School News NZ - Term 2 - 2012 by Multimedia AU/NZ

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: PHOTOCOPIERS | HEADLICE | FLOORING OPTIONS Issue 17 | Term 2 - 2012 | $12 Inc GST

The Essential Management Guide for Education Industry Professionals

Porirua College

A new interactive learning environment Essential Reading for Principals • Department Heads • Property Managers • Professionals

• NEWS • ADMINISTRATION

• HEALTH & SAFETY • EDUCATION

• SPORTS & RECREATION • PROFILES

• TEACHING RESOURCES • PROPERTY

PORTABLE PA SYSTEMS LECTERNS LOUD HAILERS... SPORTS FIELD • PLAYGROUND • ASSEMBLY • P E

PORTABLE PA SYSTEM CHALLENGER 1000-D The best sounding system in New Zealand by far! The new Challenger 1000D is perfect for indoor or outdoor use, and portable enough to take anywhere – sports fields, courts, halls and gymnasiums.... You get the flexibility of a battery and/or mains operated wireless PA system with loud, high quality sound that can cover hundreds of people. Prices are very competitive, for example for a C-1000D (incl CD player and wireless mic) costs $2772+gst. There are other options available so call us now to find out more.

PORTABLE PA SYSTEM – FOCUS 505 Must be the best compact wireless portable PA in the world! The Focus range is suited to groups indoors or outdoors up to about 120 people. This complete all-in-one PA system operates via mains or built-in rechargeable batteries. It includes the option to fit a second wireless mic receiver, and in the CD version, a builtin CD/MP3 player with a USB stick port for MP3 playback. They are very competitively priced, fully featured professional quality portable sound systems and really sound great – the price for a Focus 505U with one wireless mic is $1033+gst. We have many other configuration options so call us now to find out more.

LOUD HAILER ER-55S Loudhailer/Megaphone (with Siren) for $147+gst each (batteries included). Pistol Grip loudhailer with 12-month fullreplacement guarantee. 25 Watts RMS output with extremely loud built-in siren.

LECTERN Includes microphone, light and built in amplifier and speakers T-6236 All-in-one public address sound system – sleek looking, with powerful, clear sound - only $825+gst when you mention this ad. (normally $990+gst). Includes line-in for iPod or laptop sound, and line-out so you can connect to other equipment.

Please call David or Robert or email us for our latest catalogue to ask about the options, or place your order. sales@edwardsnz.co.nz

Edwards Sound Systems Ltd • 68 Walls Road, Penrose, Auckland Ph (09) 571 0551 or 0800 4 edwards • www.edwardsnz.co.nz

contents

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 Kim Armstrong-Fray

sn inside Welcome to another issue of School News.

Shore for the past three years and has much to share.

This term we look at the progress of the Ultra-Fast Broadband roll-out and what this means for schools, from the costs associated with the Network for Learning to protecting our students from unsuitable content and internet piracy.

When a major fire struck Kaipara College back in 2006, it brought major disruption to the school. We talk to Principal John Grant about the remarkable recovery and transformation of the school over the last few years and what this means for both students and teachers.

Emma Winder has written to us about her experiences with MY Learning, an innovative pedagogical approach that combines self-directed learning, formative assessment, eLearning and personal learning styles. Emma has been teaching with this method at Willow Park School on Auckland’s North

Porirua College has also benefitted from a major upgrade and we take a peek inside at this bright and stylish refurbishment.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: PHOTOCOPIERS | HEADLICE | FLOORING OPTIONS Issue 17 | Term 2 - 2012 | $12 Inc GST

The Essential Management Guide for Education Industry Professionals

Porirua College

A new interactive learning environment Essential Reading for Principals • Department Heads • Property Managers • Professionals

• NEWS • ADMINISTRATION

• HEALTH & SAFETY • EDUCATION

All this and much, much more. Happy reading. The School news team.

• SPORTS & RECREATION • PROFILES

• TEACHING RESOURCES • PROPERTY

Issue 17 | Term 2 - 2012

editorial@schoolnews.co.nz PRODUCTION Richard McGill studio@schoolnews.co.nz CONTRIBUTORS Brent Leslie, Emma Winder, Rebecca Wood, Kelvin Hussey, Stan Field, Rockup, Derek Miles, Rose Westmoreland.

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 © 2012. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

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Term 2 - 2012

24. E-Learning 25. New Books on the Block 26. Presentation Equipment

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News In Brief

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Milestone reached in school fibre rollout and individuals throughout the Central North Island to connect to a new generation of ultrafast broadband in their communities. Ultrafast Fibre network build services the regions of Hamilton, Te Awamutu, Cambridge, Tauranga, Tokoroa, New Plymouth, Hawera and Wanganui. Construction of the Ultrafast Fibre network began in 2011 and will be completed in 2016.

New IT licensing model signed Students will begin seeing changes to information technology (IT) solutions as schools around the country take advantage of the Enrolment for Education Solutions (EES) agreement between Microsoft New Zealand and the Ministry of Education. Said to be simple and easy to understand, the newly signed variation to the Microsoft Schools Agreement has removed traditional barriers to software licensing and is designed to provide schools with significant value for money.

Education manager at Microsoft New Zealand, Evan Blackman, says the EES agreement represents a further step in providing all New Zealand schools with access to topof-the-line technology solutions. “Our main priority is the students coming through the schooling system today. They will grow up to be tomorrow’s leaders, and to ensure the economic and future success of New Zealand we need to make sure our students are digitally literate and operating at the highest level they can be. “The EES agreement provides schools with unlimited servers, as well as the option of moving to a private cloud. Combined with the Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) rollout which will provide schools with high speed connectivity, this change to the Microsoft Schools Agreement means cloud services will be more accessible, giving schools more technology flexibility and ultimately lifting school and student 6 performance,” he said.

Asset Project Facilitators Ltd Maxine Elliott, CEO Ultrafast Fibre Ltd.

Ultrafast Fibre Ltd says its ultrafast broadband network is on track to have fibre passing 32 schools by the end of June in the cities of Hamilton, Wanganui, Tauranga and New Plymouth. And 23 schools will be passed in the second deployment, between February and June 2012, in the cities of Hamilton, Wanganui, Tauranga and New Plymouth. These are in addition to the nine that were passed between July 2011 and January 2012 in the urban areas of Hamilton, Tauranga and Wanganui. Ultrafast Fibre’s announcement of its school deployment follows on from other local fibre companies recent announcements about other school rollout programmes across the country. CEO of Ultrafast Fibre Ltd, Maxine Elliott, says access to high-speed Internet is expected to change the way teachers teach and children learn. “Having access to ultrafast broadband means all the teaching resource that the Internet provides

is instantly available. Tapping into the power of ultrafast broadband is expected to completely transform the classroom learning experience. “For instance, just some of the benefits include: children being able to move through literacy programmes more quickly; multiple children being able to access digital learning objects at the same time; teachers having the ability to tailor their lessons to the specific needs of individual students; and school administration systems becoming faster and more efficient. “Plus, parents will get the opportunity to have a closer relationship when it comes to understanding their child’s learning process. For instance, a child will be able to upload a video of their assembly speech for parents to watch - anywhere, anytime,” explains Ms Elliott. The fibre network being built by Ultrafast Fibre is part of a new, 3000-kilometre fibre network that will enable schools, hospitals, businesses

We work alongside you

bringing expertise, passion & excellence to the project at hand

Asset Project Facilitators set the course for Schools both small and large to meet their goals faster, more efficiently and with higher quality results Services for Educational Institutions include: • Condition assessments as per the newly initiated webFM methodology. • Developing the modern learning environments template in conjunction with school BOT's • Developing 10 year property plans. • Compiling 5YA capital work expenditure budgets • Project management services facilitating concept design through develop design. • Overseeing Contract Administration • Liaising with Specialised Consultants and facilitating technical design requirements. • Overseeing all procurement processes with the MINEDU on behalf of schools BOT. Asset Project Facilitators Ltd 199 Pakuranga Road Pakuranga, Auckland 2010

M +6421-040-5584 P +649-576-3060 F +649-576-3061

www.assetprojectfacilitators.co.nz

Term 2 - 2012

school news

News In Brief

news 5 The Microsoft New Zealand School Agreement has been in place since 2009. The EES agreement (negotiated and confirmed this year) will enable greater use and deployment of technology into schools. Mike Leach, principal at Botany Downs Secondary College says this agreement will give schools access to technology that was not previously feasible. “By significantly reducing the cost of implementing and managing technology solutions, the EES agreement is allowing schools to redistribute resources and funds within existing budgets to other areas where it is desperately needed.”

Facebook pages arouse Netsafe concerns Internet advice agency Netsafe has told the Law Commission that it is concerned about a “proliferation of anonymous Facebook pages used to publish derogatory and often sexually explicit rumours about students.” The commission reported: “The first of these gossip pages to come to their attention included ‘extremely derogatory’ comments about students and ultimately is thought to have played some part in the suicide of a young girl.” The commission suggested creating a new commissioner or a tribunal with powers to order internet providers to take down such pages if they breach any law and are likely to result in psychological or other harm.

Children’s book to benefit blind people

uplifting story about two children, Isaac and Luke, which explores the question ‘How do you describe a colour to someone who can’t see?’. Dawn is also generously donating the royalties of the book, which is published by Scholastic, to the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind’s Guide Dog Services.

A special children’s picture book, Colour the Stars, gives children the opportunity to experience a different way of ‘seeing’ the world. Written by Dawn McMillan and illustrated by Keinyo White, Colour the Stars is a poignant and

“It felt right to support the RNZFB with proceeds from the story. I chose the RNZFB guide dogs as one day a boy like Luke might decide he needs a guide dog,” Dawn says. Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (RNZFB) Chief Executive, Sandra Budd, says the story will be a great tool to raise awareness of blindness. “The story conveys vision impairment in such a wonderful way for children to learn and be aware of the different ways blind and partially sighted children discover the world,” she says. Scholastic has been working with Dawn on Colour the Stars since 2009, when it was accepted for publication. It is Dawn’s twentieth picture book and one of her

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favourite stories. Colour the Stars is available now from bookstores nationwide.

Cyber-bullying crackdown possible The chief coroner is backing proposed law changes to crack down on “cyber-bullying” because of concern that it is helping to fuel New Zealand’s high rate of youth suicide, the New Zealand Herald reports. The newspaper has been running a series on aspects of bullying to raise awareness and seek ways of countering it. In one story, it quotes Judge Neil MacLean as saying bullying by mobile phone texting or on social media such as Facebook is “often a background factor” in suicides coming before coroners. “We know it’s certainly a risk factor for suicide, and we know that adolescents often talk about interpersonal problems when investigators are looking into not necessarily completed suicides but self-harm.” The article quotes Judge

MacLean as saying the recent Law Commission proposals to create new offences of incitement to suicide, maliciously impersonating another person, and publishing intimate photos without consent all “deserve the attention of the legislature.” It says: ‘The commission also recommended amending the Harassment, Telecommunications and Human Rights Acts to make it clear that they covered internetbased racial, sexual and other harassment and using a computer “for the purpose of disturbing, annoying or irritating any person” an offence which now applies only to using a telephone. “I think they are simple, practical steps that could help,” Judge MacLean said.’ In launching its campaign, the Herald says one survey of nine-yearolds in 35 countries found that New Zealand has the world’s secondhighest rate of school bullying. ‘It also has the world’s highest suicide rate of young males aged 15 to 24 and the second-highest overall death rate of young people aged 10 to 24, reflecting a high road death toll as well as suicide. ‘A long-term study of 1265 people born in Christchurch in 1977 found that both adolescents who were bullied and the teenagers who bullied them were up to three times more likely than others to attempt suicide before age 30. ‘Judge MacLean has called several times for more public discussion of the reasons for New Zealand’s high youth suicide rate, which is still unexplained.’ The article continued: ‘Health Ministry figures published last month show the rate dropped from a peak of 29 suicides for every 100,000 young people in 1995 to 18 per 100,000 in 2009. But this was still the highest in the world for males and third-highest for females. The youth suicide rate was below all older age groups for 40 years until 1985, then almost doubled in three years and has stayed above all older age groups in most years since 1987. “Its nature tells us it’s probably to do with the high youth unemployment rate, the high dropout rate of certain youth from education, disproportionately represented in the Maori population,” Judge MacLean said. “You can look at your own life experience - perhaps society was more supportive of young people, family links were stronger, teenagers didn’t have the disposable income, the ability to keep things from their parents via the internet.”

news 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. They are sure reliability, great personalised service and fast deliveries are just as much of

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.

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.

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.

