginning of the school year.

EpiPens are currently the only adrenaline auto-injector available in New Zealand and are not subsidised by PHARMAC. For at least some students,

Severe allergic reactions can be life-threatening Food induced anaphylaxis has doubled in the last 10 years.

This rise in food allergy has a significant impact on schools.1

Help keep your students protected with EpiClub®.

EpiClub® can support your staff to be prepared for an allergic emergency by providing a variety of educational material and a FREE EpiPen Training Device.

Go to epiclub.co.nz now to request an EpiPen® Resource Kit for your school 1. ASCIA AIDA Report 2013. EpiPen® is used for the emergency treatment of anaphylaxis (acute severe allergic reactions) due to insect stings or bites, foods, medications or other allergens. EpiPen® and EpiPen Jr® are Restricted Medicines. Always read the label carefully and use strictly as directed. Your doctor or pharmacist’s advice is required. EpiPen® is a registered trademark of Mylan Inc. Mylan NZ Ltd., Auckland. DA1554ET-21

16 | Term 2, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz

they are unaffordable, and for this reason more and more schools are moving to include EpiPens in their first aid kits.

It is recommended schools extend policies and procedures to include these ‘general use’ pens; guidelines in relation to these and provided by the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) are also available on Allergy New Zealand’s website.

Free resources and links, including Allergy New Zealand’s guidelines for schools, and online anaphylaxis training for school staff, can be found on www.allergy.org.nz, or you can call 0800 34 0800 for further information.

Article provided by Penny Jorgensen, allergy advisor for Allergy New Zealand Inc.

Working Space | Classroom Acoustics

Making classrooms easier on the ear

The hearing-learning connection At least one child in every New Zealand classroom is said to be struggling with a hidden hearing disorder, which may be seriously affecting their learning.

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) occurs when the ears process sound normally but the brain cannot always understand, or ‘hear’.

Children with APD may exhibit signs of hearing loss at even moderate noise levels; they may not reliably comprehend spoken information, and can have trouble coping with lengthy instructions.

In what probably comes as no surprise to any teacher, research does confirm that it is possible to remove barriers to learning by adopting technology designed specifically for the classroom that makes it easier to hear and teach.

• Sound-field amplification greatly reduced vocal strain

This was demonstrated way back in 2011, at the New Zealand Principals Federation Conference. At the conference Oticon New Zealand displayed its FrontRow Active Learning sound-field systems. These include speakers and microphones to make it easier to listen and hear in learning environments.

Research undertaken in New Zealand schools has found that students benefit significantly from the use of sound-field amplification systems in classrooms.

Alongside the hardware was research involving primary school children from Master’s Degree researcher Virginia Good.

“The research adds to the mounting body of evidence demonstrating the positive effects of sound-field systems on behavioural and academic achievement,” Ms Good said.

“My research project examined the effectiveness of an enhanced listening environment (soundfield amplification) combined with phonological awareness intervention compared to an enhanced listening environment alone.”

The research shows: • Children responded positively to the systems and the benefits were observable by teachers within a few days of installation of the systems • A significant gain in one measure of phoneme awareness • Behaviour and general academic performance benefited from the enhanced acoustic environment.

The research sets out teacher comments including: • Positive change in on-task behaviours of children with the use of sound-field amplification • Sound-field amplification having a beneficial effect on students working below expected norms • Children of middle ability made a significant jump in progress and all children were recording sounds in writing more clearly

• Teachers experienced more energy and less tiredness • Sound-field amplification seemed to enable a lower stress, calmer classroom environment • Comprehension of teacher instructions improved and students’ abilities to follow instructions changed positively.

The research was undertaken by Michael Heeney, a regional coordinator for Kelston Deaf Education Centre, as part of his PhD from the University of Newcastle in Australia.

Sound-field systems use FM technology to transmit a teacher’s voice (signal) above the classroom noise, with the aim of making it easier for students to hear the teacher no matter where they are in the classroom at the time.

The research showed that sound-field systems made a significant difference in terms of the listening and reading comprehension, vocabulary and mathematical skills of the students involved.

“The difference between the test scores of the students in classrooms with sound-field and those without was quite dramatic,” Michael said.

