School News NZ - Term 4 - 2011 by Multimedia AU/NZ

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The Essential Management Guide for Education Industry Professionals

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A principal’s vision

Mahinawa Specialist School

Essential Reading for Principals • Department Heads • Property Managers • Professionals

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ISSN 1178-9964

SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES $42 for 12 Months $72 for 24 Months Phone (03) 365 5575 subscriptions@schoolnews.co.nz www.schoolnews.co.nz ADVERTISING Stewart Shimmin (03) 974 1036 advertising@schoolnews.co.nz PUBLISHER Darren Willis publisher@schoolnews.co.nz EDITOR Christine de Felice editor@schoolnews.co.nz PRODUCTION Kim Armstrong-Fray Richard McGill studio@schoolnews.co.nz

sn inside 2011 will go down as probably the most difficult year ever experienced by educators and their students since education began in Christchurch. The hardships and challenges that have been faced this year can’t be under-estimated. Yet, despite disrupted days, tiring journeys, broken school buildings and emotional traumas, the teaching and learning continued.

In our News section we introduce students with a diversity of talents, from entrepreneurship to cooking, and one student reports on the way he and some of his fellow students are mapping out the future of their school.

Site sharing entered the terminology, and it was the kindness and support from the staff and students at the schools that opened their doors to the visitors that made the earthquake experiences so much easier to deal with. The Kiwi spirit shone through.

And for students with a practical bent, we explore different ways they can gain practical skills at school and go on to enjoy a fulfilling career.

Other good things have happened too. A new school for special needs students, Mahinawa, opened in Porirua. We find out how the principal Fay Stanton’s dream became a reality.

The Essential Management Guide for Education Industry Professionals

Fundraising has become an indispensable tool for today’s schools. We look at some of the innovative ideas out there for swelling the coffers.

With Term 4 underway, and school winding up in a few weeks, we at School News hope you all end the year with a sense of fulfillment, and look forward to an even more satisfying and successful year in 2012. And for those in Christchurch, we hope it will be a much more peaceful year too.

A principal’s vision

Mahinawa Specialist School

Essential Reading for Principals • Department Heads • Property Managers • Professionals

• NEWS • EDUCATION

• ADMINISTRATION • HEALTH & SAFETY

• SPORTS & RECREATION • FOOD & BEVERAGE

• PROPERTY • PROFILES

Issue 15 | Term 4 - 2011

Christine de Felice, Editor

CONTRIBUTORS Graeme Yule, Christian Silver, Brent Leslie, Soraya Nicholas, New Zealand Red Cross, Tim Fastnedge, Lawrence Wallis

School News is distributed quarterly to all primary, intermediate and secondary schools nationwide and selected tertiary education providers by Multimedia Publishing, publishers of leading industry and consumer

titles. Views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or Multimedia Publishing Limited. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information in Schoolnews, however the information contained in Schoolnews is intended to act as a guide only. The publisher, authors and editors expressly disclaim all liability for the results of action taken or not taken on the basis of information contained herein. We recommend professional advice is sought before making important business decisions © 2011. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

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news 4. News in brief 8. Ministry News 9. Principal speaks 12. Student’s perspective

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News in Brief

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Primary schools needed for research project The School of Architecture at Victoria University, Wellington needs local schools to take part in a research project to test architecturally designed solutions for noisy New Zealand classrooms. The Oticon Foundation in New Zealand has awarded the School of Architecture a research grant to develop and test innovative acoustic solutions in primary schools. “With the Oticon Foundation backing, we are now looking for primary schools with classrooms with different acoustic features to take part in the research,” Natasha Perkins, lecturer, School of Architecture said. “We are prototyping acoustic ceiling forms and an acoustic ‘pod’ that will create a quiet zone for students to work in.”

The research will involve testing the acoustic solutions in a range of classroom spaces including openplan classrooms, those with concrete walls, or concrete piles and with different floor coverings. Industry support for the programme includes material supplier Autex New Zealand and technical support from Marshall Day Acoustics. “Research into our classrooms shows most are too noisy and children have difficulty hearing, which affects their ability to learn,” Karen Pullar, secretary to the Oticon Foundation said. “The foundation hopes that in the long term the research grant to the School of Architecture will help with the development and production of cost-effective acoustic solutions that can be available to schools across the country.”

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Issue 412- 2011 Term - Term 4 - 2011

The research project aims to develop and test acoustic solutions to create classroom spaces that reduce the medical, social and language issues that affect children’s ability to learn. The acoustic prototypes were expected to be ready to test in term four. Schools interested in finding out more about the project should contact Natasha Perkins at the School of Architecture, email natasha.perkins@vuw.ac.nz.

Nominations increase for teaching awards A total of 617 nominations have been submitted by parents, secondary student councils, boards of trustees, management committees, and community organisations for the 2011-2012 round of the NEiTA Foundation’s national excellence in teaching and leadership awards.

Of these, 501 nominations are for teaching excellence and 116 for leadership excellence. Early childhood nominations total 123, with 381 primary and intermediate nominations and 113 secondary nominations. Now in their 16th year, the awards, sponsored by ASG Education Programs New Zealand and Cognition Education, have averaged 392 nominations each cycle Brother Pat Lynch, convenor of the NEiTA selection panel, said nominations covered the diversity of teachers and leaders who make up the teaching profession. “The silver bullet in creating an effective learning environment is for teachers to establish a classroom culture which is inspiring and engaging for students – a simple

yet complex recipe to achieve for successful teaching. “New Zealand has endured a number of disasters, making this a difficult year. It is heart-warming to know that so many people took the time to praise those excellent teachers and leaders in our school communities who are committed to improving the aspirations and educational outcomes for children,” Brother Lynch said. Teachers working in areas affected by the Pike River mining disaster and the Christchurch earthquakes were praised by their nominators for their support of local families and their students. Nominators said that although the homes of some school families and teachers were destroyed, the teachers never let their own problems interfere with their commitment to their pupils. Many noted the compassion and understanding shown by teachers as they and their children dealt with the effects of the earthquakes on their schools, homes and daily lives. Nominated teachers and leaders will now complete a further submission prior to the selection process early next year when 20 area representatives will be selected to receive regional awards for excellence in Teaching and Leadership in Wellington next May. From these, 10 recipients will receive national awards at their schools or centres later in 2012. National awardees will receive professional development grants from a pool totaling $35,000. Two $5000 and three $2500 grants will each be made for excellence in teaching and for excellence in leadership.

Free e-waste disposal scheme launched Technology leasing specialist Equico recently launched its Equico Eco initiative in the Waikato, aimed at helping schools in the area dispose of old or unused technology equipment in an environmentally friendly way. Equico Eco is a free programme designed to improve the

sustainability of New Zealand’s schools. Under the initiative, Equico arranges the collection of electronic waste, including old PCs and monitors, directly from participating schools. Unwanted equipment is then disposed of using accredited recycling technology. Equico Eco campaigns in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch have seen more than 130 schools participate and over 40 tonnes of electronic waste collected. This included an estimated 1200 desktop PCs; 1050 monitors; 200 laptops and almost 230 printers. “Electronic waste is one of the fastest-growing challenges facing the environment today. As a key facilitator of technology equipment to New Zealand schools, Equico is committed to helping our schools dispose of old and unused technology equipment in a safe, inexpensive and sustainable way,” Equico managing director, Paul Beattie said. “Equico Eco gives those participating the ability to dispose of e-waste safely and sustainably, without having to worry about the cost and resource associated with doing it themselves.” Kathy Paterson, associate principal at Hamilton Girls’ High School with specific responsibilities for e-learning and Digital Horizons, said Equico Eco was a great initiative which gave participating schools peace of mind that equipment is disposed of in a sustainable way. “ As a school we are always looking at ways to become more sustainable, and our parents and students are becoming increasingly aware of the impact our actions have on the environment. We are pleased to be part of the Equico Eco campaign and recycling e-waste is a very practical way to make a difference. Equico providing this as a free service and helping us to recycle our old IT goods is a real help to our school,” Mrs Paterson said. Equico Eco is being rolled out to other regions throughout New Zealand in the next few months.

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News in Brief

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Students the heroes in burger competition Contestants in the 2011 Beef + Lamb New Zealand secondary school burger competition grand final held in October were praised by the judges for their exceptionally high standards. The competition, run by Beef + Lamb New Zealand, encourages students to turn a base product of beef or lamb into an awardwinning burger, taking into account nutritional value, degree of cooking, flavour harmony and presentation. Winner of the junior section, Jessica Clayton from Kerikeri High School, won $500 for herself and $1000 for her school with her prime New Zealand beef and mushroom burger; she also took home a chef’s kit valued at $350. “Jessica presented the whole package and the beef had an amazing flavour which really enhanced the burger,” 2010 Commonwealth gold medalist and competition judge, Alison Shanks said. Kate McDonald from St Hilda’s Collegiate School in Dunedin, the winner of the senior section, produced a lamb burger with mint aioli, beetroot relish, and a side of kumara fries and horopito salt. Kate won $750 for herself plus $1000 for her school and a chef’s kit. The junior heat was judged by

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Alison Shanks and the senior heat was judged by teenage cook, Claire Gourley. Also judging were Brian Wallace and Henry Spence, chef tutors at the Manukau Institute of Technology. Wallace said the students should be extremely proud of their achievements in this competition as they all managed to showcase beef and lamb products beautifully. “The criteria calls for beef and lamb to stand out as the hero of the dish and each student achieved this. However, I think the real heroes of the day are the students.” The competition was held at Manukau Institute of Technology, Catering and Hospitality School, in Auckland.

Kate McDonald, St. Hilda’s Collegiate School, Dunedin

Full results are as follows:

Juniors First place: Jessica Clayton, Kerikeri High School Second place: Trisha Castillo, Wellington High School Third place: Matt Dickie, Akaroa Area School, Canterbury

Seniors First place: Kate McDonald, St. Hilda’s Collegiate School, Dunedin Second place: Aygnin Ing, Manurewa High School, Auckland Third place: Jenny Carrick, Palmerston North Girls’ High School.