Term 2 - 2012

school news

Fundraising

admin & management

A recipe for event success

ith the right preparation, planning and ingredients your fair or ball event can become a huge on-going success. School galas, fetes and fairs are a great way to fundraise, bringing local communities together to create memorable experiences. These Events are an integral part of New Zealand schools annual fundraising portfolios and are often essential for schools to financially survive. Often major events have to be scheduled and timed right to co-ordinate with other local or large events, public holidays, sports and weather patterns to attract a good and profitable turnout.

Preparation To make a successful event it is important to assemble a passionate team or committee and fit the right people for the right jobs by utilizing each individual’s strengths and skill set to then create roles or subteams with set achievable goals, responsibilities and timelines. • Set an agreed goal or fixed common objective • Gather the right team or committee and open communication to all • Delegate roles and responsibilities with timelines • Planning, budgeting, recording actions and time management

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“

School galas, fetes and fairs are a great way to fundraise, bringing local communities together to create memorable experiences

• Pre-event funding and sponsorship opportunities and rewards • Site plan with accurate measurements and distribution of services • Health and safety plan with council and OSH Permits for venue usage, food handling, alcohol and activity equipment plus safety regulations and responsibilities for each • Advertising and signage - design look, source free advertising coverage, how to make and where to put signage • Volunteer workers - local organizations parents, students and business associates • Subcontractor contracts with duties and responsibilities

Method • Atmosphere – A good quality

•

PA System for announcements and broadcasting of music, bands, local singers, entertainers, dancers and cultural or sporting demonstrations Theme your event to add purpose and make it more fun for all, e.g. carnival, beach, cultural, medieval, western, military, film, fashion, cartoon, wine and food Entertainment – Ensure you have something suitable for all ages e.g. bouncy castles, rides, slides, interactive games, dunk tanks, bungy tramps, archery. Stall Holders – bric-a-brac, books, clothes, auctions, quick fire raffles, lucky dips, competitions. Food and Drink – cake stalls, sausage sizzles, toffee apples, candy floss, canned drinks, coffee stands and healthy

alternatives. • Amenities – Parking, toilets, rubbish bins, fencing, surfaces for high traffic throughfares, directional signage with areas maintained • Shelter options for wet weather or hot sunny conditions • Maintenance –electrician for power requirements and grounds men to maintain rubbish and traffic • Security – Overnight if required, often the Police will assist at events • Financial Centre with eftpos, change and tickets • First Aid station for medical problems and lost children

The proof is in the eating In order to learn from what worked and what could have been improved is essential. Rewarding the working committee in some way for all the hard work, to celebrate the event and create a plan for the next one while the ideas and excitement are still present. One of the most important on-going benefits that can be gained for future events is to place a budget and time to produce post editorial advertising thanking sponsors and showing off what a great event it was.

admin & management Supplier Profile | Temperzone Ltd

New Zealand’s fastest growing heat pump brand IF YOUR SCHOOL is looking for a high quality, energy efficient and reliable heat pump then you should seriously consider a Hitachi model. Worldwide, Hitachi’s commitment to a better living environment through technology has seen them become leaders in fields as wide-ranging as healthcare and biotechnology, IT, and products that create healthier, more comfortable homes - such as the Hitachi heat pump. Although relatively new to the New Zealand market, Hitachi is in fact the third largest air conditioning manufacturer in Japan. Its philosophy of `Inspire the Next’ helps explain just how much the company’s products, systems and services meet the challenges of our times. This slogan embodies Hitachi’s commitment to continue to inspire coming generations with the latest products, systems and services for a more vibrant society.

Hitachi products are proven performers for all NZ conditions, including the cold south.

And it’s not all just about technology. Despite their own country’s troubles, Hitachi Ltd in Japan donated $100,000 to the Christchurch Earthquake appeal. Hitachi heat pumps are being installed as part of Christchurch’s chimney replacement programme. Hitachi products are proven performers for all NZ conditions, including the cold south. They come in a range of different types and sizes, including wall mounts, floor mounts, ducted in-ceiling and cassettes

models, in single or multizone use, all using the latest inverter technology. They are distributed in New Zealand by Temperzone Ltd. Temperzone is a New Zealand owned company that has been manufacturing and exporting air conditioning equipment for over 50 years and is a success story in itself. Purchasers’ and Installers’ faith in the Hitachi product is reinforced by Temperzone’s commitment and proven track record to support the product and back it with a 6 Year Warranty – NZ’s longest.

Hitachi heat pumps are ENERGY STAR® qualifiers because of their high energy efficiency, designed to give you optimal performance in winter, and all year round. Hitachi is well known throughout the country for it’s ‘Another Hitach Day’ jingle competition which ran last year and was a big hit with ukulele players. The distributor is currently running another Win $10,000 competition that again encourages kiwi kids in there creative skills and engages schools with their communities. The top five school entries will win a Hitachi heat pump. visit www.hitachiheatpumps.co.nz for more details and a list of installers near you.

Bring your Perfect Day Inside www.hitachiheatpumps.co.nz

Six Year Warranty

Energy Efficient

Quiet & Discreet

Term 2 - 2012

school news

Fundraising

admin & management

Eyes on the prize

undraising has become something of a necessary evil for many schools around New Zealand. Government funding provides only a small proportion of the amount schools need to invest each year in new equipment and resources. That shortfall now comes from the pockets of parents, teachers, local businesses and the wider school community. Today’s students are switched on to digital technology and items such as electronic whiteboards, digital projectors, iPads, digital cameras and tablets are the in-demand items for many classes. However the only way most can afford these items is by calling on the generosity and spare change of the local community. There are many different options schools can look at to boost their funds, whether they need to raise a little or a lot. Sausage sizzles, selling chocolates, cookies and lollies, creating recipe books, hosting quiz nights and art auctions, holding a gala or fair, selling seeds or providing discount books are just some of the countless ways schools can raise additional funds. However, it is important that schools find a fundraising opportunity that works with their core values and the messages they are trying to promote to their students, says Hannah Norton, programme co-ordinator at School

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“

Incentives and prizes that can benefit schools are also frequently offered by big businesses

Fundraising Group. “It can be contradictory, for example, to promote a healthy eating or active lifestyle message to students but then give them chocolates, or junk food to sell.” As a healthy option, School Fundraising Group helps schools sell tubes and roll-on sticks of sunblock and organise fun runs where students gain sponsorship from

the wider community to achieve a certain goal, such as running a certain distance within a set time frame or completing a specific number of laps. “The fun run concept can be held as part of the school’s cross country race, jump-a-thon and some schools this year are even combining it with Olympic theme days,” says Norton. “We can supply the school with all

the resources they need to run the event, from sponsorship forms, a co-ordinator’s guide, certificates, ice blocks for the children at the end of the race and incentive prizes for those that raise a certain amount.” Offering prizes or incentives to the students that raise the most money is something that has been happening for some time. Nowadays many providers offer incentives for all students that reach certain fundraising targets and it is becoming an increasingly popular way to help boost the amount students raise. “Prizes and incentives definitely add value,” says Lynne Pearson of adventure activity provider Rockup. Norton agrees. “They are a good option to provide motivation for students to raise more money,” she says. “Students really respond to the incentive.” Incentives and prizes that can benefit schools are also frequently offered by big businesses. As an example of a current promotion, Hitachi Heat Pumps, distributed in New Zealand by Temperzone, is offering prizes worth up to $10,000 to those who make a video of themselves undertaking an outdoor activity, inside. The top five schools will also win a Hitachi Heat Pump that they can use themselves or auction off to raise additional funds for the school.

Fundraising

admin & management

ROCKCLIMBING WALLS

There are, however, schools that prefer a more traditional approach to fundraising and organise an annual gala or fair. This is where companies, such as Warkworth-based Rockup can help. Rockup provides a range of inflatable activities such as climbing walls and bouncy castles, as well as dunk tanks, mechanical surfboards and tug-of-war. The company also produces a downloadable guide with hints and tips to consider when organising a gala, and an event planner. Although Rockup offer package deals on the hire of two or more activities, schools are applying to local businesses to sponsor one or more of the activities as a way to raise additional funds, says Pearson. “Local businesses can pay to brand one of the activities which can go some way to paying for the hire.”

For schools looking to do something a little different, the New Zealand Parent Teacher Association (NZPTA) provides a list of potential fundraising activities on its website, from having a cocktail party to a garden safari. And websites like www.fundraisingideas.co.nz can also provide new and innovative ideas. In any case, finding a fundraising opportunity that suits the school and engages the community is vital. Coming up with a unique, different way to raise funds that promotes the schools’ core values and messages is key, says School Fundraising Group’s Norton. “Schools struggle to continually ask for money from parents so finding something different that the community can get behind is crucial.” By Rebecca Wood

Hire exciting activities to raise self esteem, create positive Attitudes & FUN experiences CLIMB & SLIDES

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Delivery, Setup to Operate with Qualiﬁed Staff and Full OSH Policies INTERACTIVE GAMES

DUNKS TANKS & LOTS MORE!

CALL: 0800 ROCKUP 0800 762 587 www.rockup.co.nz 10% Discount off Activity Hires with this advert

Easy, Healthy, Successful Fundraising! At the School Fundraising Group you can access true alternatives to junk food fundraisers that are both easy and profitable. Our goal is to help you raise vital extra funding in a way that positively connects your school, club or group to the local community… your biggest fans!

No Risk – No Upfront Costs – Fun •

Suitable for all schools, kindergartens, community and sporting groups. Flexible with any kind of event.

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Everyone is rewarded. Lots of great prizes, refreshments and certificates.

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• Minimum $2 profit on every item sold • SPF30+ high quality products • No financial risk and 30 day account • 100% sale or return policy

To receive an information kit or to book: Phone: 0800 377 170 or Email: manager@schoolfundraising.org.nz www.schoolfundraising.org.nz School Fundraising Group Ltd, PO Box 74443, Greenlane, Auckland 1546 Term 2 - 2012

school news

UFB

admin & management

Broadband in education: the promise and the pitfalls

t’s an exciting time for Kiwi schools. Now that the Government has invested $1.35 billion in ultra-fast broadband (UFB), we’re literally on the brink of a revolutionary new world of internet-based applications and services. We know it’s going to transform the way we teach and learn. What we don’t know yet is precisely how. With the infrastructure in place, all kinds of as yet un-thought of opportunities will become possible. According to ex Education Minister Anne Tolley, our schools are set to become among the most “wired” in the world. New Zealand is often an early adopter of new technologies. In a sense, we’re guinea pigs for the rest of the world. When it comes to technology transformations as significant as this, there are always risks. If you’re a school administrator, you need to be aware of them. Some issues may only arise as new applications do, however there are some you can prepare for now. For schools, the main risks relate to uncontrolled cost and inappropriate content.

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Term 2 - 2012

“

Kelvin Hussey General Manager, Call Plus

Cloud services will give schools access to a powerful range of computing resources without the need to invest in infrastructure such as servers, storage or traditional “shrink-wrapped” software

Network for Learning By the end of the decade, ultra-fast broadband infrastructure will reach 75 per cent of New Zealanders. However, connecting schools and health services is a priority. By mid-2015, the Government aims to have an incredible 97.7 per cent of schools and 99.9 per cent of students connected. Through the Ministry of Education, the Government is establishing a “Network for Learning” – a dedicated network for schools which will run over the UFB, enabling online collaboration and easy access to education-based services. Over the next ten years the Network for Learning is expected to cost between $300 million and $400 million. The first 221 urban schools, with a combined roll of

almost 100,000 students, are due to be connected to the network by July this year. More information about the network can be found on the Ministry’s website: www.minedu. govt.nz/ufbinschools

Big changes are in store Together, UFB and the Network for Learning will transform the way education is delivered and managed. Tales of the classroom we know will soon be relegated to the non-dogeared, pristine pages of history eBooks and “remember when?” conversations. As ex Education Minister Anne Tolley said last year, “Location will no longer be a barrier for accessing courses. For the very first time every rural and urban school will be able

to connect with each other to collaborate and share resources and best practice.” With the network in place, collaboration will be able to happen via high-definition internet-based video conferencing. Visual resources – from eBooks to video – sourced from other schools or central repositories such as the Ministry or Te Papa will be just a mouse-click away in the classroom. Students and teachers will be able to engage in real time with colleagues anywhere in the country, or the world. It will enable classroom computer monitors to be transformed into interactive whiteboards so learning experiences can be shared across locations, either within a school or between schools.