Audiologist Dr Bill Keith says only a “minute” proportion of children have been diagnosed. He estimates the condition affects between three and 15 percent of children, with it being more prevalent in boys.

Dr Keith adds that APD can present as a learning or behavioural problem to parents and teachers who are unaware of the disorder, which can cause underachievement resulting from children missing out on vital information.

“The problem lies in the hearing pathways and centres in the brain.

Children are unable to extract the message that they need to from all the sound and noise around them, or they have trouble retaining the auditory information unless it is brief.”

Causes of APD include birth trauma, early history of otitis media (commonly known as glue ear) and hereditary factors.

The condition requires specialist testing and assessment, incorporating a multi-disciplinary team approach.

A number of effective interventions have been identified, such as hearing training to improve listening skills and language therapy to improve understanding.

“

Children with APD may exhibit signs of hearing loss at even moderate noise levels; they may not reliably comprehend spoken information, and can have trouble coping with lengthy instructions.

”

However, wearing a personal “FM” listening device, which transmits the voice of the teacher directly to the student, is becoming recognised as being one of the most beneficial.

It involves the teacher wearing a personal transmitter around their neck, while the student wears small radio receivers in their ears.

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“While sound-field made the greatest difference in low decile schools, the study shows that the systems provide considerable and significant benefits to all students regardless of their school, ethnicity, or whether they had middle ear problems such as glue ear.”

The study involved 626 students at five schools in the Rotorua area and compared the learning achievement of students in classrooms fitted with sound-field systems with those in classrooms that weren’t amplified.

The project was funded by the Oticon Foundation with the systems donated by the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust.

“Teachers noticed increased attention levels among students and a decrease in disruptive behaviour. They also had higher energy levels from reduced voice strain and not having to repeat questions or instructions.”

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www.lundia.co.nz www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 2, 2016 | 17

Working Space | Performing Arts

The stage setters The Stronglite Staging® range of portable, modular stage and seating equipment is designed and manufactured exclusively in New Zealand including: • Stage platforms, catwalks, tiered risers, choir risers • Stage extensions and pit infills

• Portable grandstands for the gym, sports field or by the pool • Steps, ramps, trolleys, lecterns, bridges, ballet barres, sports shelters etc • Theatre and venue design or refit.

IDEAL FOR SCHOOLS Strong, light, safe, durable, simple, versatile, portable, modular, premium quality products that are engineer certified and tested.

“In the supporting role” IS SET! THE STAGE Stage Sections, Choir Risers, Grandstands, Audience Seating, Drama Suite Modules, Drapes, Steps, Lectems, Trolleys, Ramps and Ballet Barres.

Top quality, NZ made products, designed be easy to handle and store. Guaranteed to perform.

Currently installed in many schools, universities & performance venues.

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18 | Term 2, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz

Strength: Stronglite Stage and Seating products are designed and manufactured to be strong and durable and are tested to make sure they meet our high standards of performance under live and static load conditions.

Lightness: Innovative design and use of material creates equipment that is light and easy to handle, saving time and possible injury.

Safety: Engineer’s design certification, documented test results, qualified trades-people, monitoring of product in the workplace, established safe working loads, and our products conform to or exceed industry regulations and guidelines. You can be sure that our premium quality products meet exacting safety standards.

Simplicity: Superior design ensures our products are quick, simple and easy to transport and assemble, saving you time and effort.

Versatility: Particular attention has been paid to designing stage/seating systems that are multi-use wherever

possible, including indoor and outdoor use. Stage sections can form stage platforms, catwalks or can be tiered for audience seating or seated choir/ orchestra use, stage extensions and pit infils.

Portability: We design for easy handling, transporting and storage.

Choir risers fold up and wheel away.

Grandstands quickly disassemble for easy transport and storage. Wheels and trolleys are also available for increased manoeuvrability.

STAGE SECTION These are portable, safe and easy to handle and store. They’re ideal for stages, catwalks, tiered audience seating, seated choir/orchestra risers, display/work tables, ramps and more.

No tools are required as there are no folding or moving parts to trap fingers etc. Sections can be stacked on castor wheels for storage and moved as a stack.