Jessica Clayton, Kerikeri High School

Journal design wins award A School Journal that is part of a series published to redress a historical grievance has won the Pearson Award for best educational book design at the Publishers Association of New Zealand’s (PANZ) 2011 Book Design Awards. It was designed by Jodi Wicksteed, senior designer at Learning Media, publisher of the School Journal. The judges commented: “This journal impressed us with the creative use of the white feather behind the masthead and the mystical illustration on the cover. The design gives the journal a sense of liveliness and maintains the individuality of stories and articles, whilst upholding the distinctive feel of the School Journal.” The illustration on the cover by Andrew Burdan depicts the escape of Moriori children from invading tribes Ngāti Mutunga and Ngāti Tama. The white feather symbolises the Moriori commitment to non-

Term 4 - 2011

violence. Wicksteed has worked for Learning Media for nine years, and is passionate about design that supports learning outcomes. The School Journal has been published since 1907, and in 1916 it published incorrect information about the Moriori, stating among other things, that they were of Melanesian and not Polynesian descent, that they were driven out of mainland New Zealand by the arrival of the Māori, and that they were extinct as a race. None of this was true. In February 2011, the Minister of Education Anne Tolley visited the Chatham Islands to launch three special editions of the School Journal and five Māori language books published to set the record straight. They tell the truth about the Moriori’s 600-year commitment to non-violence, and celebrate Moriori language, culture and identity.

News in Brief

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Entrepreneurial students display their skills The business skills of Auckland south’s secondary school students took centre stage at an annual trade fair held at Manukau Square in late August. More than 150 students sold products and services produced by their own companies as part of the nationwide Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES). It was the first time the trade fair had been held in Manukau Square, and the central location increased the foot traffic from surrounding public shopping areas. As well as trading to the public, the stalls were eligible for two trade fair awards judged by three ‘mystery’ judges. ALIYES from Auckland Seventh Day Adventist High School won the best customer service and sales award for its emergency survival kit inspired by the Christchurch earthquake. Two teams won the top prize for best trade fair stand award – PLUS from Macleans College with its

Pukekohe High School students, left to right, Antonia Schubauer, Ruby Judson and Joel Edwards at their iCare stand.

eco-friendly soap made from used coffee beans and iCare from Pukekohe High School with its organic-certified pet treats. Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development’s manager business development - south, Yvette Hellyer, was impressed by the entrepreneurial talents shown

at the trade fair. “The YES programme is an amazing foundation for today’s youth, who are learning skills that could help to mould them into tomorrow’s business leaders,” Ms Hellyer said. “Trade fair gave these student companies the perfect opportunity to sell directly to the public and

test out their product and perfect their sales pitch. The judges were impressed with the innovation, talent and enthusiasm that these kids are injecting into the programme.” YES is a hands-on scheme requiring students to establish and run a real business. It fosters tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, giving them the opportunity to form a company, create a business plan, and produce goods or services to sell. Students learn all aspects of running a business including budgeting, decision making, managing risk, market research, marketing, selling and annual financial reporting. The Yes programme culminates in a regional awards ceremony in early November. The top south Auckland company will then represent the area at a national competition held in Wellington. Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development runs the Young Enterprise Scheme in north, south and central Auckland.

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Ministry News

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Further support for secondary teachers Four further support days for secondary school teachers, as they implement the new curriculumaligned achievement standards for NCEA levels one, two and three, will be provided over the next two years. Two teacher-only professional development days will be provided to schools in 2012, with two further teacher-only days available in 2013. These are in addition to the two professional support days which have already been announced for 2011. “This follows recommendations from a working group which I set up, involving PPTA, the Secondary Principals’ Association (SPANZ), NZQA and the Ministry, to address any issues around teacher workload as the standards continue to be phased-in,” Education Minister Anne Tolley said. “The curriculum changes and subsequent changes to assessment standards are critically important, and these additional support days will allow teachers to access professional development to help build their capability. “Schools will now be able to give parents and students plenty of notice about the teacher-only days, and plan their professional development for 2012 and 2013 well in advance. “The support days are part of a package to help schools and teachers, and more details of this will be announced soon.” The teacher-only days are optional and dates will be decided by individual school

Ministry apologises for funding confusion The Ministry of Education has contacted private schools to apologise for any confusion caused by an overpayment for the 2011 school year and clarify funding for 2012. Secretary for Education Karen Sewell said the 2011 rates were set incorrectly. “Budget 2009 added $10 million in funding for private schools. Some of this was allocated to the new Aspire Scholarships. When determining the 2011 pool, this amount was not excluded.

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“Private schools received almost $2.5 million more than they should have for the 2011 school year. The Ministry apologises for this mistake and we are reviewing our systems to ensure the correct rates are applied in the future,” Ms Sewell said. Private schools will receive their correct rates for 2012. While this is less than received in 2011, it is what they should receive. Ms Sewell wrote to schools explaining the difference in funding levels between the 2011 and 2012 school years. “No school or student will be disadvantaged by this. The Ministry will not seek to recover the overpayment from schools,” she said.

Ultra-fast broadband connections by July 2012 Nearly 100,000 students at 221 schools around the country will have ultra-fast broadband-enabling fibre connected by July 2012, Education Minister Anne Tolley and Communications and IT Minister Steven Joyce have announced. Mr Joyce said 97 per cent of schools will receive ultra-fast fibre enabling speeds of 100 Mbps plus over the

Anne Tolley Minister of Education

“

Mr Joyce said 97 per cent of schools will receive ultra-fast fibre enabling speeds of 100 Mbps plus over the next five years.

next five years. “The remaining three per cent of schools, which are in the most remote locations, will receive a high-speed wireless or satellite connection. No schools will miss out.” UFB will transform New Zealand’s education system, making it one of the most wired in the world, Mrs Tolley said. “Fewer than 200 New Zealand schools currently have bandwidth capable of the ultra-fast broadband speeds that are essential for applications such as high-definition, two-way video conferencing. “This technology means that students anywhere in New Zealand can have access to the

best teachers and online resources anywhere in the world.”

New scholarships for Christchurch students Year 13 Christchurch students whose plans for tertiary study may have been affected by the recent earthquakes will have access to $1 million of funding for new scholarship awards. The Canterbury Earthquake Scholarships will provide $2000 each year for three years of study for 160 students. “This additional financial support will help students take on tertiary study after what has been a traumatic time,” Education Minister Anne Tolley said. 12

Principal Speaks

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21st-century learning at Scots College

chools today in New Zealand face a real challenge in preparing 21st-century learners. We are now educating students who will live their lives in the greatest time of change humankind has ever known. If we look back 20 years there were few if any computers, no internet, and no social media, which now are part of daily life. Indeed, when we started our scan there were no tablets/ipads, which have again revolutionised education in the last 12 months. How then do we prepare our students for this future when we are uncertain as to what it may look like? What we do know is that everincreasing change will be a certainty, and this coupled with the increasing access to knowledge via the internet means our traditional didactic approach where teachers were “the sage on the stage” and students simply regurgitated this knowledge is no longer effective.

Headmaster Graeme Yule chatting with senior students

Teachers are increasingly becoming “the guide on the side”. Students have virtually unlimited data available to them – what they now need are the skills to synthesise and critically analyse this data to make meaningful decisions. Increasingly, this is being done in an online and co-creative environment. After careful consideration of the strategic direction, and consultation

with college stakeholders ,the board resolved in 2007 to implement all three International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes in the college. The IB programmes are also delivered in an interdisciplinary manner with an emphasis on global, cultural and environmental issues. It was felt that these approaches would best prepare our students for the everchanging world they will live in.

The college curriculum has been modified to add compulsory language from Year 1 to 10 – and robotics and film with an increasing importance being placed on the arts. Implementation of these programmes also led to heavy investment in the professional development of college staff, which was another key aspect in this decision. 10

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Principal Speaks

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Students in robotics class

9 Senior students in Years 11 to 13 now have a choice of qualification pathways, either NCEA or IB Diploma; rather than a one-size-fitsall model they can choose the style of learning and assessment that best suits them. A number of initiatives were also developed around this pedagogical decision.

The decision to move to a three-school structure A key challenge faced by the college was how to cope with a strong demand for places and subsequent growth, and yet maintain its culture and personalised education. The creation of new secondary houses and associated pastoral programmes has assisted in the aim of creating a school where each boy is known. Another key desire was to enhance accessibility to the college. The three-school model is based around the curriculum the college wishes to deliver, as well as the developmental ages and stages of our students. As a unique boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

New school building under construction

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college in New Zealand we are able to provide an education for students from Years 1 to 13. Research and trends from overseas in similar schools also showed a three-school approach delivered the following benefits: 1. The curriculum dictates the college structure, with Years 1 to 6 delivering the primary years programme (PYP), Years 7 to 10 the middle years programme (MYP) and Years 11 to 13 having a dual pathway on IB Diploma and NCEA. This creates a cohesive and seamless educational pathway from Years 1 to 13. 2. Structures and programmes have been put in place to match the age and developmental needs of students. 3. A structure where each boy is known 4. The model allows the college to grow in a controlled manner and plan for a sustainable future. The planned incremental growth allows for some economies and aids our goal of increasing accessibility for families.

Facilities development

Technology

As we looked at how we could deliver our programmes it became clear that we needed to broaden our curriculum from the traditional subjects which, while still important, did not provide all skills necessary for the 21st-century learner. Creativity, we felt, was an important aspect needed by our students, and increasingly there is a real synergy between arts, science and technology. In partnership with WETA and Park Road Post Production we have built a new creative and performing arts centre, which opens in January 2012 bringing together art, graphics, music and drama and adding such courses as digital animation, robotics, 3D printing, film and sound recording. The ability to learn from world leaders is another key feature, with schools being able to leverage off their knowledge and expertise. In addition we have also partnered with Cricket Wellington in the development of a new indoor cricket centre, which also doubles as a second gymnasium for college students.