UFB

admin & management

Toll bills will be slashed as schools switch to internet-based (IP) voice calling services. Simply browsing the web from the classroom will improve as faster broadband speeds and better bandwidth enable websites to appear onscreen as the designers intended. There’ll be no more waiting for websites to load. Even sending and receiving email will be improved and streamlined, with better bandwidth allowing instant transmission. With enhanced bandwidth, schools can also install or improve campus-wide Wi-Fi hotspots to enable seamless connectivity and internet access (to approved sites and online resources) for students from their own laptops, or mobile devices. And if students can use their own devices, schools can reduce their expenditure on computers, allowing more students to be online simultaneously at peak times, and improve learning opportunities by providing connectivity for students who may not have internet access at home. The planned UFB-based Network for Learning will also open up an expanded range of productivity-boosting and costsaving “cloud computing” services for schools. Cloud computing – the use of broadband to access offsite computing resources – can deliver everything from parent portals and student learning systems through to email management and data back-up services, all accessed via a standard web browser. Cloud services will give schools access to a powerful range of computing resources without the need to invest in infrastructure such as servers, storage or traditional “shrink-wrapped” software. Instead of making that type of capital investment in IT, schools can simply subscribe to cloud services, typically for a monthly fee and pay as they go, potentially making savings during holiday periods. The Network for Learning also gives schools the tools they need to control exactly how their local school network operates. This includes regulating the type of files

Young pirates Already, just weeks after the Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Act came into force late last year, there were reports that the first school had received an infringement notice under the Act. Schools, like individuals and other organisations, face having their internet connections severed under the “three strikes” provisions of the Act if copyright holders complain the connection has been used to pirate content.

Don’t panic

and content that can be transmitted to or from their network. Schools will also be able to control when components of the network are operational. For example, the hours during which a school’s Wi-Fi network is active and available. Content can be restricted on a time basis; no more Facebook outside designated breaks.

The downside Everything has a down-side. And despite revolutionising school technology, improving productivity and transforming learning, teaching and working, a broadband-networkenabled future raises some issues.

Potentially the biggest bill you’ve ever seen Under the UFB initiative (and the associated Rural Broadband Initiative for smaller communities) all state and state-integrated schools receive a fully-funded connection to the Government’s fibre-optic broadband network. Schools will have to pay to use the Network for Learning in the same way they currently pay an internet service provider for internet access. However, the Ministry of Education is promising schools will

be able to make significant savings through the network because of the economies of scale which will be possible as a result of schools’ combined purchasing power. The Ministry has said it hopes to eventually offer schools an “uncapped” service over the Network for Learning, meaning schools could send and receive an unrestricted amount of data. Until that becomes a reality, however, schools transitioning to the UFB and the Network for Learning face the risk of some potentially scary bills from excessive data consumption as teachers, students and school administrators make use of the scintillating online opportunities that will open up to them.

Unsuitable content With faster broadband providing students and staff with easier access to internet content, administrators also need to be even more aware of the potential for inappropriate material to be transmitted over school networks. As well as the danger of objectionable material, schools need to be alert to issues such as illegal sharing of copyrighted electronic content.

For every problem, there’s a solution. And while you may have turned slightly pale reading the potential costs and risks, the good news is that there are solutions to address these issues. Internet service providers such can provide content management and content filtering solutions to minimise network abuse and control traffic so your school doesn’t receive unexpected data bills. Internet service providers are working closely with several schools to tailor packages specifically to help them make the most of the fibre roll out. Content filtering tools enable a school to restrict website visits over its network to a defined “white list” of approved sites. The sending and receiving of suspicious content – or large files – can also be restricted, with parameters set to meet your school’s requirements. However, with broadband network enhancements just months away for some schools, it’s important to act soon. With just a small amount of preparation the risks can be addressed and your school can embrace the technology and the tremendous potential it offers. Kelvin Hussey is General Manager of CallPlus. He has worked extensively in the telecommunications industry both in New Zealand and in the United Kingdom for such brands as Cable and Wireless Communications, Energis Communications and Vodafone New Zealand.

Term 2 - 2012

school news

Photocopiers

admin & management

Carbon copy

hotocopiers have come a long way in the last few decades. From being a simple tool for making copies of worksheets and other school documents, today’s photocopiers have been merged with printers and now allow users to not only copy, but also print, scan and fax documents. Known as multifunction photocopiers (MFPs) the latest models, such as Konica Minolta’s Bizhub MFP, can also access the internet, be a portal for using software applications, and wirelessly interact with smart phones, laptops and tablets. There are many benefits to using a multifunction photocopier in place of a range of standalone devices. In particular the cost savings can be quite significant. The technology involved in MFPs has evolved to the point where the cost per page is much lower than that of stand-alone desktop printers, says Jeremy Lane, national manager for education at Konica Minolta Business Solutions New Zealand. “And of course, MFPs offer functions of greater quality –

school news

Term 2 - 2012

“

There are many benefits to using a multifunction photocopier in place of a range of standalone devices.

whether that be print (via colour control tools); distribution (via scanning to email/network/internet/ USB or hard drive); or document output finishing (via punching, stapling, folding and booklet making).” As well as being cheaper to run overall, MFPs also utilise reporting technology that means schools can track costs and monitor departmental or individual usage. “With Konica Minolta technology you can set limits for certain staff or students, and you can set rules that recommend another print device be used. These print rules are chosen

by the school, based on things like cost-effectiveness, peak-usage trends, or security,” says Lane. “A recent trend emerging is card access for MFPs, which can be extended to other ‘purchases’ around the school – parents can view all transactions and add value online if the school is on-charging.” Even with all this fantastic technology there are times when it just won’t work. Issues such as paper jams, toner issues and print server problems arise and it will be necessary to call out a servicing technician. It is important that the technician is familiar with each

school’s particular needs. “With our proactive service support model (which we call Sentinel Services), we will often know about a potential issue and deal with it before a school is aware of it – since our back-end service system receives information directly from our MFPs. Our goal is to keep our schools operating happily at all times with our MFPs and software,” says Lane. “And we are now introducing an even more advanced system whereby our Help Desk can (with the school’s permission) log-in to the bizhub and help with any MFP issues.”

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Photocopiers

admin & management

All the new features and technology in the MFP, combined with the software, servicing and support available can add up to a significant investment but, as Lane explains, there are pros and cons to both purchasing a device outright and leasing it from a supplier. “When you purchase, you know you can use the MFP for a long time

school news

Term 2 - 2012

and potentially depreciate its value over its lifetime. However, service requirements may be greater as the technology ages, affecting the quality of the MFP’s performance,” he says.Leasing or renting is sometimes perceived as more expensive in the long-run. But it also has many benefits in that the latest technology can be used and upgrades are easier.

“The benefit to a school’s operations from the latest and greatest can also be significant. An example of this that springs to mind is the PageScope Mobile application that lets schools print directly from their smart phones and tablets on the latest Konica Minolta bizhub MFPs,” says Lane. There is a lot for schools to

consider when selecting the right photocopier for their needs, but, by gaining recommendations from neighbouring schools, reading case studies of how MFPs have helped other schools and even trialling the technology for a short time, an informed decision can be made on the most suitable photocopier for the school.

Multifunction copiers top choice for schools Schools across the country are investing in multifunction copiers for all their printing, copying, scanning and faxing needs. The machines provide a number of benefits for schools, particularly in the ability to save time and money by cutting the cost of using individual devices, a key consideration for many schools Baradene College in Remuera, Auckland use Toshiba copiers to archive student work, scan and disseminate information to staff – including magazine and Education Gazette documents – as well as the everyday copying to provide material support for students. The school has 1010 students and 100 staff accessing the 12 machine network, and managing expenditure could have been quite a challenge with each faculty being charged for usage. But by working with the school’s print management, the Toshiba Copy Card system helps keep tabs on budget and the whole copying process. Reducing paper and copying

costs was also a key consideration for St Mary’s School in the North Shore suburb of Northcote. “Toshiba’s comparative cost analysis came out on top. The package included free software that monitors usage, and errors and over-runs reduced to zero. So budget dropped as well,” says principal Paul Engles. The school had tried alternative

copier brands but recently decided to move back to using Toshiba products. “We bought one of Toshiba’s first digital brands in 1996,” says Engles. “Recently we tried alternatives for several years but were dissatisfied with the excessive costs.” The school uses its copier network for “everything”, he

says. “Scanning, email, printing prospectuses, CD covers, banners and of course teachers’ and students’ work.” This ability to respond to schools’ individual needs also attracted Farm Cove’s Wakaaranga School to Toshiba’s products and 12 years on from it’s first lease-to-buy purchase the school still has Toshiba digital technology despite going to market every three years as policy. Ten copiers support 33 staff and some 700 students. Six copiers are used as printers networked to 240 PCs at a “fraction of the operating cost of laser printers,” says principal Brent Jenkin. “These days all copier companies tend to have good digital product, so choice comes down to things like relationships, the best deals, and service. Toshiba are always coming up with solutions – like overcoming the networking problems accompanying the arrival of Windows 7. The longest we’ve ever had to wait for service is an hour or two at the most,” he says.

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Term 2 - 2012

school news

My Learning

education

Learning MY way

ave you attended conferences, read articles and listened to experts speak about the way in which teachers and schools are not catering for the 21st century? How we are stuck teaching in a 19th century paradigm? How students are not well prepared for the ever-changing world they will encounter when they leave school? We have all heard this numerous times, but how do we cater for the needs of a 21st century student effectively? One teacher believes she has the answer, in the form of a new pedagogy she has developed, called My-learning: an innovative pedagogical approach that combines self-directed learning, formative assessment, eLearning strategies as well as personalisation and individualisation of learning. The idea behind the name “Mylearning” comes from the children learning MY way, at MY pace, MY level and at a time that suits ME.

Learning at MY pace and a time that suits ME Walk into a My-learning classroom and you will notice that there are some children doing maths and some English. Some will be talking in groups and some tucked away working individually. Some will be on laptops, others writing in their book. The self-directed nature of the programme means that students in a My-Learning classroom plan their time using a diary and a task list which they must complete within the requisite time frame of one week. This list will consist of individual and

school news

Term 2 - 2012

collaborative tasks, eLearning and more traditional tasks, tasks to cater for individual abilities and learning styles, and tasks covering a variety of curriculum areas. Children plan these tasks around preorganised ‘meetings’ that may be for the whole class or for groups of students based on ability or interest. This system allows for flexibility, autonomy and ownership which is something students in a Mylearning classroom really value. Learning in a My-learning classroom is tailored to ‘fit’ students’ needs. Conferencing is key to this and the teacher has a conference with each child individually at least once or twice a week. This may be at the child’s or teacher’s instigation and is made possible by the flexible, self-directed nature of the programme. Feedback is also given to students by their peers through the school’s online learning community as well as in the classroom. Students use peer feedback, teacher feedback and their own reflections to assess themselves formally and informally in an open and honest manner. The teacher will also individualise the learning as much as possible. Children have individual writing and maths goals they work to achieve. They are constantly grouped and re-grouped according to strengths and weaknesses in their learning. There are optional meetings children can attend if they need or want to learn something and the teacher will only organise a whole class meeting if the whole class needs to learn a

concept. These optional meetings may be at the teacher’s or the student’s instigation and children are sufficiently aware of their learning that they will attend such meetings willingly and on their own accord. The teacher’s planning is very carefully constructed so that every minute of the school day is focussed and productive for the children. The formative assessment aspect of My-learning is key to moving children towards being actively engaged in their own learning. They have been taught to have ownership over their own learning and are encouraged to personalise their learning. Students will routinely teach and learn off other children. They will create extra work for themselves in order to work on an area that is a goal for them. You are also likely to witness children going to TED talks or Kahn Academy researching something they are curious about in their own time. The style of learning can also be tailored to ‘fit’ the child. Children

have choice over whom, if anyone, they work with. They are able to talk about their learning, get help from others and bounce ideas around with their peers whenever they like throughout the day. They frequently get choice over the medium they will use to complete a task based on their learning style. Students also value the modern learning environment in which they operate as this allows the flexibility to cater for different learning styles and needs. By Emma Winder Emma Winder has been teaching using the My-learning system she developed at Willow Park School on Auckland’s North Shore for three years now and is confident that the students are engaged, motivated, taking responsibility for their learning and progressing academically. For more information on this system as well as resources to make it happen, head to Emma’s blog: http://mylearning.me

ADHD

education

ADHD – getting to the root of the problem

Rose Westmoreland Lead Coach DORE

s a child’s temper tantrums and hyperactivity signs of ADHD? This is a question many parents often ask. Signs that children are struggling can include restlessness and fidgeting, dashing about and climbing in situations where they are expected to sit still, blurting out answers without listening to the whole question first and getting frustrated when having to wait in line or queue. ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is the term used to cover the various syndromes where there is either attention deficit, hyperactivity or both, and is the most commonly diagnosed behavioural disorder of childhood, estimated to affect three to five per cent of school-age children. The condition causes a range of problems associated with behavioural difficulties and poor attention span. Children with ADHD often have functional problems in all areas of their lives, including home, school, and relationships with friends. And people struggling with ADHD have also been shown to experience long-term adverse effects on academic performance, vocational success, and social-emotional development. For someone who struggles to pay attention, the school environment can prove particularly challenging. A child can be trying to focus on what a teacher is saying, whilst filtering out other distracting noise, stimulation and information such as the noise and activity of classmates. Given all this competing information, it’s hardly surprising that some people struggle to sort everything out and then organise and prioritise their thoughts and make the appropriate responses. But even without the difficulty of blocking out the distractions research suggests that many with ADHD would still struggle to learn in school. According to the Dyslexia Research Institute (USA) as many as 70 per cent of children diagnosed with ADHD or ADD also have dyslexia symptoms. It is understandable that children with both ADHD and dyslexia may become easily overwhelmed in an academic environment.