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Working Space | Finances

Working Space | Performing Arts

In tune with students for 15 years

Dollars and sense Cashless school payment system integrates with eTAP Many schools can now remove office handling of parent payments thanks to the integration of student management system, eTAP, with school e-commerce platform Kindo.

The ‘marriage’ of the two online systems promises to free up a significant amount of office admin time and allows parents and caregivers to action all their financial transactions with the school through a single login.

Seth Haapu works with a student at Stratford High School

2016 marks the 15 Anniversary of the NZ Music Commission Education Programmes – and there is a lot to celebrate! th

In 2001, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was in theatres, Shihad’s “Pacifier” was in the charts, and Julia Deans and Whirimako Black were winners at the NZ Music Awards.

It was also the year that the then NZ Music Industry Commission, with funding from the Ministry of Education, launched the education programmes that have reached thousands of students during the past one and a half decades.

The NZ Music Commission Schools Programme has brought music industry professionals to a minimum of 60 schools per year all around the country and through the Bands Programme, participants in Smokefree Rockquest and Smokefree Pacifica Beats have learned from guest performers, guest speakers, and one on one mentoring when they reach the finals.

More than 100 of New Zealand’s top music professionals have mentored students through the programmes; from legacy artists like Jon Toogood of Shihad and Annie Crummer, bright youngsters like Indira Force of Doprah and MajicPaora, and the superstars of the Maori music world – Maisey Rika, Tama Waipara and Rob Ruha.

Shihad singer Jon Toogood, a 43 year old father of two with 20 years of success in the music industry, joined the programmes “because it’s just as challenging and inspiring as anything I’ve done in my professional life. I get to meet so many talented people and share what I can about the art form I love.”

The Schools Programme provides crucial support to teachers in terms of content delivery, industry expertise and technical know-how. Many mentorships focus on songwriting - a specialty that most music teachers are very grateful to have assistance - as well as rehearsal and performance techniques for bands, and utilising music technology.

The mentorships are a significant boost for students working toward NCEA assessments in Composition,

Solo Performance, Group Performance and Music Technology.

Teacher Tim Sherrifs of Waiopehu College said about a recent mentorship with TynaKeelan (NgatiPorou), “In Music we have a reasonably high number of Maori and Pacific students.

Tyna worked with all of them and the feedback I had from them was great.

They felt inspired by someone they could relate to and respected.”

Teacher Jane Egan of Gisborne Girls High School said of a recent mentorship with Annie Crummer, “Having a positive Pacific role model who has excelled in the industry was definitely of benefit to our students and gave them aspirations of following music as a career option.

“Our mentor made all students feel very comfortable about being themselves on stage. Annie was also great with the autistic students she worked with. All students showed a marked improvement in skills and confidence, and met our goal of writing and performing two original pieces of music at a public concert within the two day time frame.”

Some of New Zealand’s most successful artists at home and abroad have been mentored through the NZ Music Commission Education Programmes – including 2011 Grammy award winner Kimbra (Hillcrest High School), Waiata Maori Female Artist of the Year winner Majic Paora (Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rito) and Caleb and Georgia Nott of Broods (Garin College), who took home Best Group and Album of the Year at the NZ Music Awards.

As Chris Mac from Six60 said, “I mentor – because somebody mentored me”.

And that’s something worth celebrating.

To learn more about the NZ Music Commission Education programmes, go to www.nzmusic.org.nz/education

Kindo’s intuitive platform enables parents to pay school expenses and complete permission slips from their mobile, tablet or laptop. Now, all school invoices on eTAP can also be paid via Kindo with payments flowing directly into the SMS without manual reconciliation or data entry.

This will dramatically cut down interruptions and data entry in the school office. It will also make it quick and easy for working parents to action payments and respond to school opportunities, like fundraisers, sports team sign ups and trips.

Kindo founder and CEO, Sandra Finlay says schools using Kindo have already seen payments coming in more quickly.

“Now that Kindo can act as a seamless extension of eTAP, schools will be able to focus office resources on more valuable activities, rather than payment reconciliation and updating records.”

Allowing part payments is another feature that is set to make parents and schools very happy, she says.