Heavy investment has occurred in the area of ICT with the upgrade of our internal network and switches, connection to KAREN (the educational research network), provision of datashows and interactive whiteboards in all classrooms and importantly the development of our college intranet â&#x20AC;&#x153;Scot-eâ&#x20AC;?. The new structure is not designed to limit students to any single device or learning style but rather to faciliate access to whatever device students need for their learning, anywhere, any time. We have also planned for real-time parental access to student information from next year in areas such as reporting, and goal setting, thus creating a co-creative environment. As with many schools we are seeking to provide the best possible curriculum, staffing resources and programmes to allow the students of our colleges to excel and become the future leaders of our nation and world. By Graeme Yule, Headmaster, Scots College

Covered sports centre under construction

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Student’s Perspective

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Mapping our school’s future

Christian Silver Year 10 Kristin Middle School

n March this year the Sustainable Future Institute team held a conference in Wellington; StrategyNZ – Mapping Our Future. One hundred people came from all over the country to envisage what they wanted a future New Zealand to look like and how they would go about getting there. These people formed groups and went through a complex process to come up with a strategy map, clearly outlining their vision. Four students from Kristin attended this conference myself included. I found the conference inspiring to say the least – the diverse groups worked so well together and created a fantastic result. On my return, I spoke with Mr Heath, the principal of Kristin Middle School, and we decided to take the concept and build a strategic think-tank for students to discuss the future of Kristin School. My goal was to take the ideas of students from all over the school and put them down on paper. In the weeks leading up to the event I organised some ‘working lunches’ where inspirational people from the school community spoke to student participants about key aspects to consider. All students were invited to participate, with the catered lunches providing an incentive. The main event, Futures@ Kristin, was held over two days in September and kicked off with guest speaker Wendy McGuiness of the Sustainable Futures Institute, who was behind the original StrategyNZ

8 “Students showed great resilience following the February earthquake, with many having to share school sites and go to school in shifts, and these scholarships will ease the burden for some whose families have been affected financially. “The application process was developed along with schools and communities. Schools will be working with students to complete their applications, while the students can nominate community members to speak in favour of their application.

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Students who attended the conference discussing their ideas for the school’s future

conference. Her presentation was insightful and covered some of the factors required to think about the future. Over 40 students from Years 7-11 attended Futures@Kristin and were asked “What could Kristin be like in 2021?” These participants were split in eight randomly assembled groups and worked tirelessly over the two days to cover the four steps of strategy mapping:

Vision The short phrase explaining where they wanted Kristin to go. This was a chance to get all of their ideas on paper.

“I have also told NZQA to ensure that the number of scholarships for highachieving students is maintained at the same level as previous years.” The new scholarships will be available to students who are enrolled and studying at Year 13 at any Canterbury secondary school, including state, private and integrated schools in Christchurch, Waimakariri and Selwyn. Successful students can then enrol for 2012 in a course of tertiary study for one year or longer. The Ministry is contacting schools with information on how students can apply for the scholarships.

Vision Advantage Scope (VAS) Formalising their ideas and beginning to outline requirements for the vision.

Strategy Map Creating specific themes around their vision and creating the specific steps to reach their vision. Taking these ideas and putting them in a ‘map’ format.

Presentation Creating a story around their vision – what Kristin will look like in 2021. Their presentation had to have their strategy map and a mock cover of the school magazine, Kaleidoscope. A variety of different ideas came

Consultation on Canterbury education Communities and the education sector in Canterbury are to have the opportunity to take part in consultation on the future of education in the area following the recent earthquakes. The feedback received will contribute to a draft Education Renewal Plan for greater Christchurch. The Ministry of Education will be inviting representatives from the education sector, community members and business leaders to a series of meetings to provide the

up, ranging from rooftop gardens to check-in class rooms. Needless to say, every group came up with a strategy map that could be applied to the school’s future. Two winning groups were chosen and will be presenting to the principals and the board of governors later this year. The atmosphere at Futures@ Kristin was constantly buzzing with excitement, and the students who took part felt very fulfilled with what they achieved. There is even word of the concept being applied to other schools through the Sustainable Futures Institute.

chance to discuss options and give feedback. The wider community, including students, parents, teachers and employers, is also being encouraged to take part and provide valuable feedback at http://shapingeducation. minedu.govt.nz The consultation will run until November 13, after which the Ministry will analyse submissions before reporting back to Cabinet. This will then contribute to a draft Education Renewal Plan which is scheduled to be released for widespread community consultation in the New Year.

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Term 4 - 2011

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administration Supplier Profile | Office Products Depot

Your office supply heroes Office Products Depot, New Zealand’s largest independently owned and operated business to business office supplies company for 20 years, is extending their offering to the education market. With over 80 Account Managers on the road year round they offer all their customers the confidence of knowing that if they need help, they can have a real person at your school in no time at all. In the days of mail order or website ordering only, they recognise that having a real person to visit and speak to when making decisions is invaluable. The brand is supported by the tagline “your office supply heroes” which sums up perfectly the passionate, personal service they pride themselves on delivering. It is this dedicated focus on service that really sets them apart from their competitors. They value their customers, love their products, and love what they do. That’s why they are proud to stand by their mantra that “No one loves your school like we do”. With outlets across the country, you can access the supplies you need quickly. They also offer the convenience of online shopping through their website which includes their full school and business ranges. In most cases they can deliver the next day. When time is of the essence, it is easy to see why their customers call them “office supply heroes”. As an owner operated group, you deal directly with a local member of your community. Being local gives them the chance to get to know you, your school, and its needs properly. They can find a solution that delivers for your school. Many of their owners are active participants in your community and you may already know them. They offer an extensive range which should fulfil the needs of schools at any level. They have a School Solutions catalogue tailored to the education market, featuring the most popular products demanded by schools, along with current pricing and a handy order form. This is revised regularly ensuring you always have access to the most popular ranges used across the country. They pride themselves on going the extra mile so, if you need something specific, and it exists, they will find it for you! They also have full business, furniture, and specialist catalogues that they are happy to provide if you need to source something extra. With strong relationships with the major suppliers in the industry they have access to anything that a supplier may produce. Office Products Depot believes in adding real value to your school, not just through pricing. They always strive to establish long term partnerships with their customers.

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Term 4 - 2011

They are sure reliability, great personalised service and fast deliveries are just as much of a consideration for schools as the mighty dollar. In addition, they are part of an international buying group which ensures they will always be extremely competitive in their pricing. In addition to competitive pricing they love giving back to their community and offer some exciting incentives for schools to choose them as their provider. Check out their latest catalogue to see what is on offer. You can be sure you are in with a great chance to win and extend your budget with some

really exciting prizes that you staff and students will love. Some of their outlets also have retail offerings. This is perfect if you need the convenience of stopping in at your local outlet for last minute needs. They offer a staff discount card that extends the pricing in their catalogue to any teacher who wishes to shop on site. Schools can discuss this great initiative with their nearest outlet. It is easy to get started with Office Products Depot. All a school needs to do is contact their nearest Dealership to arrange for an Account Manager to come and review their needs. They can quickly set you up an account, enable you to shop online, and provide you with an easy to use catalogue and price list. To contact your local office supply heroes simply call 0800 OFFICE or visit their website www.opd.co.nz for full contact details. Office Products Depot looks forward to providing the New Zealand education market with an exciting new alternative to their supply needs.

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administration Supplier Profile | Croxley Stationery Limited

Green to the core You are one of the first lines of responsibility when it comes to implementing your school environmental policy. There’s a very simple action that you can take that will ensure your pupils are safe from carcinogenic, mutagenic, dyes, pigments or coatings on their exercise books. Specify WARWICK Environmental Choice approved school exercise books on your stationery list. Warwick is the trusted and iconic Kiwi brand that children have held in their hands since 1945. During our journey together, Warwick has come to see the world through the eyes of a child – simple and exciting. We understand that to change our world for the better, it takes more than words – it takes action. For us it all starts with our dayto-day integration of environmental management and it ends with our range of Environmental Choice approved school exercise books

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Term 4 - 2011

made right here in New Zealand by Croxley.

Top of the class Robin Taylor, General Manager of Environmental Choice, says: “We congratulate Croxley in the considerable time and effort spent to ensure that all the elements of its Environmental Choice-licensed stationery items meet the specification. Among other things, the assessment looks at the processes employed in making pages and covers of exercise books, the coatings and pigments used, and of course the source of fibre. “For schools, the use of Environmental Choice-approved stationery provides a ready starting point for studying the curriculum issues relating to waste and energy management, with a practical example of the exercise books right in front of them,” says Taylor.

Here’s some key points about the product range. • Manufactured from 100% recycled fibre, waste wood from harvesting/processing operations, virgin fibre from sustainably managed sources, or a combination of these fibres. • Only made using virgin fibre from legally harvested sources. • Made by an organisation which aims to maximize post consumer recycled content, the % of virgin fibre that is

FSC (or equivalent) licensed or the % of fibre that is recycled, waste or FSC certified (order of preference) in mixed fibre products. • Contain no carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic or ecotoxic dyes, pigments or coatings. • Does not contain any azo dyes or pigments which release potentially carcinogenic amines. ECNZ specification is available at: www.environmentalchoice.org.nz

In the hands of a child, the glue matters. The glue you use in the classroom matters to your students, so use the glue kids know by name. Elmer’s school glues are made to perform for kids. They’re washable, easy to use and easy to clean up. Make sure your classroom has Elmer’s No Run School Glue, Elmer’s Glue Sticks in Disappearing Purple and the new, even stronger Elmer’s Glue-All.®

elmers.com

Visit elmers.com to find creative project ideas, classroom resources and more.