“

Studies indicate a significant proportion of children with ADHD also have dyspraxia, the core problems of which involve difficulties in planning and carrying out complex, sequential actions.

Further clouding the picture, studies indicate a significant proportion of children with ADHD also have dyspraxia, the core problems of which involve difficulties in planning and carrying out complex, sequential actions. In motor co-ordination this shows in clumsiness, difficulties with catching a ball or balancing, tying shoelaces or doing up buttons. And many children with Asperger’s syndrome also have symptoms compatible with ADHD. The fact there is so much overlap in these conditions begins to make sense when considered in the light of research in recent years suggesting that, in many cases, the underlying cause of these various conditions is the same - an inefficient cerebellum. It has long been known that the cerebellum modulates voluntary movement commands so that the movements become progressively more accurate, smoother, and require less conscious effort to perform. For example, when learning to

ride a bike you have to consciously balance, coordinate your arms and legs, and direct yourself using your eyes. As you practice, and the cerebellum becomes more accustomed to the demands of the task, you can eventually do the task without thinking. However it is now understood that the cerebellum also plays a major role in the process of learning by making tasks automatic. If your cerebellum is underperforming it can make tasks that most people take for granted very difficult. Because in most cases many of the symptoms overlap, the question could be asked, “Does it make sense to categorise these conditions so definitely?” If instead we focus on the common underlying cause and seek to address that, rather than the symptoms, a more effective and long-lasting solution may be found. We now know that by stimulating the cerebellum in an appropriate manner, its efficiency can be improved, leading to alleviation of the symptoms experienced.

It is widely known that medication is commonly prescribed to manage the symptoms of ADHD, but by stimulating the cerebellum in an appropriate manner the root cause of the problem may be addressed. Based on the subtle messages they pick up at school, some children quickly define themselves as being ‘clever or stupid’. This black-and-white approach can have a major impact on their self-esteem and sense of identity – well into adulthood. The more we learn about how the brain processes information, the more apparent it becomes that many talented and enthusiastic children are struggling to learn in more conventional ways. All too often this struggle is disguised as difficult behaviour. Only by getting to the root of the problem and providing effective help for these children can we enable them to make the most of their educational opportunities and fulfil their potential.

Term 2 - 2012

school news

Tauranga Boys College

profiles

Best for boys at Tauranga Boys College

lessed with a superb location in the warm climate of the Bay of Plenty, and wonderful beaches close by, Tauranga Boys’ College was always going to have a great deal going for it. Add excellent facilities and a culture dedicated to meeting the educational, social and developmental needs of boys on their

school news

Term 2 - 2012

journey from boyhood to manhood, and it is no wonder the college has such an excellent reputation scholastically, culturally and on the sporting field. “We have a commitment to continuous improvement as we challenge our boys to strive for excellence in academic, sporting and cultural activities in a male

context,” says college principal, Robert Mangan. “Boys are challenged to enquire and to reflect on their actions, and to be motivated to achieve their potential. We provide a supportive environment with strong leadership, clear direction and high expectations. Opportunities to experience success and to realise their potential are provided for all our boys, both inside

and outside the classroom.” Tauranga Boys’ College is a state secondary school for boys, located on the edge of the downtown area of Tauranga. The school was founded in 1958. Since then it has achieved a great deal of academic success, as well as on the sports field and other area of endeavour. Mr Mangan is quick to attribute this to his teaching staff. “Our teachers understand boys’ learning needs and deliver a teaching programme that maximises the success of all boys. A quality professional learning programme fosters our teachers’ expertise. Our curriculum is designed to meet the needs of all our boys, providing pathways for them to achieve academic success and become lifelong learners.” He says a structured, orderly and caring environment provides security and certainty for the boys as they progress through their adolescent years. “They will develop into young men who have respect for themselves and others, value excellence and loyalty, and have a strong sense of pride and belonging to their college.” 22

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Tauranga Boys College

profiles

Callum Gilbert, kayaking

History and tradition History, tradition and rituals play an important role in enriching a boy’s education at Tauranga Boy’s College. On their very first day, year nine boys are challenged by the college haka – Maunganui. “This sets the tone for other significant milestones, as each young boy travels the road to manhood,” Mr Mangan said. “The challenge culminates in the haka being laid down to our year 13 boys as they exit the school for the final time. “This college is proud to celebrate success. We acknowledge the importance of overcoming

challenges, setting goals and working hard in the pursuit of excellence. The characteristics of ‘good men’ are declared and upheld. Respect, honesty, integrity and resilience are a few of the characteristics that guide the boys.” These values are demonstrated in the college crest – Myron’s Discobolus – chosen because the figure of the discus thrower embodies Greek beliefs that life should be studied closely and reproduced exactly: complete with grace, proportion, poise, discipline and exactitude. From this central concept comes the college motto: Pergo et perago – ‘I take up the work and I carry it through.’

Learning for the 21st Century While a wide range of pursuits and activities is available, learning for the modern age is central to the college, which strives to create a strong academic purpose for young men. “We’re committed to the values and traditions of academic achievement at the highest level,” Mr Mangan said. “Success is championed. Our broad curriculum choice enhances individual achievement and promotes the skills and knowledge that young men will need in the 21st Century.” That attitude has paid off. Students regularly lead the region in scholastic achievement, particularly

in the National Scholarship Examinations. But the school also prides itself on its many sporting achievements in a wide range of individual and team sports. A number of national titles and New Zealand representative awards have been awarded to pupils, both past and present.

Artistic commitment And while boys and sports are usually closely aligned, the college is committed to providing a wide range of artistic activities, groups and opportunities for students of all interests, abilities and cultures. “Fun, participation, education and

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Term 2 - 2012

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Tauranga Boys College

profiles

Excellent facilities – supportive environment.

Mackenzie Christie, surfing

Tauranga Boys College Water Polo Team

achievement are acknowledged encouraged to learn a musical instrument and tutors are employed and promoted as an important to hone their skills. part of a young man’s education for life and will hopefully encourage Sense of belonging a lifelong interest in the arts,” said Mr Mangan. A major production is Success in these fields does not performed annually in conjunction happen by accident. Boys join a with Tauranga Girls’ College. college that provides a high level Boys who play musical of support. “We want all our boys instrument are encouraged to feel safe, secure and connected,” to audition for the college’s Mr Mangan said.2:17:16 “We do everything huskyschooladsmallerprint.pdf 9/5/12 PM various ensembles. Students are we can to ensure that the academic,

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co-curricular and social aspects of school life are as rewarding as possible. We recognise and respect each boy’s uniqueness, while growing his sense of place, sense of belonging and identity within the college and the wider community.” To foster that sense of belonging or turangawaewae, all boys belong to one of six houses, named after great New Zealand men, and are involved in sporting, cultural,

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Term 2 - 2012

school news

E-Learning

teaching resources

Online primary school learning network spreads

he Virtual Learning Network (VLN) has been a developing part of New Zealand’s education system for several years in rural secondary schools and more recently at primary level. Participation in the VLN involves sharing and delivering classes between clusters across the country. The stated aim of VLN is to support “the concept of classrooms without walls, where students and educators have the flexibility to connect with their classes 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” Now the VLN Primary is beginning to gain momentum. It is centred on Matapu School, a decile 7, U3 school in South Taranaki. Matapu School is the lead school for VLN Primary through the vision and drive of its principal Rick Whalley, who has for some years worked collaboratively with other rural and remote schools to grow online opportunities for learners. A total of 35 primary schools have been participating in 2011 and so far this year. In the first semester in 2012, 18 schools were taking part in the 10 classes, all of them teaching languages except for one course in astronomy. In all, there are currently about 200 students from those schools actively participating. This includes an ongoing health project, supervised by senior students from Auckland’s Rosmini College, with three primary schools and 54 students involved. “And we know there are lots of schools connecting with each other under their own steam,” coordinator Rachel Roberts said.

Small beginnings It is a considerable step up from three schools in Taranaki and Waikato which began it all a few years ago. In 2008, Mr Whalley set up an online collaboration of Spanish and French classes with two other primary schools in Waikato and Taranaki, and approached the Ministry of Education for support. That led to funding for Ms Roberts as part time coordinator in 2010 and 2011. As more schools became involved, the ministry came up with full time funding for her this year, as well as providing the necessary audio conferencing

school news

Term 2 - 2012

Coordinator Rachel Roberts with VLN students from Auroa School.

Matapu students participating in their online German class

facilities, web conferencing and internet tools. With the advent of ultra-fast Broadband in schools, those involved are looking forward to being able to include video conferencing capability as well. Ongoing funding for sustaining collaboration is still to be secured. “The VLN is something we’ve been involved with over the years and have been adapting and fine tuning for the needs of primary students,” said Ms Roberts. “While a lot of area schools have younger students and are involved in online learning, they’ve mainly focused their VLN activities on NCEA

Mangere Central students working together in their Moodle class

students, and the younger students haven’t been as involved.” Courses last from 12 – 15 weeks. Students go online to a web conferencing room, dial in to the audio conference and have a half hour session with students from other schools and their teacher. Real time classes are supplemented through Moodle, an online learning environment with activities, video, games and quizzes that can be accessed at any time, from anywhere. Ms Roberts says language has been a big driver for VLN Primary because when the curriculum

changed in recent years, languages became a separate area of the curriculum and schools were compelled to offer it to their students. “That’s just unrealistic for many New Zealand schools, so VLN Primary has many language classes.” She says VLN is all about personalising learning for students, giving them a much wider range of choices than their own school could offer on its own. “The one size fits all model isn’t fair and realistic in today’s world, and so the VLN Primary is really opening up pathways for students to make choices at a younger age.”

Book Reviews

teaching resources

New books on the block However there is someone who knows Finn’s secret … Blackmail and lies … will Finn ever face the truth? It’s not until disaster befalls one of his friends at an illicit afterball party that Finn learns what is most important in life.

for tea. When a family secret about Granny is revealed, we discover all about her fearsome pirate reputation and her swashbuckling ways - from making other roguish pirates walk the plank to singing sea shanties to her dog, Jolly Roger. Look again at your granny...could she be a pirate too? A must-have book for all pirate fans.

schoolnews Fishing Fame

Snakes and Ladders

Melanie Drewery and John Bennett RRP $16.50 Scholastic

Mary-Anne Scott

Can you catch a big fish from a paddle-boat? Too right you can! Max and Dan are desperate to get their names onto the Fishing Fame Board. When they take a paddle boat out fishing, they catch much more than they bargained for … A humorous chapter book with illustrations, not just for fishing enthusiasts!

The network can also call on expert help when it needs it. “We work with an international language exchange programme, language advisors and the Confucius Institute and can tap into their language assistants. They’ve really got in behind us and support what we’re doing.”

Reciprocity principal Ms Roberts says the VLN is made possible by schools offering their expertise as a teacher of a subject, and then enrolling their students in the classes VLN offers. “It’s based on the principal of reciprocity and contributing to a shared teaching and learning pool. “Sometimes, staff at remote rural schools think: ‘We haven’t got the skills to contribute, so how can our students participate?’ The answer is that some might donate resourcing, provide a language assistant, or assist with staffing to a school to

welcomes editorial contributions and images on relevant topics for features, new product profiles and news items.

RRP $21.00 Scholastic Finn’s druggie Dad is on trial for manslaughter, and so Finn is sent away to an exclusive boarding school to remove him from the small-town gossip machine. At first he feels a bit like a fish out of water, but soon makes some good friends, and even scores with the much-lusted-after Mia, who plays in the symphonic band with him.

help replace the teacher who is delivering VLN there.” The benefits to the schools are two-fold, she says. “For a lot of our smaller, very remote schools, it’s a great opportunity to have other teachers working with their students, even though it’s at a distance. When there are a dozen kids from three different schools, in a class with a teacher who is from somewhere else, there are not three other teachers sitting in the background. Those kids are interacting independently with their online teacher. “For participating schools, the payoffs in key competencies are just huge – participating and contributing, managing self and relating to others are all developed in the context of online learning. Teachers can advance their own professional learning, whether it’s in becoming an online learner or teacher themselves or upskilling in

My Granny is a Pirate By Val McDermid, illustrated by Arthur Robins RRP $19.99 Hachette My granny is a pirate! She’s sailed the seven seas. She captured many pirate ships But was always home

Please email to editorial@schoolnews.co.nz. Images should be in high resolution (300dpi) JPEG or TIFF format. Editorial queries should be directed to the editorial department on (03) 365 5575.

