School News NZ - Term 3 - 2013

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sn inside Emotional intelligence has intriguing implications

subscriptions@schoolnews.co.nz

Ever considered how important your emotional intelligence might be in your teaching career?

www.schoolnews.co.nz ADVERTISING Stewart Shimmin (03) 974 1036 advertising@schoolnews.co.nz EDITORIAL Kim Armstrong-Fray editorial@schoolnews.co.nz PRODUCTION Richard McGill studio@schoolnews.co.nz

The answer is, probably not, as little research on this subject seems to have been ever done in New Zealand. But two academics from Deakin University, Melbourne, have studied it in depth and present their findings in this issue in an article especially written for School News. Their work has combined school-based consultancies with research into individual growth and development and personality development. It may be a good deal more important that you ever thought.

Also in this issue is extensive coverage of the New Zealand Principals Association Conference, held in Hamilton in July; where to turn for advice when building or renovating a school library; how to plan for a communication crisis; the importance of blood donors when it comes to health & safety; why you should become a sun-smart school; some great books for children; preventive maintenance versus the reactive kind; modern trends in sports flooring – and more.

From the School News team, we hope you enjoy

INSIDE: PRINCIPALS CONFERENCE | NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE | PROPERTY MAINTENANCE Issue 22 | Term 3 - 2013 | $12 Inc GST

The Essential Management Guide for Education Industry Professionals

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• INDUSTRY NEWS • ADMINISTRATION

Happy reading.

The School News team.

• HEALTH & SAFETY • EDUCATION

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Issue 22 | Term 3 - 2013

CONTRIBUTORS Pete Burdon, Lindsay Upjohn, Louise Sandford, David Roney, Kim Wouters, Mark Cini, Mike Roberts and Brent Leslie

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.

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16 Libraries 22 Media

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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.

News in Brief

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Guardian angel app aims to save lives

Screen grab of Get Home Safe which acts as a guardian angel for everyday activities.

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new company that privately monitors users’ location during an activity and raises a pre-set alarm if they don’t ‘’Get Home Safe” has been launched.

GHS, is the brainchild of Kiwi entrepreneur Boyd Peacock, is simple and easy to use and aimed at people from all walks of life undertaking everyday activities such as children walking home from school alone, women travelling home after a night out and people working unsupervised.

Via a free smartphone app users register with GHS what they intend on doing and the time they will be ‘home safe’, for example in 15 minutes. GHS then acts as a ‘guardian angel’ safely recording GPS location data and check-in prompts to privately watch over the user’s movements throughout their chosen activity.

If something unforeseen happens and the user doesn’t stop or extend tracking as planned, an alarm is raised and the information GHS safely recorded is sent to pre-selected personal emergency contacts. As the alarm is sent from the GHS servers not the phone, users don’t need a working phone or coverage for the alarm to be raised.

Mr Peacock said the app would also provide the ultimate ‘peace of mind’ for families with teenagers doing after school or weekend activities, especially as so many youngsters now have phones.

The app is free to download from app stores from August and it is free in the email alert only format.

Be Bright to keep children safe Brake, the road safety charity is encouraging schools to raise awareness about keeping children safe when walking and cycling during term 3 by holding a Bright Day. A Bright Day is a mufti day with a difference, that promotes the importance of drivers looking out for children, and the ‘be bright, be seen’ message. Everyone comes to school wearing their brightest clothes, in return for a gold coin donation to Brake.

A Bright Day is a fun way to promote road safety, and also encourages students and the wider community to think about keeping safe, bright and visible when out on foot or bike. These messages are particularly important during the darker winter months.

Brake’s NZ director, Caroline Perry says: “Bright Days are a great way for educators to not only teach children about road safety, but also to help persuade parents and the wider community about the vital importance of putting children’s safety first.

Schools can use a Bright Day to reinforce key messages and add to other road safety activities they may be delivering in lessons.”

Funds raised on the day help Brake to run our road safety campaigns and education programmes, and provide support services to people bereaved or injured in road crashes.

Schools that sign up to run a Bright Day receive a free pack with posters, bucket stickers for collection tins and tips for running a successful event. To sign up, email brakecharity@gmail.com with details of your day and an address to send the pack to.