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Supplier Profile | Equico®

Give your students the best start with Equico® TEchnology iS moving

cited as the key challenges for

raPidly. almost daily there

schools seeking to upgrade their

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Providing today’s students with access to the very latest technology is essential to their future, and to ensuring that they can develop the digital literacy essential for tomorrow’s world. despite this, an alarming number of schools are still operating off legacy computers five or more years old with technology that is rapidly becoming more and more out of date, putting some students at a disadvantage. Budget and cashflow are often

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Term 4 - 2011

When choosing a technology

Equico® also takes environmental responsibility seriously and is committed to disposing of old and

often as is necessary or one would like. however, it does not have to be

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Supplier Profile | Elmer’s glue Sticks

Conditions Apply

Sticking with history For morE THaN sixty years, Elmer’s products have been providing americans with creative adhesive solutions that support project success and transform ideas into reality. Born in 1947, Elmer’s has grown with the market. Now a part of most american classrooms, households and workshops, Elmer’s boasts excellent adhesive quality and the level of ergonomic performance that can only result from the nurtured innovation that Elmer’s has enjoyed throughout the decades. Elmer’s ability to develop proven and practical adhesive solutions has long since earned it the number one seat in the North american market. In october 2011, Elmer’s hit the New Zealand shelves for the first time, available in all leading stationers. Schools and children can now enjoy the care-free performance of Elmer’s glue sticks and pourable glues. Featuring non-toxic, washable

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formulas and a range of different applications, Elmer’s is ideal for school projects, crafts and scrapbooking. Elmer’s is a product truly created for the consumer, nurtured by the consumer, and trusted by the consumer. To receive a free sample Elmer’s disappearing purple school glue stick email your contact details to customerservices1@jasco.co.nz

Order NOw... phone 09 295 0510 or email tarryn@interworld.co.nz

Term 4 - 2011

school news

Fundraising

administration

Fundraising can be profitable, worthwhile and fun

t has become an accepted part of the schooling system in New Zealand. Fundraising is the only way that most schools can offer their students the facilities and accessories that are now taken for granted. In part, it is driven by the perceived necessity for pupils to own a portable computer, but the demands on schools and parents are often far more prosaic. In the year to August 2010, cash-strapped parents had to apply for more than $6.3 million in advance benefits to pay for their children’s school uniforms, stationery and fees. Most principals and boards of governors will have wracked their brains about the best way of achieving a successful fundraising result. For their school to carry it out themselves they need to call on the good graces of staff and persuade busy parents to play their part, too. Much of the success or failure

will depend on whether there is at least one human dynamo with the requisite leadership skills among either the staff or parents. But fundraising can also be a lot of fun for pupils, staff, parents and even the local community. Coming up with the right idea to harness children’s boundless enthusiasm and energy will usually reap big dividends, particularly when adapted to local conditions. One example was the Great Grape Stomp in Queenstown held by the Remarkables Parent Association (RPA) this year in conjunction with the Remarkables Primary School and the Amisfield Wine Company, which donated the grapes. Their creation was the aptly named Squish Squash Squelch wine label. According to the RPA chairperson, the noise and energy created during the grape stomping was “staggering”. A magic ingredient can be a worthwhile community project

Head boy and girl from Paraki School, with Captain Starship

Supplier Profile | SKIDS

Engaging and fun out of school care THESE DayS, moST parents have little choice but to find before and/or after school care and also holiday programmes for their school-aged children, while they work or study. But naturally want it to be a safe, happy and fulfilling experience. It would be difficult for them to go past Safe Kids in Daily Supervision (sKids), formed in 1996 to provide just such child care. sKids now operates in 78 schools throughout New Zealand and has just opened their first programme in melbourne australia. The aim of sKids was always to be more than just babysitters, says chris Bartels. “We’re there to engage the children – to give them a fun time and make sure they’re happy. our individual owners are on-site and motivated to take

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Term 4 - 2011

responsibility for the children. They are not just staff members. “We provide an extremely professional service that also gives back to the school by way of an income, as well as becoming a valued part of the school community,” she said. sKids high standards encompass the following: • All new sKids team members must complete a specialised training programme. • Each team member are police vetted. • All sKids Centres are CYF’s (child, youth and Family) approved. • All sKids Centres are regularly monitored by the organisation’s network of area managers to maintain the high standards.

been "I have ith the w d e s s e impre lism of th are a n io s s y e profe th ranchise SKIDS F y, hassle-free an eas to deal with" tion organisa rincipal P ool ank Sch lo il W wb , AKL Howick

SKIDS will provide a FUN, SAFE, Out of School Care programme ON-SITE at your primary school. • Regular income for schools • Risk free • SKIDS manage the entire programme • No fuss for schools SKIDS is nationwide, successfully operating for 13 years and provides programmes in over 75 schools.

Contact: Chris on 0800 754 372 chris@skids.co.nz www.skids.co.nz

“

Fundraising

administration

Promotions such as sponsored walks and fun runs may well tap into the recent emphasis on maintaining health through activity.

when combined with school fundraising. A major success here has been the participation of more than 600 schools across the country in the Starship School Phone swap, a programme designed to help both the National Children’s Hospital, as well as the schools involved, to get valuable resources for their classrooms. The idea was for the children to collect as many old mobile phones as they could to raise funds for Starship’s Air Ambulance Service, which airlifts hundreds of children with life-threatening medical conditions to the hospital every year. But if schools decide to look for outside help, they will find no shortage of professional organisations willing to assist with advice, ideas or products.

Considerable care needed As with any project concerning money, a great deal of care should always be taken. One safeguard when working with outside organisations is to

make sure they are members of the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand (FINZ). FINZ is the professional body for fundraisers and organisations involved with charities and not-for-profits in New Zealand. It works with more than 200 such organisations on local, national and global issues. FINZ provides professional development training, a quarterly magazine, monthly e-newsletter, members’ area and discussion groups on the FINZ website. FINZ has an annual conference, mentoring, library services and advocacy along with other services to members. And however a school decides to raise funds, there are strict rules set out by the Ministry of Education that must be adhered to. A report from the Office of the Controller and AuditorGeneral, released in 2005, highlighted a number of inadvertent breaches of law among integrated schools, which had occurred in previous years.

“These findings raised some concerns about the financial relationships that exist between some proprietors and boards of trustees of integrated schools who are strongly advised to consult the Ministry’s guideline,” the report said.

Go with the flow One of the generally agreed principles when fundraising is to tap into current societal trends rather than trying to go against them. For instance, while children and people in general are being given a strong healthy-eating message there could well be resistance to featuring foods that could be considered fatty. On the other hand, promotions such as sponsored walks and fun runs may well tap into the recent emphasis on maintaining health through activity. Whatever idea a school chooses to focus on will depend on its own particular circumstances and the range

of skills it can call on. What suits one will not necessarily suit another. For schools that decide to go it alone, the PPTA offers a vast range of helpful ideas, from the old stalwarts of raffles and cake stalls to swim nights and international food festivals. PPTA also welcomes any new suggestions. Everyone is looking for that elusive piece of magic to make fundraising a success. By Brent Leslie

Term 4 - 2011

school news

E-Learning

education

One of the new students from China enjoying his Pre Arrival Learning programme.

Innovative e-learning programme helps international students settle in

acleans College, one of New Zealand’s largest secondary schools, is leading the way with its innovative use of a New Zealand e-learning programme. The school will be among the first to utilise a Pre-Arrival Learning (PAL) product from Vital English, created by New Zealand software company Intuto, for a group of close to 100 Chinese students who arrived in the country in September. Adrian Sallis, business development director of Vital English, says the school’s use of PAL highlights how it is a leader in the uptake of new technology. “Macleans has a reputation for producing academic excellence, which has attracted interest from a wide array of international students. By bringing PAL on board, Macleans continues to foster its forwardthinking approach and ability to cater to a broader student market.” Providing inbound students with the skills and confidence they need helps with the transition to a new country and school, which for many is a daunting prospect,” Mr Sallis said.

school news

Term 4 - 2011

Adrian Sallis, Vital English

Vital English’s PAL product works to both inform and prepare students for life and study in New Zealand, while also providing the host school with information on the students’ level of English. PAL tests students’ English through an interactive English course designed to match their level of understanding, while also providing them with a customised orientation of their host school and life in New Zealand with a homestay family. Byron Bentley, principal of Macleans College, said they were

pleased to be working with a New Zealand-based company on the design and customised PAL programme for the school. “Intuto has been fantastic to work with in creating PAL,” Mr Bentley said. “New Zealand companies produce some superb IT programmes, rivalling many of the international products and we have been especially impressed at the speed of turnaround and costeffectiveness. We are really looking

International student class at McLeans College

forward to the benefits of this training solution.” PAL is currently used by over 50 high schools, language schools and tertiary institutions worldwide. Since partnering with Cambridge University to develop further online educational courses, Intuto has further expanded its international network of distributors to include Australia, Canada, Taiwan, Thailand, Poland, Switzerland and the UK.

A vision becomes reality for special needs students

any unique projects are driven by equally unique individuals behind the scenes, and the development of a new specialist base school for secondary age students in Porirua is an example of precisely that. Mahinawa Specialist School principal, Fay Stanton, has spent years lobbying the Ministry of Education, and it finally paid off. With a long history teaching special needs pupils, Stanton is passionate about assisting those in need, and first became interested growing up in the United Kingdom, seeing her mother teach students such as she herself is in charge of now. “I must have written a million letters,” Stanton says with a laugh, of the two decades she petitioned the Ministry, although beneath the jesting it is clear she is serious. Incredibly, it wasn’t until the former Kapi-Mana school recorded an infestation of maggots that the new school was finally signed off by the Ministry of Education. The old school was maggot infested for a reason, with dead rats discovered in the floor and walls of a classroom. Searching for a new site presented its own set of challenges, however when the top field at Mana College was eventually put forward as an option, it seemed the ideal solution. The land was already owned by the Ministry of Education, and they were keen to give it the green light. Unfortunately, that particular parcel of land had flooding issues, so huge geo-technical investigations took place. Metal poles were used to secure the area, and whilst it did hold

Mahinawa Specialist School

profiles

The entire school building is filled with natural light, with a clever use of floor to ceiling windows.

up the expected time frame of the development, the result was worth it. Engaging the services of a specialist team was key to the school’s success, and Stanton is quick to sing the praises of those companies involved. “I cannot speak highly enough of Arrow International, OPUS International Consultants, Mainzeal and Manzana. They were incredible to work with and we are all delighted with what they achieved.” OPUS was both the engineers and the architects for what they describe as a “state of the art school”. 24

BUILDING CERTAINTY.

Mainzeal are committed to building certainty in every project. We have been involved in delivering $500m of educational projects across New Zealand as part of our $7.5b construction project portfolio. Learn how we can build certainty for your next project: www.mainzeal.com Curved walls were incorporated into the design, and the curved hallway has been a huge success with the students.