Y12 boys from Rosmini (Auckland) preparing to go online and present their Health topic to students from a Primary school

any of the classes we offer. “The students are gaining a wider perspective on learning languages. It gives them an introduction to what’s out there, and when they move on to other

primary or secondary schools, we hope they’ll have developed enough love of learning languages to be asking for those subjects.” By Brent Leslie

Term 2 - 2012

school news

teaching resources

Supplier Profile | Sony New Zealand

Projectors for a brighter future For the sharpest, shadow-free images at short distances, the Sony short throw S Series has been specially designed to heighten classroom engagement. The sharpest big screen images at the shortest distances Ideal for new or refurbished primary and secondary school classrooms, the Sony S Series of short throw projectors deliver incredibly sharp, super-size images across exceptionally small distances. Providing exceptional performance at competitive prices, these projectors help to heighten classroom engagement. The shorter the distance between projector and screen, the less chance there is of distracting shadows being cast across the screen. Bringing content alive by getting closer Our S Series projectors also enable teachers and students to stand closer to the screen without being caught in the glare. So they can draw studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; attention to different areas of a presentation for clarification or emphasis â&#x20AC;&#x201C; helping to bring content alive.

school news

Term 2 - 2012

Easier installation Sony S Series projectors are particularly easy to install. The advanced Throw Ratio, Vertical Keystone and Lens Shift functions enable flexible installation within any environment. Easier installation Choosing Sony not only ensures the most advanced image quality and the most intuitive ease-of-use, it also ensures peace of mind. As a world-leader in display technology, we combine years of experience with unrivalled expertise to create solutions that are designed to meet the specific needs of users, audiences and environments. For more information please contact: Erin Kirk, Sales and Business Development Manager, Sony New Zealand Limited, email erin.kirk@ap.sony.com or go to our website pro.sony.co.nz

Our new ultra short throw projectors. Destined to be the Teacher’s favourite.

The popular Sony ultra short throw projectors. In the class room or in the office, get great performance in even the most limited of spaces. Our new powerful ultra short throw lens projects an impressive 80” screen size image from only half a meter away.

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With optical zoom and lens shift capability, tuning the image position is easy. Sony’s BrightEra technology offers superb picture quality with brilliant colour performance, as well as an extremely long lamp life.

VPL-SW535 ( WXGA) & VPL-SX535 (XGA) SO11305/NZ

pro.sony.co.nz/projectors

“SONY” and “make.believe” are trademarks of Sony Corporation. *Approximate recommended lamp life in low brightness mode.

Presentation Equipment

teaching resources

Interactive projectors make learning fun and more meaningful

igital technology is everchanging. Improvements are made to hardware and new apps - programmes that help the latest gadgets work better, faster and more interactively – are being introduced on an almost daily basis. The same can be said for technology used within the classroom. The interactive whiteboards, iPads, iPods and digital cameras in common use today are a far cry from the chalk and duster classrooms of 30 years ago. In particular, classroom projectors have come a long way from the old-style overhead projector that was sat on an empty desk close to the screen or wall the image was to be projected on, required manual operation of the mirror arm and projected information from transparencies the teacher had already written on. Today’s projectors are interactive, allow collaborative working and

provide options for teachers to share lesson plans with their peers electronically. The main role of today’s interactive projector is to make learning fun and more meaningful for the students, says Mike Conza,

business manager projectors at Epson. “They give more engaged learning and turn the traditional, kids sitting at their desks answering questions style of teaching, around and gets the kids up to the front of the classroom. They allow students

to become more involved.” Erin Kirk, sales and business development manager at Sony New Zealand says teachers need the support of tools and resources to help them engage pupils and deliver the best classroom experience.

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Term 2 - 2012

“

Presentation Equipment

teaching resources

Today’s projectors are interactive, allow collaborative working and provide options for teachers to share lesson plans with their peers electronically

“We enable them to expand their boundaries through creative use of multimedia content, and digital projectors in the classroom offer a better way for teachers who want to focus on better ways to present educational material. Projectors help make lessons come to life and enable the integration of other technology. This really helps to grab the attention of the students and make the learning environment more interactive and fun.” As an example, modern projectors let teachers take what is on the smaller computer screen and enlarge it so the whole class can see. Multimedia programmes and YouTube clips, for example, can be shown to the whole class through mounting the projector on the wall or can provide space for collaborative working amongst small groups of students by being used on a table. Epson’s projectors have a range

of new features that also provide that interactivity. The company has recently released two new projectors that have dual pens, allowing two students to amend the same document simultaneously. Notations made with these pens are able to be displayed almost immediately which makes writing on images easier and more intuitive. These latest models also offer the ability of a PC-free electronic whiteboard. For teachers, modern interactive projectors allow them to prepare their lesson plans and supporting documentation and send it straight to the projector. “There is no need to recreate the lesson or write up notes every time that lesson is taught, it can simply be saved and used again,” says Conza. “If the lesson plan is in PowerPoint, for example, it can be saved as a working document and notes can be made over it and saved, or the

students can make changes to it.” Additional software available with modern projectors also allows the creation of a database of lessons so teachers can see lessons that their peers have created. “It opens a shared learning space for teachers as well,” he says. Sony’s range of projectors have a low total cost of ownership by providing energy savings and longer lasting lamps. Traditionally projectors have offered two brightness settings: high and standard. Sony’s Short Throw and E-Series all feature three brightness levels; high, standard and eco, says Kirk. “With the ECO Mode you save power and costs; the projector lamp will automatically turn off after 10 minutes with no input signal, so you save on electricity, your lamp lasts longer and you reduce your replacement costs. You automatically use less electricity,

especially when users forget to turn the projector off after use,” she says. So what does the future hold for the use of interactive projectors in New Zealand schools? “Teaching is becoming increasingly electronic,” says Epson’s Conza. “We are now seeing cases of students laptops and computers directly linking with the projector to put the students own work on the board. “Interactive devices are in use in approximately 75 per cent of classrooms in the UK but only around 15 to 20 per cent of New Zealand schools currently use the technology. Yet with iPads and tablets becoming compulsory tools in classrooms around the country, the interactive projector market will only get stronger,” he says. By Rebecca Wood

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Term 2 - 2012

school news

teaching resources Supplier Profile | Epson

Simple to use, fast, accurate: Epson’s latest Ultra Short Throw interactive projectors With easy-to-use yet sophisticated functions, Epson’s market leading projector technology and the lowest cost Epson replacement lamp ever, the affordable Epson EB-475Wi and EB-485Wi ultra short throw interactive projectors released today are continuing the revolution in interactive teaching and training. Offering simultaneous dual pen interactivity, access to all the resources on your laptop, network and the internet, and instant capture of added content and notations - all without an interactive whiteboard the Epson EB-475Wi and EB-485Wi make learning more meaningful and fun. Installation is easy and fast with no driver software to install on networked computers and no need to calibrate: these projectors auto calibrate delivering highly accurate, fast response and reliable performance. Epson’s interactive projectors have the fastest response to pen movements - as you move the pen notations are displayed virtually immediately - and the most accurate pen detection, so writing on the image and clicking through programs is easy and intuitive for students of all ages. Both the EB-475Wi and EB-485Wi can be wall mounted (vertical projection) for larger group interaction or table mounted (horizontal projection) creating a more intimate workspace for collaborative projects and research. The Easy Interactive Tools 2 software and Epson’s Instant Annotation mean there’s no need to wait for a PC to come online to handwrite notes and diagrams or annotate an image from a Document Camera or CD/DVD player. Simply turn on the projector and get to work. The EB-475Wi (2600 lumen) and EB-485Wi (3100 lumen) are brighter than previous models, are smaller and more compact and also have a shorter minimum throw distance further reducing the possibility of shadowing and glare. Also being released today in the Ultra Short Throw range are the EB470, EB-475W, EB-480, EB-485W.

school news

Term 2 - 2012

These projectors have the same high performance specifications as the EB-475Wi and EB-485Wi (the EB-470 and EB-480 are XGA resolution) but are not interactive, and the brightness ranges from 2600 lumen White and Colour Light Output to 3100 lumen White and Colour Light Output. Advanced connectivity and networking capability includes an HDMI port and an optional wireless card which also offers the capability of presenting wirelessly from Apple® iOS devices (with free Epson iProjection app).

Networked Epson projectors can be monitored and controlled from a remote location with functions including schedule power on or off timings, check projector status and receive maintenance alerts. To ensure low cost of ownership the EB-400 Series has an estimated lamp life of up to 4,000 hours and a replacement cost of only $129RRP, and a high efficiency electrostatic filter with an estimated maintenance cycle of up to 5,000 hours.

RRP for the EB-400 Series projectors are: EB-470 $2,599.00 EB-475W $2,899.00 EB-475Wi $3,399.00 EB-475Wie $3,599.00 EB-480 $2,899.00 EB-485W $3,199.00 EB-485Wi $3,699.00

Simple to use interactive projector in one hand… the students in the palm of the other.

Interactive teaching is now as easy as turning on the projector and starting your class! With Epson’s latest range of interactive projectors, PC-free interactivity is now a reality. Plus, they’re so simple to use, even if you’re new to interactive teaching. Epson’s renowned smooth and accurate interactive pen is now improved – two pens enable users to work simultaneously, opening a world of teaching possibilities. What’s more, with no need for driver software and one touch auto calibration, installation is a snap. The Epson EB-475Wi and EB-485Wi are so simple to use, you’ll have your students in the palm of your hand. Call 0800 377 664 or visit www.epson.co.nz/interactive

Headlice

health & safety

Head lice and nits remain a worldwide bane

few decades ago, who would have thought that common head lice would still be a considerable nuisance to humanity in the 21st Century. And a nuisance they still are, in fact according to Wikipedia, they are one that is increasing, rather than declining. The online dictionary says the number of cases of human louse infestations (or pediculosis) has increased worldwide since the mid1960s, reaching hundreds of millions annually. “Despite improvements in medical treatment and prevention of human diseases during the 20th century, head louse infestation remains stubbornly prevalent. In 1997, 80 per cent of American elementary schools reported at least one outbreak of lice. Lice infestation during that same period was more prevalent than chicken pox,” Wikipedia says. “About 6-12 million children

“

Lice eggs (nits) have been found in the hair of Egyptian mummies 4,000 years old, so who knows for how long they have tormented human beings

between the ages of 3 and 11 are treated annually for head lice in the United States alone. High levels of louse infestations have also been reported from all over the world including Israel, Denmark, Sweden, U.K., France and Australia.” Head lice can even strike adults at the very highest levels. In 2009, 18 senators were sent home from Congress after a routine screening found an infestation of nits, larvae, and adult parasites living on the scalps of high-ranking Washington lawmakers. All daily sessions were temporarily suspended.

Internationally, it seems generally accepted that the number of children per family, the sharing of beds and closets, hair washing habits, local customs and social contacts, healthcare in a particular area (e.g. school) and socioeconomic status, are significant infestation factors. Almost certainly because of their generally longer hair, girls are said to be two – four times more at risk than boys. There is nothing new in this. Lice eggs (nits) have been found in the hair of Egyptian mummies 4,000 years old, so who knows for how long they have tormented human beings. Fortunately, they are not a problem that normally threatens lives – the consequence of their presence is normally no worse than itching and discomfort. But it is

Professional Head Lice & Nit Clearing Service

SAFE + EFFECTIVE + FAST + CHEMICAL FREE BLITZ THOSE NITS We bring a team into your school and check as many children as you want. A whole class, good. A whole school, even better. Because if every single child is checked and every single louse is identified our nit nurse service can help create that blitz situation in your school – and then they can be tackled all at the same time to get rid of lice in school. Our service is highly professional and we protect every child and parent’s privacy at all times.

STOP LICE RUNNING THE SHOW The Nit Crew offers a range of services specifically to help teachers and their schools get rid of lice. If you work in school or are active in the PTA/BoT contact us today.