School entranceway wins global award An architectural project focusing on the promotion of healthy and sustainable eating has won an international award. Melanie Pau, Yusef Patel, and Stefan Panovski

from The University of Auckland were awarded a 2013 Bentley Student Design Award for their Entranceway Project at Onehunga Primary School. It is the first time the prestigious global prize as been won

by New Zealanders.

The structure incorporates edible plants and information displays, with the idea that children, waiting parents and even passers-by can learn about how to grow food.

The structure was built mostly with volunteer labour, including parents and a team of fourth-year architecture students completing a Timber Technology course.

“The project was an extraordinary achievement, demonstrating how the energy and creative thinking of our students can benefit the community. This award demonstrates that these students are up with the best in the world”, says Professor Andrew Barrie, from the School of Architecture and Planning at The University of Auckland.

A second stage of the project at Onehunga Primary School will be completed later this year, it will feature two shelters where parents and children can wait.

Portable swimming pool moves to Hicks Bay Hundreds of kids and their families in Hicks Bay on the East Coast will no longer go without swimming lessons – or need to travel to swim – thanks to the arrival of the ActivePost portable pool.

The portable pool has been provided by New Zealand Post’s ActivePost initiative as part of the Kia Maanu, Kia Ora (Stay Afloat, Stay Alive) campaign to reduce the high number of Maori drownings by teaching young rural-based Maori water survival skills.

The pool was assembled with the help of volunteers at Te Kura Kaupapa Maori (TKKM) o Kawakawa mai Tawhiti and will be used by around 250 kids over the term.

While the lessons will help them make the most of their natural seaside environment, the children will also train to become local lifeguards and participate in waka ama.

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News in Brief

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The portable pool is assembled with the help of volunteers. the water. We’re sure the families of Hicks Bay will equally benefit from this opportunity.”

Last term the pool was based in Welcome Bay where almost 200 students from years 1-13 made massive improvements across all swim and survive areas, from flotation to swimming 200m, and putting them at levels well above the national average by the end of the term. In the first school term, it was in Cambridge’s Ngati Haua Kura Kaupapa.

Masterchef gets set to cook up a storm Thousands of kiwi kids are set to produce culinary creations designed by celebrity chef Brett McGregor in the hope of winning

over $165,000 in kitchenware to snazz up their school kitchen as part of the 2013 Let’s Cook with Parmco programme.

“Kids these days have been inspired by the many cooking programmes on TV and they’re keen to make more than just the traditional basic dishes,” McGregor says. “Let’s Cook with Parmco is about showing kids, teachers and parents, that cooking more sophisticated food with fresh ingredients is not difficult at all if they just give it a go.”

Around 400 schools, from primary to high school, signed up for last year’s programme, and more than 60,000 votes were received, with even more expected this year.

Every school registered for the programme receives recipes

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school news

Term 3 - 2013

LAND SO EA

Jock Logan and the Sea Devil

and cooking tips created just for Let’s Cook by McGregor. Each week new recipes are sent to participating schools, with a video demonstration from McGregor on how to cook the dishes via the Let’s Cook website.

In August, there will also be a Let’s Cook with Parmco roadshow where McGregor will hold cooking classes with kids at schools all over the country.

All schools that enter Let’s Cook with Parmco programme are eligible to win amazing kitchen appliances, including freestanding cookers, canopies, fridges, microwaves and dishwashers, by having their friends, family and the community vote for their school online at: www.letscookwithparmco.co.nz.

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“This will make an incredible difference to the lives of these kids and save money for the schools involved. To travel by bus to the nearest pool in Gisborne was going to cost up to $1000 per day, which is a cost no school can afford. The ActivePost portable pool means these kids won’t miss out on vital swim and survive lessons,” says Water Safety New Zealand Chief Executive Matt Claridge.

“The portability of the ActivePost pool provides a solution to one of the main issues affecting the water safety skills of rural Maori – a lack of access to suitable, cost effective facilities that are appropriate for water safety education. Already we’ve been told stories about kids using the skills they’ve learnt in the pool in lifesaving situations out on

enture a rollicking adv– Longacre Press

News in Brief

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Mia des Forges, Natasha Shumilova and Maya Cosford, planting their prizes from Palmers

Bee awareness prize winners August is Bee Aware month and to celebrate the National Beekeepers Association called on New Zealand primary schools to create their own unique video showing the importance of bees and how to help them survive.