MZ School News Oct 2011.indd 1

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Mahinawa Specialist School

profiles 23 One of the overall themes in the brief to OPUS from the beginning was to utilise sustainable design principles, and a Green Star rating was aimed for. Mahinawa are thrilled to have recently been awarded a 5-Star rating, making them only the fifth school in the country to achieve excellence in green building. Features that helped the school meet its goals of sustainability include solar hot water heating, natural ventilation, low VOC levels of material selection and sustainably sourced timber. With Arrow International introduced to the development as the project management firm, and Mainzeal in charge of the construction, the project ran smoothly, and the school was opened earlier this year. Arrow International project director, Simon Shaw, found it a unique and inspiring development. “School projects are always rewarding, however this school had many special requirements so it was even more so.” A traditional tender process led both the large-scale companies to the project, and cost-saving options were an integral component of the job. Likewise, general excellence in terms of the design and build was expected. “Our team really enjoyed working on this project, most especially because

school news

Term 4 - 2011

The unique curved walls are showcased at the rear of the building, with an entire round classroom at one end.

it will benefit so many young people within the community,” says Greg McFetridge, Mainzeal’s central region general manager. The contemporary school is single-level, with a curved floor plan to appeal to the students. “Autistic children in particular do not like long straight halls, and we introduced a curved hallway for this very reason,” says Stanton. “Having great space has helped the pupils enormously, but we also feel that the curved hall has had a significant impact.” As part of the construction, there were many special features

that had to be incorporated. One of the classrooms has unique built-in hoists for children in need, and the hoist system accesses a number of adjoining rooms too. This meant, in terms of the build itself, that a hoist rail had to cut through several doorframes. Unique interactive whiteboards were also incorporated into the classrooms, supplied by Manzana. “It was an enjoyable project to work on, because we knew the kids were going to love what we were creating,” says Aaron Crawford from Manzana. “The feedback has been fantastic,

and the students are really engaged because of the whiteboards, so the technology has been a huge success.” The land around the new school was thoroughly rejuvenated as part of the development, with a cycle track, a sensory and general playground, and an orchard all incorporated. The stream running through the grounds was planted with riparian plants and cleared of weeds to encourage a more stabilised ecology, and all of the plants were sourced locally as part of the project’s sustainable ethos. “This school really is a dream come true,” says Stanton.

After all her years dreaming of what could be created for special needs students, Mahinawa is testament to the determination of all the staff at the former Kapi-Mana school. Children with physical, emotional and mental disabilities are catered for in this unique environment. Mahinawa is now proud to have four satellite classrooms, meaning a class that belongs to the school but is physically operated at a mainstream school, as well as five classes on campus. There is an average of six pupils per class, and a special team of therapists for each class is provided.

“There is something incredibly stimulating about teaching students with special needs,” explains Stanton. “No two days are the same, and in fact, often no two hours are the same, so it’s certainly rewarding.” The school day starts at 8.30am, like many other schools, however there is only a half-hour break for lunch and the day ends at 2.45pm, when the taxis arrive to transport the students home. “We don’t want a long lunch period or other extended breaks, because if there’s going to be any trouble or problems, that’s when they would occur.”

There are only two short breaks and a half-hour lunch session during the day, and the children can enjoy the outdoors in a safe environment during that time.

Interactive technology at Mahinawa

These factors play an even bigger part when your students have a range of special needs. So when mahinawa Specialist school was presented with the task of selecting an interactive whiteboard supplier they decided to partner with interactive classroom technology firm manzana, and subsequently installed five of the latest 2Touch Interactive whiteboards. mahinawa worked closely with aaron crawford, manzana’s lower north island education consultant, to ensure that each room’s solutions suited the students’ requirements. manzana was able to supply custom sized 2Touch interactive whiteboards

A sensory playground adjoins a standard playground, specifically designed with special needs students in mind.

The potential for the new school is bright, and although Stanton will be retiring in the not so distant future, she is excited about what Mahinawa will continue to achieve. “We would like to one day open our doors to students who are failing in mainstream schools, so they could come here for a set period of time, before entering the mainstream system again. Specialist schools need to be an important part of the education system, because mainstream just simply doesn’t work for all students. The concept of inclusion shouldn’t mean that every student needs to be at a mainstream school, because inclusion is wherever a pupil feels most welcome.”

Stanton is also optimistic that paediatric child development assessments will one day be held at the school, rather than at the nearby hospital. This would allow the students to be assessed in an environment where they feel most comfortable, and where the paediatric specialists can speak to the therapists and teachers first hand about each child’s development. In years past, special needs children were not provided with the very necessary resources required for them to learn. Mahinawa is a visionary school, made possible by a dedicated principal, staff and board of trustees, and the companies charged with making it real. By Soraya Nicholas

2Touch interactive whiteboard

Supplier Profile | manzana

DEcIDINg oN THE right interactive technology for your classroom can be a daunting task for any school. The selection of technology, the brand, the fit with students, teachers and pedagogy all effect the final decision.

Mahinawa Specialist School

profiles

As seen at Mahinawa Specialist School

boards that fitted each individual learning space. manzana also worked with the architects to design a wheel chair friendly space that incorporates a specially designed frame and customised ultra-short throw projector bracket. The customised frame sits 300mm off the wall and allows for the lower half of wheel chairs to roll under the board, allowing wheel chair bound students to approach the board front on.

About Manzana manzana has been partnering with New Zealand schools for almost 10 years, offering the latest in innovative classroom technology, designed to keep students engaged and involved throughout the lesson. To find out more about Manzana’s range of interactive solutions head to www.manzana.co.nz or contact Manzana on 0800 200 121 or sales@manzana.co.nz

Only 2Touch provides up to a full 2.4m wide marker friendly whiteboard surface. More width means more space to collaborate and share. Wider It doesn’t get easier than finger touch. Furthermore, only 2Touch boards are instantly accessible to anybody through ‘plug ‘n play.’ You won’t need any special drivers, pens or tools, it really is that simple!

Easier Only 2Touch boards provide the flexibility and freedom to use the surface as you want. Use ink markers with your board, or write in digital ink while interacting with any computer. - The choice is yours.

Smarter

For further information on 2Touch contact Manzana

0800 200 121

www.manzana.co.nz

www.manzana.co.nz Term 4 - 2011

school news

Books

teaching resources

New Zealand books chosen for honour list

hree books by leading New Zealand writers and illustrators have been chosen for inclusion in the 2012 Honour List published by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). They are, for writing, The Travelling Restaurant by Wellington author Barbara Else, and for illustration, The Moon & Farmer McPhee illustrated by Dunedin artist David Elliot, with text by Margaret Mahy. For translation, the selected book is Hu-Hu Koroheke, the translation into te reo Maori by the late Dame Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira of the award-winning picture book Old HuHu by Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Rachel Driscoll. The IBBY Honour List comprises a biennial publication and travelling exhibition showcasing the outstanding books of more than 70 member countries. The Travelling Restaurant (Gecko Press), is an exuberant seafaring fantasy, the first children’s novel by established author Barbara Else for more than 10 years. Well-known as an adult novelist, literary agent and judge, she is also the editor of a highly successful series of children’s anthologies. The Moon & Farmer McPhee (Random House) won both the Supreme and Picture Book awards at the 2011 New Zealand Post Children’s Book awards. The story of a farmer whose animals keep him awake at night was illustrated by David Elliot, an award-winning illustrator whose work has featured in a wide range of children’s books for both New Zealand and America.

“

The IBBY Honour List comprises a biennial publication and travelling exhibition showcasing the outstanding books of more than 70 member countries. The text was written by Christchurch author Margaret Mahy, winner of the 2006 Hans Christian Andersen Medal and numerous other international and New Zealand awards during her 40-year writing career. Hu-Hu Koroheke (Scholastic), a moving story on age and loss, was the Supreme and Picture Book awardwinner at the 2010 New Zealand Post Children’s Book awards. Its translation was one of the last books of the late Dame Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira, internationally acclaimed for her lifelong work promoting te reo, as a translator, writer and educator. The Honour Books, chosen by the Storylines Trust in its role as the New Zealand Section of IBBY, will feature at the IBBY World Congress being held in London in September 2012.

BUY ONLINE Whiteboards • Copyboards Noticeboards • Easels Projectors• Projection Screens

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Term 4 - 2011

raise your schools profile within the education sector

schoolnews Profile enquiries please call (03) 365-5575

Plastics

teaching resources

Shaping careers in plastic fabrication

e live in a high-technology world, where plastics materials are used extensively in almost every aspect of our lives. The New Zealand plastics industry now has an annual turnover of $2.6 billion and employs 8000 people. Virtually everything we touch and see is made from plastics. Plastics materials are clean, energy efficient, strong, lightweight, cost-effective and, more importantly, can be recycled and re-used. Plastic fabrication and repair can be carried out on almost all thermoplastics. Plastics can also be bent or formed into almost any size or shape. Plastics materials are processed by a range of manufacturing technologies – and today all of these can be employed in educational institutions. Common examples of this equipment would include: vacuum forming machinery, plastic fabrication and repair welding equipment, plastic sheet bending equipment, injection moulding equipment, styro-cutters, hot knives, dome formers and plastic dip coating. To give you some idea of the scope of where plastics technologies are being used let’s consider one market:

Product produced on educational vacuum former

kilograms of plastic on board, all of which can be welded. Bumper bars, grilles, headlight housings, fluid bottles, radiators and even engine parts are today being manufactured in plastic. And with fuel economy being extremely important, we are likely to see the use of plastics in this field increase dramatically.

Strong, structural welding is possible, using a ‘hand-held’ plastic welding tool, which can be purchased for as little as $700. Not bad when you consider the comparable costs of say metal welding equipment, or perhaps a wood turning lathe – and the skills and techniques required for welding plastics are very easy to learn. This single industry sector continues to expand. Vehicle smash repairers are rapidly moving into plastics repairs – 1. Plastic parts can take some time to be delivered. Repairing the parts means faster turnaround, improving customer service. And repair benefits the environment. 2. With the skills learned in welding plastics students have a service to offer other repairers.