BOOK A NIT NURSE VISIT TODAY

Online www.nitcrew.co.nz Freephone 0508 077 099 school news

Term 2 - 2012

The LouseBuster in action

children who are most at risk, mainly because they are likely to be in much closer proximity to each other than adults. Touching heads gives the lice the chance to migrate from one host to another, where they feed on fresh blood. Head lice have tiny antennas which they use to detect their favourite type of food source and living environment. They scan the scalp for the most desirable odour, humidity and temperature. It is also believed that they can detect specific blood types and will rapidly migrate to a new host that might taste better. It is the saliva, which people are allergic to, that causes the itching and tell-tale head scratching among pupils. 34

Headlice

health & safety

32 While the effects on their health are not likely to be serious, the irritation can have a serious effect on their schoolwork. And as only some form of reasonably sophisticated intervention will alleviate the problem, children are dependent on adults for a permanent solution. New Zealand children are as much at risk as those of any other nation. The Ministry of Education regards lice as so much of a problem that it devotes several thousand words to it on its website. It recognises that the responsibility on teachers is not only to recognise the problem but decide how they should handle it. As an infestation is often erroneously regarded as a sign of lack of cleanliness or lower economic status, identifying a carrier can have a psychologically devastating effect on both the

child and its family. Teachers need to tread carefully. The sooner the problem can be eliminated, the better. That is easier said than done as there is no easy answer. Skilled combing out of the lice and physically picking out the nits are time honoured techniques.

Electronic combs are also said to help. There is also a variety of modern chemical treatments, but no one has yet found the perfect solution. However, several companies in New Zealand offer techniques or equipment that can help. One is the Nit Crew which holds the exclusive

rights to market the LouseBuster medical device. “It kills any nits and lice directly in the path of a steam of hot air, by dehydrating them,” said registered operator Hiria Tribble. “Any live lice that remain have been made infertile, so are no longer a threat. “We follow up with a comb-out to remove anything live remaining. This can take up to an hour, depending on the condition and type of hair. The LouseBuster is not a magic pill, but it is scientifically proven to be effective, and part of the FDA clearance means that you cannot make false claims about efficacy,” she said. Levy Medical Technologies offers the RobiComb, an electronic lice comb which detects, kills and removes head lice electronically. Company director Irit Levy says it is a chemical free-solution which can be the only way to get rid of lice if and when they become resistant to chemicals.

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school news

Term 2 - 2012

+ a full range of traditional courses for all First Aid requirements

“

Headlice

health & safety

Despite improvements in medical treatment and prevention of human diseases during the 20th century, head louse infestation remains stubbornly prevalent

“Also, as it is chemical free, it doesn’t cause any damage to the hair or the scalp and avoids use of poisons on children. Once the device has been purchased, it becomes a cheap long-term solution to controlling head lice.” Repeated use over the days following discovery stops the head lice lifecycle. She said RobiComb can be used repeatedly on children within the school environment. Sara Williams at Wilson Consumer Products says the NeutraLice range has a complete solution for head lice, with two treatment products and two removal products. “NeutraLice Advance is a pesticide free product that stops lice breathing and breaks the grip on the hair shaft. It also treats the eggs,” she said.

“This product has been clinically proven to work, is fast, easy and is suitable for sensitive skin. NeutraLice Spray is a natural treatment that uses tea tree oil and lavender oil to treat head lice and the eggs. It is suitable for parents who want to use a natural product on their children with a pleasant smell and has also been clinically proven. “In between treatments, parents need to continue to remove dead and dying lice and eggs. They can use NeutraLice conditioning shampoo which is specially formulated for daily use to rid the scalp of dead lice. It contains acetic acid which break the bonds between the head lice and the hair shafts, making it easier to comb out.” By Brent Leslie

Robi Comb Pro is the simplest and most effective way to defeat head lice Treatment with Robi Comb is as simple as running the Comb through dry hair. When the comb passes over a louse, the device emits a small charge zapping it and killing it instantly. It’s that simple!

• Quick and convenient for use at home or at school – No messy shampoos or gels and no need to wash hair • Compact & lightweight • Quiet, smooth operation has no moving parts • Non-threatening and only requires a gentle combing action • Safe & chemical free

Distributed by Levy Medical Technologies Quote "School Special" to receive free delivery by courier on all orders except rural delivery, and an additional 10% discount on all purchases of two or more RobiComb units. (Offer valid until 31 August 2012)

www.robicomb.co.nz info@levybusiness.com Term 2 - 2012

school news

Case Study – Scots College

sports & recreation

New college sports centre has space-age look

o longer at the mercy of New Zealand’s fickle weather, sports teams at Wellington’s Scots College have been enjoying the comfort and protection of a superb new covered sports centre which was opened in November. The purpose-built indoor sports centre was designed by awardwinning Athfield Architects and utilises the very latest in building materials, specialist sports surfaces and technology. College headmaster, Graeme Yule, called the impressive facility “groundbreaking” and “very exciting for both the college and Wellington’s wider sporting community.” The structure is made of rib-like laminated curved timber beams covered by translucent polycarbonate sheeting, designed to make the building feel very light and airy. It includes four sprung practice lanes, retractable nets and software that monitors bowling speed and form. “While the centre was built primarily for cricket practice, with the push of a button the cricket nets retract into the ceiling to make way for the 800m2 artificial playing turf which can be used for a whole variety of sports. The facility is the only one of its kind at any school in the country and while it might seem to some to be private school profligacy, Graeme Yule maintains that it was a practical and cost-effective solution to a problem that had to be fixed anyway and may well be a forerunner for many other schools. “Our outdoors cricket wicket was

Practical solution – space age look.

“

‘My vision is for it to become a bustling centre of activity – a place where young and old come to be active, to meet, participate and compete – a building is only as valuable and vital as it is well-used’ – Graeme Yule

in dire need of maintenance and was becoming quite dangerous. The drainage needed upgrading and to replace the cricket nets was going to cost about $1 million. I wanted something that we could get more

ANZ is proud to have funded the construction of the Hodge Sports Centre and other capital works programmes at Scots College for the last 30 years. For your funding needs, call Craig Bristol on 04 436 6708.

ANZ National Bank Limited 04/12

school news

Term 2 - 2012

12758

use from than just six weeks or so at the start and end of the year for cricket and could also be used for other activities. I didn’t want to spend a million dollars just replacing like with like.” Another factor in the decision was that the school roll had topped 800 and was growing. Extra facilities were needed. Graeme Yule explained the situation to architect Nick Strachan of Athfield Architects and suggested some sort of cover for the practice cricket area. Various options were considered before the solution emerged. “We came up with a quite revolutionary design and material,” said Mr Yule. But first the board had to be persuaded that the proposal had merit and the college could find the $3.2 million needed. “I had to do a lot of talking to the board around the need for the facility and the cost.”

A capital fundraising campaign was launched and the college could also draw on capital reserves from a development levy on the growing student roll. After two and a half years of planning, the project was underway. Construction took about eight months. Now this traditional looking school with its somewhat historic brick appearance has a building with a futuristic look at its frontage. “In most indoor facilities you need artificial lighting. In this one, it’s as bright indoors as it is out, and when you’re practising, that makes a huge amount of difference. It was quite ground breaking really and also gave me another large recreational space that I could use for broader college sport,” Mr Yule said. Architect Jeremy Perrott from Athfield Architects says the material has good spanning characteristics.

“As it’s a twinwall polycarbonate system, the amount of structure required to support it can be minimised. The building is designed as a lightweight ‘shelter’ – not a fully air-sealed envelope. This enabled a lighter weight, more cost effective timber structural frame to be used.” Mr Perrott sees great potential for these type of structures for the education sector, but he warns that there is a large range of suppliers of such translucent products, so careful research should be done from the start. Asked what difference the facility had made in the 2012 school year, Graeme Yule is enthusiastic. “Oh, look, it’s been huge. It’s just a fantastic facility. The fact that the video analysis gear and other equipment gives the kids the ability to analyse what they’re doing and learn from it, is wonderful.” “It’s certainly increased the number of students involved in

Case Study – Scots College

sports & recreation

cricket but it’s also been a boon for our PE department. We’re no longer dependent on the vagaries of the weather.” The indoor centre and two new grass match wickets outside could lead to a closer relationship with Wellington Cricket, including the hosting of some tournaments. The sports centre will also be available for use by various community groups. “It’s important that people in the wider community feel welcome as

this is their sports facility as much as it is ours,” said Mr Yule. “My vision is for it to become a bustling centre of activity – a place where young and old come to be active, to meet, participate and compete – a building is only as valuable and vital as it is well-used.” “I see this building as a symbol of what’s possible when you really set your mind to something. I am incredibly proud of the way our community has pulled together to

make it happen,” he said. Completion of the sports centre was the highlight of a stunning year for the college. Its 2011 campus development plan also included a three-storey Creative and Performing Arts Centre, which opened this year. Scots College is an Independent Presbyterian Day and Boarding Boys’ School; Years 1-13. It is an IB (International Baccalaureate) World School, offering both the NCEA and the IB qualifications.

Supplier Profile | Videopro New Zealand

Latest technology aids learning VIDEOPRO ARE A leading supplier of Audio Visual technologies. Offering specialist advice, installation, on-site training and specialised education pricing to schools. As the incumbent provider of AV technology to Scots College, VideoPro were pleased to be their first-point-of-call when designing a custom solution for the Hodge Sports Centre. An AMX Integrated Controller, 5” Touch Panel and 8x4 Video Matrix work simultaneously with a LG High Bright 42” Commercial Monitor and camera’s to capture and track performance of students using the high-performance indoor facility. VideoPro’s product catalogue includes the latest in digital signage, Plasma and LCD screens, interactive whiteboards and projectors, green technology, professional audio equipment and classroom control systems.

VideoPro were pleased to be the first-point-of-call for Scots College when designing a custom solution for the Hodge Sport Centre.

For more information on this or any other AV solution contact VideoPro.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE TECHNOLOGY. VideoPro - proud solution providers of integrated Audio Visual Technology to Scots College and the Hodge Sport Centre. Including the installation of a LG High Bright Commercial Monitor and AMX Control solution for coaching and tracking sport performance. For further product information, pricing or advice:

0800 773 736 | www.videopro.co.nz

Phone 0800 773 736 or visit www.videopro.co.nz. Projectors & accessories. Interactive whiteboards. Digital Signage. LCD & Plasma. Video & audio conferencing. Control & automation. Video walls. Outdoor LED.

Term 2 - 2012

school news

Flooring

property

Schools now have a choice of bold, bright colours and patterns; warm, homely interior flooring; or functional anti-slip and sports flooring.

Floor smart

one are the days when school floors were uniformly grey, cold and uninviting. Now schools have a choice of bold, bright colours and patterns; warm, homely interior flooring; or functional anti-slip and sports flooring. They can even choose to embed patterns, such as the school logo, a world map or breakout pods on the flooring. There are definite trends in the flooring requirements of today’s schools. Secondary schools want to project a modern corporate look, while primary schools tend to select bright colours and patterns. Across all sectors however, there is a definite trend towards a warmer, more homely feel to the flooring, says Melissa Allington, marketing co-ordinator at Polyflor, a division of James Halstead Flooring. “Schools are moving away from the old grey hospital-style flooring that gave the school a clinical feel,” says Allington. “Products such as wood vinyl are gaining in popularity as they provide that warm, inviting feel but are also neutral and blend into the environment.” With environmental awareness becoming a key part of the curriculum through schemes such as Enviroschools, this green ethos and

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Term 2 - 2012

Wood look finishes are always popular.

ability to blend with the environment is being replicated when schools choose to update their flooring. The use of eco-friendly flooring also provides a point towards the Green Star Education 2009 rating required for new school builds. “Vinyl products are no longer bad for the environment and are a good choice for many areas throughout a school,” says Allington. “Polyflor’s products, for example, are 100 per cent recyclable and are made with up to 25 per cent recyclable materials.” While vinyl flooring and hard wearing carpet can be installed

through most areas of a school, there are some areas that require more specialist flooring solutions. Gymnasiums and sports venues, for example, require flooring that provides shock absorption whilst also offering some grip to prevent slipping. Rubber matting can be useful in weights rooms where heavy weights are dropped and, with dance now an NCEA subject, wooden sprung flooring is also proving a popular choice. Anti-slip and safety flooring also needs to be considered in wet areas such as bathrooms, changing rooms and cafeterias, as well as in high risk

classrooms such as science labs and woodworking rooms. According to Injury Prevention Waimakariri, slips, trips and falls are the second most common cause of injury within the school environment. And the ACC Injury Statistics tool shows that for the year to June 2011 there were 33,128 active claims for injuries caused by falls in schools for students between the ages of 5 and 19. “Anti-slip flooring is rougher than standard vinyl and contains aggregate giving it a sandpaper feel,” says Allington. “That is why it is perfect for wet areas and science labs especially as you don’t want to be slipping over if you are carrying chemicals.” Under the New Zealand Building Code, entranceways and corridors within buildings are required to have “adequate slip-resistant walking surfaces under all conditions of normal use”. And most anti-slip flooring, including Polyflor’s Polysafe range, is tested to Australian and NZ Standard 4586 which recommends the level of slip-resistance required in certain locations. But, for many budget conscious schools, a key concern is how to ensure the flooring retains its condition over years of heavy use.