Bees contribute more than 5 billion dollars to the New Zealand economy but they face a number of threats such as a lack of food, the varroa mite and honey imports.

Stonefields School in Auckland has won the competition, Limehills School in Invercargill has come second and Opua School in the Bay of Islands has come third.

On Wednesday July 31st there was a special prize giving ceremony

at Stonefields School in Auckland where the school was presented with a van load of gardening products worth $1500 from Palmers Gardenworld.

NBA chief executive Daniel Paul and Palmers presented the prize and the three girls who created the winning video, Mia des Forges, Natasha Shumilova and Maya Cosford, planted lavender and fruit trees.

Mr Paul says all the videos entered in the competition were of a very high quality.

“However the Stonefields School entry “We Need Bees” stood out. The quality of the messages, research and animation used in the video were exceptional, especially from 8 and 9 year olds.”

Limehills School in Invercargill

used dance and animation in their video and the $1000 worth of Palmers products will be used in their school garden.

Opua School in the Bay of Islands used a specially written rap song in their video and will receive $500 worth of gardening products for their school garden.

N4L to start building worldclass schools’ network Schools are encouraged to visit Network for Learning’s (N4L) new website to register their interest in using its managed network, which will give all schools equitable access to safe, predictable, uncapped and fast internet; content filtering and network security services.

The company also takes great

delight in announcing its selection of Telecom as the network services provider tasked with helping N4L build the managed network that will run over fibre and be capable of connecting more than 800,000 students, teachers and school administrators across the country.

N4L will also build a portal offering a safe, collaborative environment where trusted educational content and services are discovered, and knowledge is shared.

“Interactive, inquiry-based learning, supported by technology will help to make a difference to all students,” says N4L CEO John Hanna. “It will help drive accelerated thinking, innovation, development of IP, educational achievement, and ultimately see young New Zealanders doing things that maybe haven’t even been thought of yet.

This is seriously exciting!”

Schools will be funded for a connection to N4L’s managed network and the company will proactively check the health and performance of their connections, helping reduce ICT complexity and cost for schools. It is also anticipated the use of N4L’s services will encourage greater collaboration between students, teachers, and school leaders around the country.

All schools will be able to progressively connect to the managed network as it becomes available. The first schools are expected to be connected by the end of 2013, with more than 700 schools connecting by the end of 2014. All schools will be able to connect by the end of 2016.

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News in Brief

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Established as a Crown company, N4L was set up to give New Zealand’s 2,500+ primary and secondary schools equitable access to digital technologies, enabling new ways of learning that can lead to improved student achievement.

N4L will contribute to the government’s goals for education, while ensuring every young New Zealander has access to 21st century digital technologies.

Artists, teachers and academics celebrate creative classrooms Artists, teachers and researchers celebrated the work of renowned educationalist Elwyn Richardson at a symposium with exhibition at AUT University’s North Shore Campus on 17 July.

While working at remote Oruaiti School in the Far North in the 1950s, Richardson developed an educational philosophy centred on creative and collaborative learning. He then played a leading role in the introduction of progressive and experimental approaches to teaching in the 1960s and beyond.

“Elwyn Richardson believed in art as a powerful tool for teaching children. So it was fitting to honour him with a dynamic art exhibition as well as a symposium that explored and reflected on his teaching philosophies,” says event organiser Janita Craw, a senior lecturer at the AUT School of Education.

Art at Work, an exhibition of archival children’s work and contemporary artists’ work curated

by Craw and Victoria O’Sullivan, included work by Jim Allen (a longstanding friend and colleague of Richardson) and potter Barry Brickell.

Artist Martin Langdon also helped to bring Richardson’s ideas alive on the day with a hands-on printmaking experience.

Speakers at the symposium included Professor Helen May from the University of Otago, Dr Margaret McDonald, who wrote her doctoral thesis about Richardson, and Dr Joce Jesson from the University of Auckland, also an AUT School of Education Research Associate.

Elwyn Richardson, who passed away in December 2012, is

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Primmer 1 students at the then Napier St School in 1952 remembered as a significant figure in New Zealand’s education history, and his influence continues to have a strong impact on teaching in New Zealand and internationally.

“This event touched a major period in New Zealand educational and art history. The idea behind it was to strengthen the community of interest in art, art education, the history of New Zealand education and progressive education,” says Craw.