Automotive repair Just as one example, plastics are being used extensively in the manufacture of automotive panels and fixtures. Today the average motor vehicle has over 350

Hand held plastic welding tool

3. Most importantly, all the profits from the plastic repair go directly to the repairer. Educational Vacuum former 725 FLB

This is just one example of a career

prospect in plastics. Many other industries are today working and welding plastics. Other industries include: tarps and banner manufacture, tank fabrication, lining of landfill sites, pond lining, vinyl floor welding, welding of roofing membranes, pipeline welding – and the list goes on. If your school technology department is still dealing with only wood and metal, now is the time to get into plastics technology. While some have already developed good plastics technology centres in their schools, many are still well behind, which will not provide students with the benefits of work and career opportunities in the plastics sector. Whether you use a hand-held plastic welding tool or a vacuum former, these technologies are the future – get plastic technology into your school. By Tim Fastnedge, Techspan Group

Term 4 - 2011

school news

Woodworking

teaching resources

Entrepreneurial skills help in woodworking careers

t might not seem the most glamorous of career choices but it may well be a very good one, especially where excellent wood skills are combined with an entrepreneurial flair. Those with the ability to be creative with wood have a number of advantages. One is that they are in a good position to work for themselves. They have the opportunity to set up their own business as a house builder, boat builder, furniture maker or even crafting precision musical instruments. Most young people with a natural skill in wood will find their career in the building industry. There will always be a demand for new houses, with some estimates of a shortage in New Zealand of several thousand dwellings. It will take many years even to complete the rebuilding of Christchurch. But those who make their career in working with wood have a wide variety of choices and a number of specialist schools to choose from to take their skills to the highest level. Boat building and fitting out is very strong in New Zealand. New Zealanders love the sea and the marine industry is one of our largest manufacturing industries with over $ 2.2 billion in annual sales. The industry employs more than 10,000 people, and more than 200 companies employ around 600 apprentices. With its international reputation for producing extremely valuable craft, the industry also attracts many overseas customers. They can usually afford the best the world has to offer but come here because they know the standards our craftspeople can reach. Exports from the sector are already achieving well over $700 million and are forecast to reach $1.8 billion by 2020. Those who make wooden furniture also have the opportunity of a rewarding career, but here the game has changed with most large-scale production now computer controlled and carried out in other countries such as China. However, head tutor at the Centre for Fine Woodworking in Nelson, John Shaw, says there are

school news

Term 4 - 2011

Centre for Fine Woodworking tutor David Haig and attentive students.

good opportunities for skilled craftspeople of independent mind. “Competition now means competing with mass production from overseas. But if you are in niche areas, such as fitting out boats or making limited-edition furniture, where it is possible to apply high levels of hand skill, then I think there is great future here. We’re great problem solvers and very flexible in our approach.” The focus had to be on high quality, Mr Shaw said. “Then, it’s deciding exactly where you are going to apply those skills and determining what that niche market is – doing the research to make sure you’ve established sound relationships with the market. As New Zealand has a small population, more often than not, that market will be overseas.” Mr Shaw had just returned from America where he said he was amazed at the number of people earning a good living crafting very high-quality guitars and other musical instruments. He saw the same opportunities here, for young men and women. “Woodworking is an exciting environment if you have the right aptitude. But you have to be able to develop your own business.” By Brent Leslie

A student intent on her task

A finely crafted table produced by a student from the Centre for Fine Woodworking Trust

Supplier Profile | Tunnicliffe’s

New innovative timber product for wood-tech courses ThermoWood®230 is thermally modified radiata Pine, an alternative to h3 CCA treated timber. Tunnicliffe’s General manager daan olthuis went along with one of his kids to an introduction evening at Trident high School in Whakatane towards the end of 2009. With sawdust in the blood it was obvious how the woodwork corner attracted attention. Amongst the pieces of work on display, students had made that year, were Cape Cod chairs. Nice looking outdoor furniture made from h3 CCA treated radiata Pine clears. It didn’t take long for a conversation to start up with one of the tech-teachers and it was very easy to get inspired by a motivated teacher telling about his passion for working with wood and teaching kids. Soon the talk was about the school projects and more particularly about making outdoor furniture with Tanalised New Zealand radiata Pine. Tunnicliffe’s had just started marketing its new timber product; ThermoWood®230 and it became clear that this would be an interesting alternative to h3 CCA radiata Clears. The School had a number of concerns with using CCA treated timber. First of all the health and safety concern with regard to using chemically treated timber, in particular the risk of exposure to chemical residuals on the timber, sawdust and shavings. Secondly

there was stability of the timber and last but not least the environmental concerns with regard to the disposal of wood waste. ThermoWood®230 is a “green product”, chemically free and therefore very safe to use. The meeting that evening resulted in a year-long project at Trident high School where ThermoWood®230 was used for outdoor furniture but due to its other range of desirable features also used in other applications with very good results. Wood-tech teachers Steve Thornton and Nigel rowland

Trident High School Student Cameron Sproull and left a finished Cape Cod Chair.

the ThermoWood®230 for our exterior furniture project but ended up using it for indoors as well and had to order more… As a lead in to the project it was great to come up with something new. Wood modification is leading edge in wood technology and makes it an interesting subject with a good story to tell. commenting that besides addressing the “CCA-concerns” the big plus is the increased stability; ThermoWood®230 is twice a stable as traditional kiln dried radiata. It is easy to machine and finishes really well, it cuts like butter and does not splinter. These are great features when teaching kids; it’s easier to get good results. Students can put their work away for a week and find it back without it having moved. Instability used to be a big frustration when working with radiata clears. It also looks good, no messy paint sessions to finish, just oil. We had purchased

Woodworking

teaching resources

It was relatively easy to package up a program and to motivate and inspire the kids to get involved. We have been using ThermoWood®230 for the last two seasons and can recommend other schools to look at using it for their program next year. For more technical information visit: www.tunnicliffes.co.nz

ThermoWood Technology Wood modification is representing the new generation of timber products. There are several different technologies of which Thermal modification is one. ThermoWood®230 is thermally modified NZ radiata Pine. The timber is modified in a special chamber where it is exposed to temperatures up to 230 degrees Celsius in a computer controlled process. Steam is added to prevent the timber from combusting but also has an effect on the chemical changes taking place in the timber. The process permanently changes the chemical and physical properties of the timber. In other words the wood structure is re-formed or “modified”. These changes are mainly caused by thermal degrading of hemicelluloses (a sugar compounds in the timber). It increases the biological durability; in principal the durability is increased due to the fact that the edibles, on which fungi live on, have been taken out by burning-off. Also stability and thermal insulation properties are improved. ThermoWood®230 is comparable with naturally durable timbers such as Cypress macrocarpa, Western red Cedar and redwood.

Term 4 - 2011

school news

Water

food & beverage

Keep it clean, keep it safe

ou might not think that drinking tap water could be hazardous in New Zealand, where for several months of the year we often seem to have a surplus of nice, clean rain falling on us from the sky. But many schools do not have the benefit of drawing their water from large dams administered and cared for by specialist staff whose job is solely to make sure their product is of the highest quality. A considerable number of our schools draw their water from the ground and, particularly in rural areas, pollution is always possible. However, even in the best of big city schools, no matter how clean the water pumped into their reticulation system might be, if their plumbing contains contaminants, so will the drinking water. The results could be serious. If one child becomes sick, it is very likely many will. The Ministry of Health takes these risks extremely seriously for the whole population. Its emphasis is on the microbiological. Its guidelines state that while chemical

school news

Term 4 - 2011

possible, by protecting the catchment and minimising the possibility of contamination. 2. Treat the water to destroy any contaminants introduced.

“

The results could be serious. If one child becomes sick, it is very likely many will.

“The most successful approach is to use both of these, and to regularly monitor the water quality to demonstrate that any risks are being controlled. Good systematic and ongoing risk management is important.”

Higher rates of disease

contamination is always a risk, it is usually a very small one. The Ministry says that throughout the world, including New Zealand, “By far the most common problems arise from microbiological contamination of the source waters. Animal, bird and even human effluent, introduced in one way or another upstream from a water supply, can make that water

unfit for consumption. Bacteria have always been of major concern, while protozoa such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium are increasingly being highlighted as causing ill health through drinking-water.” The Ministry says there are two ways of minimising the risk from microbiological contaminants: 1. Keep the source as clean as

New Zealand has relatively high rates of largely preventable enteric or gastro-intestinal disease. For example, the campylobacteriosis rate here is twice that of England and three times that of Australia and Canada. This is at least partly attributable to contamination of drinking water. Campylobacteriosis – which is just one of the potentially waterborne diseases in New Zealand – can involve fever, headache, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and as many as 10 watery, often bloody, bowel movements daily.

Water

food & beverage

Symptoms may persist for up to a week and prolonged illness or relapses may occur in adults. To date, New Zealand has been more fortunate than some other countries that have sophisticated water treatment, such as the United States and Canada, where contamination of urban water supplies has led to thousands of cases of sickness and a number of deaths. Apart from the 3500 people who became sick in Queenstown in 1984 because of contaminated drinking water, most outbreaks have been on a small scale, involving less than 100 cases – for example:

• 61 cases of campylobacteriosis at a school camp near Christchurch in 1997 • 67 cases of campylobacteriosis at Wainui in 1997 • 187 cases at a college in May 2001 • 69 cases of viral gastroenteritis at a major ski field in 1996 • 49 cases at a school camp in the Waikato in 2003 • 213 known cases of acute gastroenteritis due to norovirus at Cardrona skifield in July 2006. There was also contamination of the Masterton town water supply by cryptosporidiosis during July

“Healthy for the Environment – Healthy for You”

developed to meet a growing demand for clean fresh drinking water in public places. our modern fountains promote positive lifestyle behavior by enhancing the appeal of regular water consumption.

and August 2003. But in many cases of stomach upsets that are not referred to a medical practitioner, the connection with drinking water might never be drawn. To control waterborne disease in New Zealand the Ministry of Health introduced drinking-water standards in 1995 and has updated them twice since. The newest version – the Drinking-Water Standards for New Zealand 2005 (DWSNZ 05), includes new sections on small water supplies and amendments to compliance criteria for protozoa (e.g. Cryptosporidium and Giardia) and bacteria (e.g. E. coli).