Flooring

property

The science block at Kaipara College.

The simplest way is to ensure it is cleaned and maintained to the manufacturers specifications, says Allington. “Some schools have parents that come in to clean and others hire commercial cleaners, so the way the floor is looked after can be a bit hit and miss,” she says. “Safety flooring can be harder to clean, however, our products are reinforced with polyurethane and don’t require polishing. Mopping and buffing the floor is often all that is required.” Ensuring the floor is properly maintained will also keep it within warranty. Polyflor, for example, offers a 10 year warranty on all flooring and can offer a total warranty system if the installers use Polyflor

adhesives and compounds during the installation process. In all cases there is a lot to think about when looking at flooring – the type of flooring required, whether it needs to be slip-resistant, how to ensure it lasts, and the different designs, patterns and colours. But, says Allington, consulting a flooring manufacturer can help schools wade through the multitude of choices. “Flooring solutions are often decided on by the schools and the architect, but there is no reason why schools can’t contact a manufacturer directly,” she says. “We can give schools advice, can specify different products and give them some alternative solutions to think about.” By Rebecca Wood

Experts in Education Flooring Polyflor homogenous and safety flooring ranges are Green Tag™ Gold certified by Ecospecifier for maximum points in the Education Green Star Rating Tool. PLUS

Commercial Vinyl Flooring I Safety Flooring I Luxury Vinyl Tiles Static Control Flooring I Sports Flooring I Wet Wall Vinyl Rubber Flooring I Acoustic Flooring

0800 POLYFLOR

sales@polyﬂor.co.nz

polyﬂor.co.nz

Supplier Profile | Carew Project Facilitators

MOE Registered Project Managers CAREW PROJECT FACILITATORS are a registered and professional project management consultancy that has considerable experience in the education sector. We differentiate from other project management companies by providing “full service project management” and we pride ourselves on being your project delivery partner. Being experts in delivering projects in “live” school environments, we work closely with the school’s leadership team, Board of Trustees, MOE Property Advisers and coordinate all the Authority consents. Our Signature Project Management Services include: • Conducting property condition surveys for repairs & maintenance or the school’s 10 Year Property Plan. • Preparing and submitting the school’s new 10 Year Property Plans for Ministry of Education approval.

• Conducting the 3 yearly Property Plan & Cyclical Maintenance Reviews. • Altering 5 Year Agreements for changes to capital works funding priorities. • Planning for Roll Growth, SPG and other discretionary funding streams. • Seeking quotes, engaging and overseeing trade contractors to complete maintenance works. • Conducting ROI & Tender processes, contract writing, engaging and overseeing Main contractors to complete capital works projects. • School property care services encompassing overseeing interior and exterior painting including graffiti control, property maintenance, lawn mowing, grounds and tree care, rubbish removal, and building integrity monitoring. Tel: 09 638 9052 or 03 332 7434 www.carew.co.nz email: education@carew.co.nz

Need skilled help with your school project? Ministry registered Project Managers 3 Design/planning 3 Cost negotiation 3 Authority consents 3 Implementation 3 10 Year Property Plans 3 Ministry documentation 3 PM Handbook advice Turning strategy into action for schools Auckland 09 638 9052 • Christchurch 03 332 7434 education@carew.co.nz

www.carew.co.nz

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23/6/10 10:11:56 AM

school news

Case Study - Kaipara College

property

Transformation from adversity I

t is not quite a case of the phoenix rising from the ashes but it is fairly close to it. When a major fire struck Kaipara College back in 2006, it brought major disruption to the school of about 600 pupils in Helensville, on the western outskirts of Auckland. It is the local community school on the edge of the Kaipara Harbour and its pupils are drawn from a very wide area and a diverse community including farmers, lifestyle blockers, small business people and beachside dwellers. When an accidental fire blazed through part of the school, it caused major disruption to school activities. It burned out three classrooms and a resource area and damaged four other classrooms. Two computer rooms were cut off, meaning the entire ICT infrastructure had to be relocated to the soccer fields. Fortunately, the buildings destroyed or damaged were all between 55 and 80 years old and in a block that was part of the original district high school which the college had planned to replace anyway. “The Ministry of Education had turned us down on the first application but then the fire gave us an opportunity to re-present it,” said principal, John Grant. “At the end of 2006 we presented the ministry with a proposal for a staged redevelopment of about two thirds of the school.” The ministry agreed to fund it in four stages. Three are now complete – the third and largest in 2011. Stage four should start within weeks, removing the old science block and putting a new social sciences faculty in its place. John Grant says the transformation has been huge. “We redeveloped the gymnasium area and

The transformation of Kaipara College, has created a wonderful learning environment.

rebuilt the science block. Stage three was a rebuild of lots of the central parts of the school. It includes drama, some music rooms, a staff room, a complete student facility centre, the English faculty and the ICT rooms. The careers and foreign student rooms are all part of the student services area. “We did it stage by stage because you can’t rebuild a huge chunk of a school without major disruption. Stage three was particularly disruptive because it took out the whole centre part of the school which had to be locked off while we built. The school hall became the staffroom and students and staff all had to walk a long way around to get to where they needed to go. “There were some very patient students and staff for four years,

but it’s been very worthwhile. The facilities are great now. We’ve taken the styles of the district high school, with its weather boards, verandas and courtyards, and translated those into the modern learning environments. They are cabled, with computers and data projectors, all arranged for modern teaching. “We now have a much better learning environment. The school has a new three quarter sized gymnasium and changing rooms, a new specialist health class, a new sports science classroom and a sports management office. There is a complete new science faculty – five teaching labs, a computer room and a smaller senior chemistry cum physics lab, along with staff resource areas. We have a complete new English faculty, English

work room and air conditioned classrooms right through these new blocks. “Teachers have a brand new staffroom while students have a new mini theatre for their drama room, two new music practice rooms and two new computer (ICT) classrooms. All of these spaces are air conditioned. We have a new student services centre which has space for a social worker, student adviser, attendance manager, health centre, careers, gateway and international student department. “Five new classrooms and a faculty office for social sciences are still to come. By the end of this year, well over two thirds of the school will have been rebuilt into modern learning environments,” Mr Grant said.

 Approachable  Innovative  Local Proud to be associated with Kaipara College Rob Murphy Ph: 09 5735750, Email: rob@wattsgroup.co.nz

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Term 2 - 2012

Case Study - Kaipara College

property

The school hall ready for assembly.

College facilities manager Sue Glasson says while the fire of 2006 was devastating, in the longer term it has had its benefits. “We grieved for what we lost in the fire. Its impact was significant but we were forced to step back and look at the whole school – not just the burnt out part. Priorities had to change to use the site to the best advantage whilst retaining enough classrooms to teach in throughout,” she said. The principal agrees. “The fire ended up providing the impetus for the school to get a very coherent plan together and for the ministry to address it in that way. We’ve gradually delivered exactly what we visualised.

The new student services centre.

“Waitakere Architects have been the architect and our project manager right throughout the redevelopment. They were instrumental in helping the board to visualise the possibilities to redevelop the school.” Three different construction firms have handled the three stages. Sue Glasson has been the schools main contact person to liaise with the contractors and project manager. “Each of them has been really good to work with. They understand working in schools. They provided us with excellent site managers and foremen each time and we’ve got good working relationships with them,” she said.

Watts & Hughes Construction was the main company involved and found it a satisfying project to be involved in. “It was a little challenging due to the number of services, such as power and water, that had been run through the original building that was to be demolished,” said the company’s construction director, Rob Murphy. “We found the school extremely understanding and helpful to work with, which made this project very rewarding for us.” So, in spite of the inconvenience, John Grant has no doubt that it has all been worthwhile. “We’ve lived on a building site for five years but it’s resulted in a significant improvement in the school’s environment.

The rooms are quieter, cooler, larger and generally better places for kids to learn. It’s all a vast improvement on the old 1930s/1960s school that was here five years ago. “The kids love it. The staff love it, especially in the hot summer months when there are air conditioned classrooms to come into in the latter part of the day. We’ve noticed the kids are a lot more productive in the summer afternoons and late mornings than they were in the old, hot, rooms or prefabs without insulation and with little air movement. “It’s a much better school now and we’re all very happy.” By Brent Leslie

supplier Profile | Polyfor

Polyflor meets Kaipara’s flooring needs New flooriNg for your school? Make sure you’ve doNe your hoMework. finding something that’s hardwearing, easy to clean and also great to look at is a tough task. Just ask sue glasson. sue is facilities Manager of kaipara college and has just finished a new flooring fit out that covered most areas of the school – the science blocks, bathrooms, staffroom and kitchen, drama room, school hall and corridors. with such a diverse range of areas on her list, sue needed a company that could provide a wide variety of quality flooring products. That company was Polyflor New Zealand. working closely with karen wallace, sales representative from Polyflor New Zealand, sue was able to find the best possible solution for every area.

from safety flooring in the bathrooms and science blocks, to luxury vinyl tiles in the staff room and kitchen, resilient vinyl in the school hall and corridors and Northstate carpets in the drama room and classrooms, Polyflor was able to provide a flooring solution for every area within the college. it’s also reassuring to know that Polyflor’s flooring ranges are environmentally preferable and many products feature Pur (polyurethance reinforcement) for optimum appearance and ease of maintenance. This means a low cost, polishfree maintenance regime for the lifetime of the flooring. Contacts: Call 0800 POLYFOR email sales@ polyflor.co.nz or go to our website polyflor.co.nz

Experts in Education Flooring Polyflor homogenous and safety flooring ranges are Green Tag™ Gold certified by Ecospecifier for maximum points in the Education Green Star Rating Tool. PLUS

Commercial Vinyl Flooring I Safety Flooring I Luxury Vinyl Tiles Static Control Flooring I Sports Flooring I Wet Wall Vinyl Rubber Flooring I Acoustic Flooring

0800 POLYFLOR

sales@polyﬂor.co.nz

polyﬂor.co.nz

Term 2 - 2012

school news

Case Study - Porirua College

property

Students gather outside Kenepuru House.

Porirua College’s new interactive learning environment F

ew schools needed transformation more than Porirua College did just a few years ago. As principal Susanne Jungersen put it: “It was in a terrible state – like a war zone.” The college was the prototype of the 1968, S68 block design the then Ministry of Works had put into schools around the country, which tended to have long term maintenance issues because of their flat roof design. “It was in a very run down state because the rolls had dropped in the early ‘90s and we had additional plant we could not maintain,” she said. The school had already spent a great deal on battling a number of problems, including “appalling acoustics,” and the money pot was empty. In 2007, the Ministry of Education granted the funds, eventually totalling $18.5 million, for complete redevelopment. Because of the scale of the project, a limited statutory manager – Martin Watson – was appointed, along with a project manager – Craig Mills from construction consultants, Davis Langdon. After a tendering process, a design team from Opus Architecture also came on board.

Global design Before any key decisions were made, the decision-makers attended a Ministry of Education seminar, addressed by Prakash

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Term 2 - 2012

Group Learning Area

Nair from Seattle-based Fielding Nair Associates, a global leader in educational facilities planning and architectural design. “We thought his concept was a really good one,” Ms Jungersen said. “It’s about 21st Century learning styles, heavy in its use of ICT technology, but also recognising that you need flexible learning spaces to carry out more of the modalities of modern teaching.” Bruce Curtain, project leader of Opus Architecture, was also impressed. “We developed concepts

around a new 21st Century learning model, rethinking how a curriculum is delivered and what kind of school facility is required to support that. It was breaking out from what Susanne calls “the cells and bells” – the cell of the class room, ruled by the bell, and into a much more interactive learning environment. Together, we developed those concepts with Fielding Nair and, as architects, we created a form to the buildings and worked to create external, as well as internal, learning spaces.”

Bright new havens The initial stage of the redevelopment was the creation of the first learning house, fashioned from an already existing building, and based on the theories of Fielding Nair. It was named Ara Hou / Ala Fou (The New Pathway) and Mr Curtain says it proved so successful that the students did not want to leave at the end of the day. “They had to push them out the door at 3 o’clock. The students now 44 had this little haven and did

Supplier Profile | Opus International Consultants

It’s good to talk - The long term beneﬁt of consultation in school redevelopment IT IS A challenge to think strategically and take the long term view about redevelopment of school propertywhen we deal day-to-day with the flood of immediate and pressing problems.

A great deal of consultation has taken place over the years to shape the overall vision for the college and there is still more to do.