“Parents can easily see what they owe and what payments are outstanding, then choose to pay all or some of each amount. Many schools already manage this manually but it’s a time-consuming job that requires an intuitive knowledge of a family’s wishes.

“The integration between eTAP and Kindo empowers families to decide how to step out their payments without complicating things for school administrators. Payments made through Kindo will be posted directly into eTAP without passing through anyone’s hands.”

Administration and accounts team at Stonefields School, Ellie Bramwell and Lauren Wessels, are excited about the time savings that the integration offers. “Now that the two systems can talk to each other it’s a dream come true,” Ellie says. “It totally takes away manual reconciliation, cutting out such a mundane part of the process.”

This creation of a single ‘centre of truth’ for all pupil-related payments also makes it easier for schools to run off ‘real-time’ reports for staff members, so they can see how many families have paid for each activity at any given time.

Ellie Bramwell from Stonefields School

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Cutting out a boring task and allowing parents to pay at their convenience is a win-win for parents and the school.

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now,” Ellie says. “Payments download automatically into eTAP without us touching the system. It’s such a bonus for administrators.”

Ellie Bramwell used to see manual reconciliation of payments as a mindnumbing, but important part of her role, but she’s enjoying being able to give it away, safe in the knowledge that automation means the job will get done accurately.

“We’re now less likely to work through our morning tea and lunch breaks and we have more time for the kids. It makes perfect sense,” she concludes.

“Cutting out a boring task and allowing parents to pay at their convenience is a a win-win for parents and the school.”

Ellerslie School finance manager, Dawn Findlay is finding the Kindo/eTAP combination popular with parents, simplifies payment processing and cuts down on admin time. “We sent out reminder letters about children’s expenses at the beginning of term one with a link to Kindo. Over the following weekend we got a flood of money in through Kindo.

“By the end of February we had around 350 transactions through for our fees, which represents about half of our school families. More families sign up for Kindo with every reminder we send out.”

Dawn estimates that Kindo is cutting out an hour to an hour and a half of admin time every day, plus saving the school money on paper and consumables.

“Because Kindo integrates with our SMS, we don’t have to write receipts or enter and reconcile payments into our system manually. It also eliminates any human errors caused by constant interruptions in the office – our systems are all streamlined now.”

Stonefields is just one school that has Schools wanting to find out more can seen money coming in more quickly contact Kindo on (09) 869 5200 or go to since it started using Kindo at the end www.kindo.co.nz of 2012. “And it’s even more efficient www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 2, 2016 | 19

Working Space | Property

The benefits of the burgess system Paws for thought Matting and surfacing products made to your specifications ANIMAL EDUCATION

The reasons for using and benefits of a Burgess Wetpour system are varied. This great playground surface enables your matting to be installed as a continuous installation, flowing around equipment and poles, leaving no gaps, rolling over mounds and following contoured surfaces.

Some of the key features for using this system are: • Continuous installation, flowing around equipment and poles, leaving no gaps, rolling over mounds and following contoured surfaces • Fabulous coloured options and you can join these with a pattern or design of your choice and you have your own unique playground

Impact Pads for areas where a softer landing is needed, scuff pads, DIY modular long run and tiles, deck and ramp matting are also BMS specialties.

The benefits of these products include: • Make it non slip and safe

• 100 percent recycled rubber.

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We manufacture and supply many different types of domestic, industrial, recreational and commercial entrance matting.

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Wetpour is installed onsite in a similar way to pouring concrete. The resulting surface is dry and ready to play on the following day. One sqm shockpads are laid over a compacted base and then 15mm of rubber is laid on top (In line with safety standards). The thickness of the rubber applied is dependant on the required fall heights and substates.

Unique patterns and designs can easily be incorporated into this flexible system. It is the most economic of systems for larger installations and can be contoured and moulded over existing mounds etc.

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• Wetpour requires minimal maintenance – forget the days of topping up bark • Will last for many years as it’s very durable • Base preparation prior to the matting installation is of the utmost importance and can add years to your playground surface.

Burgess Matting offers a free, no obligation measure and quote. A sales representative can meet with you to discuss the matting systems which are suitable for your requirements.