Under a term of the Ministry of Education’s Health and Safety Code of Practice, school boards of trustees are responsible for ensuring there is sufficient fresh water for drinking, washing and all other school purposes. “All schools should ensure that procedures are in place to meet the requirements of this policy statement and ensure that they have taken all steps necessary to make their school water supply safe,” the guidelines say. Further information can be obtained from Ministry of Education local offices. By Brent Leslie

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Ph: 0800 473 487 I ian@emac.co.nz I www.tapwaterwells.co.nz Term 4 - 2011

school news

First Aid

health & safety

First aid for workplaces

n September 2009, the Department of Labour released ‘First Aid for Workplaces – a Good Practice Guide’ to help manage first aid needs at the place of work. This also makes it clear that there is a legal requirement to take all practical steps to provide first aid facilities under the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995 and to have procedures for dealing with emergencies under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992. There are three important requirements when considering the first aid needs of your work place.

Suitably stocked first aid kits and facilities A good-quality first aid kit is essential, and in large workplaces, more than one kit may be required. Not all first aid kits are created equal, and it is recommended that advice is sought from reputable suppliers rather than purchasing low-quality products. The Department of Labour suggest a minimum content for workplaces with no special risks, and this is clearly covered in the Good Practice Guide. Staff must be aware of the location of first aid kits, and they should be clearly identified with the recognised signage of a white cross on a green background. With the first aid kit should be the contact details of your trained first aiders along with emergency contact

school news

Term 4 - 2011

“

Not all first aid kits are created equal, and it is recommended that advice is sought from reputable suppliers rather than purchasing low-quality products.

numbers. Completing the Workplace First aid Assessment Checklist will help to identify what else should be in your first aid kit.

An appropriate number of trained first aiders This will depend on the hazards in the workplace, how many employees, and how far away medical assistance is likely to be. Consideration also needs to be given to adequate cover for unplanned absences. This is particularly important when shift work is a part of normal operations. It is recommended that training of workplace first aiders is carried out by a provider who is accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. First aid certificates need to be revalidated every two years. Selecting the right course is also very important. The knowledge needs are quite different for low-risk

workplaces compared to high-risk workplaces where more advanced training may be appropriate. Quality training providers can advise which courses are best suited, but the responsibility lies with the employer to ensure that adequate first aid training is provided for the hazards identified in the place of employment.

Information for employees about first aid arrangements Everyone must be given clear information about first aid that is available in their workplace. This includes the location of first aid kits, the names and locations of the trained first aiders and the procedures to follow when emergencies occur or first aid assistance is required. This should be a part of the induction process for all new employees, when there is a change in the nature or location of their duties, when changes occur to

staff or first aiders, and at regular staff training days as a way of refreshing and reminding them. First aid rooms are not always needed, but in workplaces with more than 100 employees consideration should be given to providing a good first aid room. If the risk assessment indicates that the risk of accident or injury is high, then a designated room should be provided regardless of the number of employees.

Conducting a risk assessment The Department of Labour provide a comprehensive ‘Workplace first aid needs assessment checklist. This is available of their website at http:// osh.govt.nz. The check list takes the employer through a series of issues for consideration and then suggests the impact on the provisions of first aid. From this the employer can make an informed decision on the appropriate number of first aid kits required and where they should be located, how many first aiders should be available and to what level they should be trained, and the information that must be passed on to employees. Accidents and emergencies can occur at any time and a quick response may mean the difference between life and death. Equally serious harm injuries can occur in the home, school, industry and in the street. Be sure that you have adequate protection for your people.

First Aid

health & safety Supplier Profile | New Zealand Red Cross

New Zealand Red Cross – first aid training It IS No aCCIdeNt that

everyday situations that they could

You can find your local site at

information will it be available?

New Zealand Red Cross is a leading

find themselves in. employers expect

www.redcross.org.nz/training.

Can your provider meet your

First aid training provider. It has

workplace first aiders to retain these skills for up to 2 years so retention is

We believe that when choosing a First

future needs.

been the quiet achiever - but the road to becoming New Zealand’s leading

an important part of every course.

First aid provider was not motivated

New Zealand Red Cross uses a

by being the largest but by being the

business system called “XRM” that

aid provider you should consider a

Zealand Red Cross as your

• No shortcuts – the New Zealand

training provider you are directly

Qualifications authority (NZQa)

supporting our work in your

requires all accredited courses to

community.

best.

ensures a simple booking process

Getting the right mix is important.

by either web (www.redcross.org.nz/

ensuring that relevant basic skills

training) or calling 0800Red CRoSS.

are practised and performed well,

Confirmations are emailed to the

time and time again, means they

participant, manager, or anyone else

are more likely to be remembered.

needed to be in the loop. Service

Participants use “dRSaBC” a tested

options are set up relevant to your

on relevant practical skills with a

formula that can be applied to any

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large “hands on” element? this

Cross has made this investment in

will help with the retention of

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First aid situation. “dRSaBC” assists rescuers to identify and treat injuries, and medical conditions, in order of

First aid training requirements and

priority until advanced care arrives.

records so you don’t have to.

Scenario’s allow participants to practice these skills in a range of

• Community – By using New

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meet a minimum course length. Shortened courses do not meet these requirements. • Real world – Is the course focus

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• First Aid Kits – New Zealand Red Cross sell a full range of quality first aid kits. Find out what makes New Zealand Red Cross New Zealand’s Leading First aid Provider. You never know we might just help you save a life.

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Should you require this

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Term 4 - 2011

school news

Washroom Hygiene

health & safety

Hygiene vital in school toilets

Odour control

oilet blocks are a vital component of your school, with the health and safety of students and staff dependent on clean, hygienic toilet areas. Fortunately, there is a range of dependable solutions, products and cleaning services that can ensure a pleasant experience every time. Toilet areas outfitted with highgrade materials and technologies can serve as an indication of your school’s commitment to staff and student health and well-being. Some of the areas to be aware of include:

Evil smells and toilet blocks are, regrettably, synonymous but it does not have to be that way. Silent operating air fresheners with smart built-in technology to eliminate odours and unpleasant smells are available and include motion-activated systems that are highly energy efficient. There are also a wide range of air fresheners that keep these areas fresh and welcoming with pleasant fragrances but care needs to be taken when selecting these as many just temporarily mask odours.

Hand washing and drying No-touch hand washing and hand drying is essential to good hygiene. Touch-free soap dispensers, tap controls and hand dryers provide users with a greater level of hygiene. If you do maintain a paper towel system it should also be no touch and have an efficient repository for disposal of used paper.

school news

Term 4 - 2011

Toilet hygiene The safest method of hand drying is when sensors are used for pleasant no-contact operation. When users hold their hands under a unit, an efficient stream of air starts automatically and drying times are just three to five seconds.

Sanitising solutions reduce the risks of cross-contamination by treating the surfaces of the toilet and cubicle where bacteria are known to thrive. Disposable toilet seat cleaners, seat sprays and toilet seat wipes, will combat these common toilet hygiene issues. Sanitisers offer protection

against deposits and lime scale for urinals and toilet bowls. Highly efficient features such as high-pressure ‘tornado’ flushes ensure even more hygiene and cleanliness in the toilet.

Door controls Many washrooms that provide totally hygienic conditions within the area forget that users need to get in and out. Door handles and touch pads harbour germs and these can be avoided by automatic doors or by simple two-way swing doors that eliminate the need to hand touch.

Feminine hygiene Discreet, quality sanitary bins allow for safe disposal of feminine hygiene items and a hygienic sanitary disposal is essential. Odour-controlling granules in the units also inhibit the growth of bacteria while deodorising. Some units incorporate a powerful sterilising vapour that destroys infectious germs and eliminates unpleasant odours.

Cricket

sports & recreation

Flannelled fun in the summer sun

t’s that time of year again when budding young Jacob Orams and Jesse Ryders, or even aspiring Richard Hadlees don their whites to take to the cricket pitch again, supervised by teachers prepared to spend a big chunk of their weekends in charge of a school team. Few sports are as demanding as cricket where long hours have to be spent preparing the pitch after a winter, when many games of rugby or football may well have been played over it, and a smooth surface has to emerge from the pockmarked drying surface. While many schools have synthetic pitches these days, there is nothing quite like the real thing for the actual match. And given the idiosyncracies of the early New Zealand summer, that can be a challenge. Fortunately these days New Zealand Cricket makes sure that all the information one could wish for is available on the internet in a booklet by Karl Johnson, former turf manager for New Zealand Cricket, and now turf manager at Westpac Park, Hamilton.

The hallowed turf With help from Stuart Cameron-Lee and Ces Renwick, Mr Johnson does an admirable job of attempting to make the complexities of pitch preparation relatively simple, pointing out at the start that the biggest problem with any discussion on the subject is that each playing surface is different. “The type of pitch soil used is the key variable to consider, although the type of grass grown, the climate, the irrigation and the rollers available are also important considerations. “It is generally acknowledged that the overriding consideration in pitch preparation is that the pitch should play evenly and consistently. If this is achieved, then cricketers of all grades and standards can play an enjoyable and fair game. The quality of the pitch determines the quality of the match. Unlike many sports, cricket cannot be played satisfactorily on a substandard surface,” Johnson said. So, pretty straightforward really. But if it’s all fairly new to you and the success or failure of the school teams’ season is largely on your shoulders, there is no need to panic.

specifically cricket funding sources. Those interested in taking their knowledge of coaching methods to a higher level will find plenty of advice on that as well.

A reason for living?

The very same booklet gives a detailed summary of what you need to do to come up with pitches that allow young batsmen and women to play forward with confidence while giving the prospect of some bounce, seam and spin for the hardworking bowlers. Unfortunately, if your pitch isn’t up to scratch by now, there is only so much you can do. Karl Johnson’s advice for October to March for match preparation is: “regular checks for grass grub and disease, fertilise to keep grass healthy, watering to ensure grass does not get under stress.” And then there’s the rolling. Lots and lots of rolling, so much that the hows, whens, types and what weights to use are allotted several pages on their own. And if all that hasn’t worked, the booklet gives a number of emergency advisers you can call on.