However good quality, early consultation can make, or break, your building project.Even the simplest refit will benefit from a fine sense of detail that only comes from an in-depth understanding of all the issues.

key stakeholders through visioning workshops, group or one-on-one sessions. There are also a lot of insights to be had from engaging with the student body and reaching out to parent, whanau or other parts of the wider school community.

As design consultants we understand that the time to make the biggest impact on the success of the project is at the beginning. There are lots of tools which a team can use to tease out the real project objectives.

This consultation can be used to generate a master plan across the whole school campus. This overall master planning process is an important tool for us as it allows individual property decisions to be made in the context of an overall vision for the school learning environment.

While the project might only be small it is always good to ask the question “How does this project fit into the long term educational objectives?”We often do this with

Engagement and ownership from senior leadership within each school is also critical to wider confidence

and support of the process. As a school ‘client’ commissioning a building project this group should must be able to clearly articulate and engage in their process. Some helpful tips as follows: •

Carefully deﬁne the scope of each project.

•

Spend time talking to all those who can and should have a contribution.

•

Don’t be shy to give feedback! The design team needs your input.

•

Details do matter.

•

And don’t forget - when the time is right make clear decisions.

Case Study - Porirua College

property

The Porirua College Redevelopment Project, highlighted in this issue, has been a long and ultimately fruitful journey for both the school and the consultant team. A great deal of consultation has taken place over the years to shape the overall vision for the college and there is still more to do. As with any major project, there have been challenges along the way, but it is the manner in which they have been resolved that leads to a successful project. Remember it’s good to talk. – Bruce Curtain, Opus Architecture, Opus International Consultants Ltd

It’s good to talk

Porirua school advert april 2012.indd 3

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Term 2 - 2012

school news

Case Study - Porirua College

property

Learning Studio

So successful was it that

spaces, such as: the Campfire

not want to go back to the

three new learning houses were

Space, the Performance Space, the

original buildings. They called the

immediately designed and built

Technology Space and the Cave

old school ‘the dark side’ because

on an open part of the site,

Space,” said Ms Jungersen. “They

it was dark and grim and poorly

construction starting in 2008 and

have soft furnishings and long vistas

ventilated. They now had a new

finishing in 2010.

to rest the eyes. It is open plan but

space that was bright, light, warm and inviting.”

“Prakash Nair gave quite

modern open plan.

colourful names to these learning

BUILDING CERTAINTY.

“It meant we could break down

the 19th Century concept of sticking a teacher in a box with 24 to 30 kids and a piece of chalk and expecting something to happen. Our concept meant much more flexible learning spaces. “Now, one class of students can be doing several different things. For instance, four of the students could be with the teacher in the classroom, four could be outside using a laptop, three in the seminar space working things out, and four in another area, using the smart board. Good sight lines mean teachers can keep an eye on everything. Each space would be used for a different purpose. If you wanted to rehearse something quietly, for example, you’d probably use the Cave Space.” While the Ministry of Education did not entirely see it the same way as the college and design team, a compromise was eventually reached and the concept of flexible learning spaces was retained.

Mackersey Construction are committed to achieving optimum client satisfaction, delivering Educational Projects throughout New Zealand on time and within client budgets...

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

44 school news MZ School News Oct 2011.indd 1

visit us at: www.mackersey.co.nz Term 2 - 2012

11/10/2011 09:07:06

The second and third stages of the project has been a mix of new building and extensive refurbishment of old ones. The renovated library will be opened in June and the final part of stage three – the East Block is due for completion later this year. It consists of a refurbished learning house renamed Tangare and some upgraded classrooms. Lighting, acoustics and comfort are now vastly improved in all buildings and landscaping the grounds is well advanced.

Boundaries broken Rebuilding an operational school is never easy but Susanne Jungersen is full of praise for the construction and design teams firms involved. “Opus International has been marvellous, as has Craig Mills. We all meet regularly and they’ve been incredibly responsive.” Bruce Curtain regards the redevelopment as challenging,

Case Study - Porirua College

property

particularly with regard to budget constraints. “Existing models of funding are based on very traditional views of a providing a classroom, and we’ve been breaking those boundaries – but I think we managed to resolve the issues in the end. We’ve really made a difference to the learning environment at Porirua College and I think that’s fantastic.” Ms Jungersen sees two major outcomes for the college from the project. “We took a school that was in disarray and have given the students a flash new one. That’s been really important for them. The morale of the children has been impacted greatly. “It’s also allowed us to develop the style of teaching that 21st Century kids need – with the teacher becoming the ‘guide on the side’ – and no longer ‘the sage on the stage.’” By Brent Leslie

Group Learning Area

Term 2 - 2012

school news

Property Maintenance

property

Maintenance hints and tips

Stan Field Project Manager Opus International Consultants

rom time to time when out visiting schools, I notice quite a difference. Some schools look old and tired while others look really beautiful – exciting and very welcoming. The age of the buildings should not matter; it is how they are being maintained. Maintaining your property requires good planning with the assistance of the property manager. After all, we are all caretakers managing the property of behalf of the Ministry. How do we achieve this? This could be in a form of a collaborative approach between the principal and the property manager to define a workable scope of works or a practical job list of activities to actually maintain the property including buildings that will be a positive talking point, not only within the school itself, but within the community.

Lawns

Unmaintained trees will cause gutter blockages.

Some schools have large grounds that require resources to maintain. Now I know that cruising around on the latest ride on mower technology almost counts as a hobby for some but you have to question whether this is best use of your precious caretaking resource, not to mention, how much time is required to maintain these machines in good working order (do they have the mechanical experience)? Consider contracting out this type of work to an experienced contractor.

Gardens Nicely maintained gardens are always very welcoming, not only to visitors but also to the parents that drop off or walk their children to school. The sight of weeds and long grass that has been growing for months on end is not a pretty look at all. Consider the use of good mulch along with various types of ground cover.

Pavements This item comes up quite often, whether being car park, driveway or hard courts. Inevitably, there will be some wear and tear from time to time. Try and keep on top of any

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“

Consider contracting out this type of work to an experienced professional company that has the safety equipment to handle even the most difficult situations.

damage that has occurred. Small holes become large holes in a short timeframe. In some cases, early patching will be a cost effective solution. This may also help to reduce any injuries to students tripping up in a hole on a hard surface.

Roof Guttering This one is always a goodie. How many times do we see grass growing up to 300mm tall out of the guttering? If I can see it, I am sure many others can see it as well. I have even seen Toi toi grass growing out of guttering! Some property managers are very proactive and maintain clean gutters, others, I can sympathize with due to the design of the building or being multi-level, maintenance can become a Health and Safety issue.

Once again, consider contracting out this type of work to an experienced professional company that has the safety equipment to handle even the most difficult situations. This could be carried out twice a year, depending on the building location in relation to adjacent trees with autumn leaves falling. Particular nuisance trees include Pine, Conifer and various forms of Oak. There are various types of gutter guard/ screens on the market that are worth investigating. Consider trimming offending tree branches back. Tennis balls are always a favourite of pupils; “Hey Johnny, how many can we land on the roof today?” Long lost balls eventually find their way down to block the down pipes. If unattended, heavy rains will certainly

overflow the gutters and in some cases, may spill over and make their way into the classroom wall linings with costly repairs.

Heating and Cooling Both of these items are essential in today’s schools, and their maintenance is important for both staff and students comfort. Heat pumps are used quite extensively today; they should be maintained by a service contract to make sure that they are running in a cost efficient - balanced mode. We know heating accounts for a large portion of the energy costs within the school. Filter cleaning, where appropriate, also needs to be carried out on a regular basis, also checking the condenser, if located on the ground, is not being obstructed by

Heating

property

Providing the perfect learning environment

e all know children are more receptive to learning in the right environment. One of the key factors to personal comfort is having the right room temperature. Temperatures can vary widely throughout the year so the classroom needs a system that ideally provides a comfortable temperature all year around, eg a heat pump (aka reverse cycle air conditioner). When looking for a heat pump think about the area(s) you want to heat or cool. There is a heat pump system to suit everything from a single classroom to an entire building. A qualified installer will take down information on the area to ensure the best system is selected. This will include details on the floor size, existing insulation, and even windows can be a factor. The size and location of your heat pump will drastically impact on its effectiveness in your home. Sticking with an experienced installer ensures you’ll get the right system to see you through many a season, keeping children warm in the winter and cool in the summer. There are different types of heat pumps: wall mounts, floor mounts, cassettes, underceiling, in-ceiling ducted, single or multizone types. These different types of heat pumps

recent growth of any garden shrubs. We are noticing many of the older coal type boilers being converted to gas for more efficiency with the actual coal storage area being converted into more sizeable workshop area or additional much needed storage. With line gas being installed to many outer suburbs, some larger schools are actually running a series of smaller boilers close to areas of need, hence being more efficient with overall cost savings. Even in cases with no line gas, the use of the larger 220kg cylinders in a bank of four to six is an option providing you have a local distributer to actually refill at your site with no requirement to swap bottles. Don’t forget boilers, they also require maintenance by an authorised contractor during the summer months.

suit different applications, eg small/ large room, high/low ceiling Other features worthy of consideration are quietness, air filtration levels, outdoor coil protection and room occupancy sensors. Your installer will make sure you get the right one that suits your room and your budget. How about efficiency? The more efficient the unit the less they cost to run. A heat pump is arguable one of the most efficient forms of heating on the market. For every $1 of electrical input you put in, you can get $4 or more worth of heating output. This is due to the unique design of heat pump systems which are able to extract “free” heat from the outside air, even when the temperatures are below zero. Be aware, efficiency of your unit does drop off at very low temperatures, say -10°C. If heating at very low temperatures is important to you, ask for ‘H2’ performance figures to use as a comparison, ie performance at 2°C outdoor conditions.

Most people are familiar with the energy rating labels supplied on refrigerators. Similarly, heat pumps in showrooms are required to display energy efficiency information so you can compare performance between models. Top performers may also qualify under the ENERGY STAR® programme. Only the best performing models qualify to show the ENERGY STAR® label; refer www.energywise.govt.nz for more information. Once installed, here are a few tips on smart usage for your system. Use the room temperature thermostat start/stop timer to ensure your classroom remains at a steady temperature when you need it. With an easy set-up, most heat pumps will turn themselves off while you’re out and heat up 15-30 minutes before you enter in the morning. No energy wasted on an empty room. Another hint – closing doors, windows and curtains will keep heat in and save on energy. It may take a bit of training

Exterior Building Structures

other environmental credential (green) washes on the market.

Many schools have a painting service contract while others opt for the quotation system when painting is due. Regardless of which type you use, do not put it off. Not only for cosmetic reasons, but also as a first line of defence for the building fabric. As mentioned earlier, even old schools can look wonderful with fresh new paint. Buildings being what they are accumulate dust and grime either from heavy vehicle traffic passing by or wind-blown dust from neighbouring fields. Chemwash is a good solution to maintain the integrity of the paint by a soft wash process against a full water blast hosing down. Chemwash is also very useful particularly when moss is built up on translucent sheeting. You may wish to look into

Security & Fencing In the past, many school grounds were left open for the public to either use on the weekends or to travel through on route to the local supermarket. With much vandalism including graffiti occurring, many schools have opted to install secure fencing including security cameras. Fencing comes in many forms including various heights which are best left to the Board of Trustees along with your project manager for advice. Cameras including security beams when activated (silent), have been very successful with security companies actually being able to catch the criminals while they are still on site. Other options may include

the pupils, but it’ll show on those electricity bills. Heat pumps not only heat in the winter, they cool in the summer. If running costs are a big concern you can always restrict usage to the colder months of the year when opening a few windows is not a sensible option. Finally, just like you’d do for your car; treat your heat pump well with regular servicing and maintenance. Servicing info is given as part of the manufacturer’s instructions. Your installer will be the first port of call for this kind of attention, so getting in with a good installer from the beginning is the way to go. All heat pumps come with a warranty which is usually five years. Some heat pumps even have a 6 year warranty for added peace of mind. Like most purchases, it pays to get more than one quote. Shop around for the best deals. This will give you a feel for the professionalism of the Installers your dealing with. Beware winter is the peak time for installing heat pumps, so if you want to avoid waiting it pays to get your unit installed before it get’s really cold. By Derek Miles, Temperzone Ltd

local community presence out and about as a friendly deterrent. Many of the above items are just common sense, however, take a step back and spend 15 minutes to compare your current situation at your school and say “if we did this or if we did that” how much more welcoming would our school be. Good maintenance doesn’t just save money; it makes us feel safe in the knowledge that this place is cherished and respected.

Stan Field is a project manager from Opus International Consultants. He has worked extensively on educational projects. Stan provides fresh approach and the assurance of professionalism derived from years of practical experience.

Term 2 - 2012

school news

DROWNING IN ROOMS FULL OF PAPER?

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