Invest in BMS Wetpour Playground Matting and provide your children with a safe and enjoyable environment and give yourself the benefit of reduced maintenance.

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Providing Recycled Rubber Safety Solutions Custom Made to your Specifications • Playground Wetpour Safety Surfacing • Playground Rubber rolls for self installation • Non-slip deck matting • Custom made doorway threshold ramps • Impact pads for under swings and slides • Cricket practice matting

20 | Term 2, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz

– THE MISSING LINK IN NZ’S CURRICULUM

By Lydia Truesdale

With the help of education leaders, the SPCA has developed an in-depth education programme for primary and intermediate schools that fosters understanding, compassion and respect towards animals, including responsible behaviour and pet ownership.

The SPCA’s new animal welfare education programme is now available to teachers nationwide, after a successful pilot programme in Auckland primary and intermediate schools.

The programme’s resources have been developed to fit the mould of the New Zealand curriculum, as well as aligning with the SPCA’s mission to prevent cruelty towards animals.

Primary and intermediate teachers across the country can gain free, unlimited access to the extensive collection of teaching and learning materials by registering online at www.teachers.spcaeducation.org.nz.

Heavily researched approach “The SPCA’s animal welfare education programme has been uniquely designed to integrate into the New Zealand curriculum, making animal welfare a real life, meaningful context to apply and learn these subjects through, rather than through one-off visits,” says SPCA Auckland education manager Nicole Peddie.

Research suggests the most effective time to provide an animal education programme is when students are between the age of seven and 12 – the target age group for the SPCA’s programme.

The hands-on, didactic programme draws on proven educational methods and resources, offering engaging and ongoing learning experiences, including digital interactive portals for both students and teachers.

The programme sees students using mathematics to calculate the costs of owning a pet, developing their linguistic and persuasive argument skills through messages to the community regarding issues like the importance of de-sexing pets, and practicing their social skills in unfamiliar and diverse contexts.

A well received programme The independent research company evaluating the pilot results, NZCER,

notes that teachers’ responses to the programme have been “overwhelmingly positive”.

Similarly, pre and post survey data showed a “strong shift in students’ knowledge and understanding about animal welfare”.

Nicole says the programme is a huge step in the right direction, aiming to “reach an entire generation of New Zealanders to encourage the humane treatment of animals among future adults”.

The programme may present wider benefits too; numerous studies have shown that the way we treat animals is closely related to the way we treat people.

“If a child is consistently exposed to responsible pet ownership practice and empathetic treatment of living things, it is highly likely that the child will begin to practise those same behaviours, and these behaviours are likely to become instinctive and that child’s ‘norm’,” Nicole says.

Teacher and student benefits “We’re really conscious of teachers’ workloads, so we designed the education programme to specifically fit in with schools and to actually support teachers with their planning and curriculum delivery,” Nicole says.

“The Teachers’ Portal is a suite of ready made units for teachers to use in the classroom, saving them hours or even days of lesson planning and preparation time.”

Through the portal, teachers will have access to lesson plans, suggested learning experiences, printable and digital materials and assessment templates covering New Zealand Curriculum achievement objectives.

The Kids’ Portal was designed as a fun, interactive learning platform full of engaging photos, writing, arts, video, animation and quizzes. It caters to different learning styles and levels, meaning everyone in the classroom can use it for enquiry-based learning.

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Working Space | ICT

Websites for schools wanting more The SchoolWeb Website Content Management System (CMS) is an easy and cost effective way for schools of all sizes to implement a website.

The system allows schools to log in to a password protected system and maintain their website. Unlike other competing systems, SchoolWeb allows full control over creating and amending webpages, and it’s almost as straightforward as using Microsoft Word.

You do not need any knowledge of HTML, web programming, or how to upload your site using complicated FTP software. You can update the site from wherever you have a web-browser and an Internet connection.

Let’s say it’s been a few years since your website was given a facelift, then SchoolWeb may be the answer you’ve been looking for. The CMS is an easy and cost effective way for schools of all sizes to implement a website.

To begin with, your website is designed by a professional graphic designer, who goes to great lengths to ensure that the graphical design reflects the unique culture of the school. Then free training is provided to get you started and there are no expensive yearly licensing fees.