Artificial can be best However, New Zealand Cricket does recognise that the cost of installing, preparing and maintaining highquality turf facilities is often beyond the financial resources or expertise of many schools. As a consequence, it says artificial wickets and practice facilities provide excellent practical and affordable options. And, as with its detailed advice on turf pitches, NZC provides similar support for those installing all-weather surfaces. Its School Support and Club Assist resource booklet was compiled to provide schools and clubs with advice and guidance on the installation of artificial cricket wickets and practise nets, along with

the details of a number of providers of synthetic turf and run-up options. Current product prices are included. The booklet also contains information on how funding assistance can be sought for such facilities from general community [eg. gaming societies] and

Few sounds are more redolent of summer than the sweet click of willow on leather and the everhopeful cries of: “Howzatt!” But even so, not all teachers standing umpiring for hours on end in the heat will see the game quite as Edmund Blunden saw it: “Cricket to us was more than play, it was a worship in the summer sun.” Or in the words of Harold Larwood: “Cricket was my reason for living.” But their dedication will bring huge pleasure to a great many pupils and their parents this summer. And, of course, that successor to Richard Hadlee could appear at any time. By Brent Leslie

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Term 4 - 2011

school news

Floor safety

property

Many factors contribute to safe floors at school

alls are the leading cause of injury hospitalisation and one of the leading causes of injury death in New Zealand. Slips, trips and falls account for about 40 per cent of unintentional injury hospitalisations and 20 per cent of unintentional injury deaths. The most common place for this to happen is at home, but injuries at school are a serious problem around the world. Schoolyard injuries cost New Zealand taxpayers almost $14 million last year. ACC figures show more than 60,000 pupils were injured at school. Some 7534 staff made claims worth $4.6million. Of the 63,395 total injuries recorded in school grounds, hands, wrists, fingers, thumbs, ankles and the face were the main parts of the body damaged, while 260 pupils injured their internal organs. The single biggest cause of injury to pupils and staff was losing balance or control, which saw 19,686 pupils harmed and 1433 staff.

school news

Term 4 - 2011

More than 5380 pupils were hurt when they tripped or stumbled. Some 338 pupils and 105 staff were hospitalised as a result of their injuries in 2010, 3256 pupils and 650 staff needed dental treatment and 59,401 pupils and 6750 staff received other medical treatment. Reasons given for the injuries are many and varied. Some pundits attribute blame to the lack of natural physical conditioning by modern day pupils and even lack of an adequate diet. Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand president Patrick Walsh said that with groups of energetic young people “something’s bound to go wrong from time to time,” despite schools’ comprehensive health and safety systems. He said one reason for school injuries was that many children these days were not physically fit or were obese, and when they did get active at school, they suffered an injury.

Another senior education executive said he believed more children were suffering broken bones than in the past because their parents could no longer afford sufficient milk to give them adequate calcium.

Improving slip resistance But while economic and lifestyle issues may well contribute to the seriousness of some injuries, the fact is that the slips and falls are happening, and outcomes can range from long lasting to permanent, and are very expensive to treat. New Zealand building experts agree that using the right surface could prevent a great many slip and fall accidents. Trevor Pringle, principal writer for BRANZ, an independent and impartial research, testing, consulting and information company providing services and resources for the building industry. says slips usually result from wet or greasy surfaces, shiny floors, loose floor

coverings, step or stair edges with no grip, footwear with little grip or step treads that are too small. The end result is usually a loss of balance and a fall. To reduce the risk of slipping, a finished floor surface needs to provide sufficient friction so that it is slip resistant. However, even where surfaces have proved hazardous in the past, there may be no need to go to the expense of ripping them up and putting down a replacement surface. New treatments are now available which can simply be applied over the existing tiles or concrete. Elesia Ogg, business development manager at Andy Andersons Industrial Services , says most non-slip treatments usually involve making a surface rough in some way. “That generally makes the surface look less attractive and it will be more difficult to keep clean. “There is new technology available now that can make a

Floor safety

property

surface less slippery when it’s wet without altering the appearance of the tile. We’ve used this type of treatment on quite a few schools across New Zealand now and they’ve been really pleased with it. ” she said.

International survey Falls within school buildings are regarded extremely seriously in a number of other countries, particularly those where moisture is a problem in winter months, like New Zealand. For instance, in 2004 in Canada, a panel of experts was put together to investigate the causes of slips inside school buildings. Drawing on information from around the world, it produced an extensive report which found among other things that selection of flooring material was a significant factor in slip floor incidents and was an aspect of safety that could be largely controlled by the building owner/operator. Among the extensive findings

in the report were: “The Panel found that looks alone should not dictate the choice of flooring material. Choice required careful consideration of durability, use pattern, environmental factors and maintenance capabilities. A principal consideration needed to be floor slipperiness (the coefficient of friction). “The expert panel determined that the slip floor problem did not end with the selection of suitable flooring material. To maintain its non-slip properties, flooring material had to be protected from wear. The choice of floor treatment (coating) could significantly alter the ability

of a flooring material to maintain a suitable coefficient of friction. A non-slippery floor could be rendered slippery if the floor coating was allowed to wear away. As well, a non-slippery floor could be rendered slippery by the application of an improper floor finish,” the report continued. “The expert panel determined that floor slipperiness was also

a property of ongoing floor maintenance. Clean floors are less slippery than dirty floors. Surface contaminants on a floor not only destroy the floor finish but also act between the sole of a shoe and the floor surface to cause a loss of friction with resultant slips and falls.” The panel said that girls and women were more likely to fall than men, partly because they owned a larger variety of footwear and because of the type of shoes they wore. Nor did injury only necessarily occur when the person struck the floor or another object on the way down. The very act of slipping could cause twisting, leading to spinal and muscle problems that might never fully heal. ACC takes injury prevention in schools very seriously and offers a number of programmes and resources to help keep pupils and teachers safer. By Brent Leslie

Supplier Profile | andy andersons Industrial Service

Revolutionary anti slip IF yoUr ScHool displays a ‘caution wet ﬂoor’ sign, read on- there is now a safer option to consider. most conventional anti-slip treatments work by making the surface rough in some way, grip guard® non-slip is revolutionary in that the ﬂoor is just as smooth after treatment. It looks just the same and is just as easy to keep clean. grip guard® treatment is invisible yet it gives great traction in the wet. In some instances slip resistance can even be doubled. owner of andy andersons Industrial Services, New Zealand’s first licensed grip guard® applicators, John Black explains “Before we quote we usually do an on-site demo. one of the thrills of the job is seeing the ‘wow’ look on our customers faces. The test patch looks the same, but splash some water on it and the grip is entirely different. customers get even more excited when we explain that its not a coating so it can’t wear off.” “The

one of the thrills of the job is seeing the ‘wow’ look on our customers faces treatment is hassle free too,” says John “No fumes, no cure time and its is safe to use straight away.” grip guard® non-slip treats all stone-based floors, indoors and outside, pedestrian and vehicle areas. on concrete areas such as paths and stairs, on tiled areas such as foyers and changing rooms, or around the pool grip guard® can make your wet floors safer. For more information please call: 0800 SAFE FLOORS (0800 723 335) or email safefloors@ andyandersons.co.nz

Term 4 - 2011

school news

Pool Heating

property

The pool-heating conundrum

nsuring that school swimming pools are warm enough for children to swim in has always been a problem in New Zealand where the warmest temperatures often occur when the pupils are on holiday. The ideal leisure swimming temperature is 25-27 degrees so it makes sense to maintain a pool at these temperatures when teaching children to swim. Most unheated pools are around 20-22 degrees for the majority of the swimming season, so a heating system is required to achieve a comfortable pool. There are three types of heating systems: solar, gas and heat pump. Each has different characteristics which will affect their suitability. Consider the following: 1. Required temperature and length of season – some systems can achieve seasonal swimming only. 2. Each pool is different – the geographic location has a big impact on what performance

can be expected from a heating system, as does indoor versus outdoor. Each pool has its own microclimate which will affect how naturally warm the pool is. 3. Budget – each heating system will have a capital cost as well as an operating cost. Often the capital cost is not as important as the operating cost as the system is often paid for through fundraising or grants. The operating cost then has to come from the school’s operating budget. 4. Ease of operation – ideally, any system should be easy to use.

Solar heating There are two broad types of solar heating systems: glazed and unglazed. Unglazed systems are predominately used for pool heating due to their lower installation cost. Unglazed systems are made from rubber or polypropylene, with the latter being the longer lasting due to the increased UV resistance. Polypropylene

solar collectors are generally more expensive than rubber systems. The disadvantage of unglazed solar systems is that they lose heat in windy conditions and do not perform in cold ambient temperatures. Glazed solar systems do perform in colder and windier climates, but have a higher installation cost. The big advantage of solar heating systems is that they have next to no operating cost.

Gas heating Reticulated gas heating systems are very reliable and can maintain a certain pool temperature year around if required, although the operating cost is very high due to the cost of gas and the relative low efficiency of gas heating. Gas heating systems also have the advantage of being the fastest heating, so can be used to heat a pool for short periods.

Heat pumps Heat pumps used for heating pools in New Zealand are of the air source variety, i.e. they extract the heat

from the surrounding air using a compressor, evaporator and heat exchanger to transfer it to the pool water. Heat pumps use a smaller amount of electricity (per kw) than the heat they extract from the air. This means they are more efficient than just heating a pool with an electric element. Their efficiency depends on the ambient air temperature, so they are not well suited to colder environments.

Pool covers and rollers Regardless of heating system, a pool cover should be used. Approximately 70 per cent of a pool’s heat is lost through the surface and a good quality thermal cover will retain much of this. Rollers play an important role in obtaining maximum life from the cover. By Lawrence Wallis

ENERGY EFFICIENT POOL HEATING The latest advancement in swimming pool heating, Electroheat Heat Pumps is an energy efficient way to heat your swimming pool. Electroheat produces up to 5 times* more heat energy than the electrical energy it consumes. Save up to 50% over natural gas heaters.

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school news

Term 4 - 2011

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