Now of course you’ll want to update, improve and adapt your site as time goes on, so all the editing is done through the CMS system that’s easy enough for even the most technophobic classroom teachers and admin staff to use.

Life online Developing a culture of digital citizenship Digital literacy is no longer the intriguing abstraction it was 15 years ago – it’s now an all encompassing component of 21st century life and a vital tool for school leavers making their way in the world.

• Digitising education resources and creating new resources for schools using a range of digital formats

Then there’s the fact that modern techheavy devices are massively handy, can be very practical, quite informative and a whole heap of fun.

• N4L POND - a central hub for digital discovery and participation, enabling teachers to collaborate, and educational resources to be created, accessed and shared easily

But, like most things, it all starts with education. The good news is, today, around 90 percent of schools are now connected to the $211 million N4L Managed Network and work is underway to harness the power of digital technologies to transform teaching and learning.

As well as a general website media, SchoolWeb features ways for staff to collaborate, parents to participate, children to communicate and the whole community to share in the activities of schools in a safe way moderated by the schools.

Newsletters, calendars, homework downloads, classroom projects with visitor and parent comments, forums, rosters, resource bookings, calendars, blogs and surveys are among the many abilities of the SchoolWeb system.

The schools are in control and anything is possible.

Another focus is the growing trend towards integrating content from external websites. Schoolweb allows content from Youtube, Teachertube, Slideshare, Twitter, Blogger, Google Apps and numerous other style sites to be easily embedded into the system.

Schools can obtain more information from either www.schoolweb.co.nz or by calling 0800 48 48 43

More than 2,282 schools are now connected to the Managed Network with the rollout running about a year ahead of schedule, and the remaining 10 percent of schools will be able to connect this year.

Associate Education Minister, Nikki Kaye says providing state of the art infrastructure is one way of helping schools make the most of digital technology for learning, and ensuring that New Zealand has a world leading, digitally enabled education system.

“The Government believes that to participate successfully in the future, young people today need to be learning a range of 21st century digital skills,” she says.

“We’re also supporting schools to provide innovative, digitally enabled teaching and learning practices, access to high quality online content and resources, and equitable access to digital devices.”

Some examples of work already underway include: • Enabling all schools to connect to the N4L Managed Network by the end of 2016, with access for state, stateintegrated and partnership schools fully funded by the Government • Delivering a digital strategy across the agencies that administer our education system, to integrate IT systems and allow each student’s record of learning to follow them from early childhood to tertiary and beyond • Including digital literacy as an indicator in ERO reviews from mid-2016 • Moving at least three NCEA digital examination subjects online by 2018 • Having the NZQA external moderation service fully online by 2019 • Having all NCEA external examinations online by 2020, and after 2020, moving progressively to online exams on demand, anytime, anywhere

22 | Term 2, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz

• Reviewing the position and content of digital technologies in the curriculum • Prioritising digital fluency in future professional development for teachers

• Supporting schools and communities of learning to share models of effective practice to achieve equitable access to digital technologies, such as Manaiakalani: an initiative enabling families to buy devices on affordable lease-to-buy arrangements, and access their school’s network via community WIFI 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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There is more work to do to ensure all students can benefit from digital technologies, and we will also adapt our approach as new technologies emerge.

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“The Government’s commitment to ensuring our students and teachers are digitally fluent is reflected in our investment of $700 million towards digital infrastructure in schools, and tens of millions of dollars towards online content and professional support for teachers,” Nikki says.

“It is clear to me that New Zealand is a world leader in many areas, including providing high quality digital infrastructure and innovative teaching practices.

“There is more work to do to ensure all students can benefit from digital technologies, and we will also adapt our approach as new technologies emerge.

“Our schools are opening up an exciting world of digital learning for students. This is helping to prepare them for a world in which being a fluent user of digital technology will be intrinsic to their careers and everyday lives.

“We can be proud of the innovative learning environments that our schools are providing to help equip them for this future.”

An interactive map of all participating schools in the N4L Managed Network can be viewed at: www.n4l.co.nz/ managednetwork/rollout/