125 years of education in Freemans Bay At the end of August Freemans Bay School – known as Napier Street School until 1978 – will celebrate its 125th jubilee, to which all past students and staff are welcome.

When Napier Street School opened in 1888, Freemans Bay was a very different place. Sandwiched between the central city and the far western suburb of Ponsonby (whose few residents at the time were, therefore, Auckland’s original Westies), Freemans Bay was already densely populated with Auckland’s working class.

Many of the school’s students

came from the cheek-by-jowl cottages in the area bounded by Nelson St, Wellesley St, Union St and Wellington St. Most of those dwellings are long gone, demolished by the Auckland City Council’s “urban reclamation” programme in the 1950s and 60s, and the few that remained were removed for the motorway in the mid-1970s.

In the 125 years of the school’s existence its student population has reflected huge demographic change.

In the late 1940s Maori all over the country began to move into the cities, and in Auckland many of them settled in Freemans Bay. In the late 1950s the migration of Pacific people into Auckland began, and increased significantly in the 1960s and 70s.

Again, many settled in Freemans Bay and their children attended Napier St School, often arriving without a word of English.

In the 1970s the worldwide trend towards inner-city gentrification began, gathering pace in the 80s and 90s until these days Freemans Bay is one of the most expensive parts of Auckland – a fact which would have astonished parents at the school only a couple of generations ago.

Immigration rule changes in the 1990s have added another layer to the story, prompting people from countries the world over to move to New Zealand, most of them to Auckland, where many of them live – at least initially – in the new multi-storey apartment buildings in the CBD. The result is that Freemans Bay School enjoys one of the most diverse student populations of any school in the country, which is celebrated as a real strength.

Government brings reading home For 17 years the Government has been adding to home libraries around the country thanks to its support of the Duffy Books in Homes programme.

In addition to their overall support of the programme, the Government, via the MoE, supplies a free brand new book of their choice to almost 100,000 primary and intermediate students in low decile schools each year.

The books are chosen from a catalogue, much like the Lucky Book Club, and schools invite Government

news News in Brief

representatives to present the books at a special assembly at the end of Term Two. Last month, Members of Parliament, local body representatives and other civil servants are visited 522 schools throughout New Zealand to share their experiences of reading with children before helping to present their books.

Minister of Education, Hon Hekia Parata, is a long-time supporter of the programme.

“I fully support the Duffy programme and the wonderful work it is doing to support and encourage parents, families and whanau to become involved in their child’s reading,” she said.

Since the official launch in 1995 with 80 schools, 16,000 students and 14 sponsors, the Duffy Books in Homes programme has grown to encompass 522 schools, around 100,000 students and more than 200 sponsors in 2013. More than eight

million books have been distributed to children in low-decile schools since its inception and the programme now distributes more than 600,000 books annually.

School Milk on the Moove Children in the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne regions are being treated to their first school milk packs this month as Fonterra celebrates its fifth regional launch as part of the nationwide rollout of Fonterra Milk for Schools.

Fonterra Director Global Sustainability and Social Responsibility, Carly Robinson, says the Co-operative is proud to have reached the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne region and is looking forward to taking the programme to the rest of New Zealand’s eligible schools.

“We’re really excited about this milestone. Getting Fonterra Milk for Schools up and running in the

Bay of Plenty and Gisborne is a great achievement, and it’s made even better by knowing that the nationwide rollout is making its way up New Zealand.

“Fonterra Milk for Schools is all about making milk available to primary-aged Kiwi kids in years 1 to 6 on a daily basis. It’s a big undertaking, but with a fantastic team driving it and the incredible support of the schools and communities, the rollout is running smoothly,” she says.

To celebrate the programme launch, 22 kids from 9 schools in the region visited the Parekarangi Trust Farm for a morning milking, before joining a convoy of Fonterra milk tankers, trucks, and farm vehicles making its way through the town.

James Warbrick, Chairman of Parekarangi Trust, says: “The children brought some energy to this morning’s milking. Our team loved having them on-farm and really enjoyed hearing how much they are

looking forward to their school milk.

As milk lovers ourselves, we totally understand.”

The kids then joined Rotorua MP Todd McClay and Rotorua District Council Mayor Kevin Winters along with members of the community at Owhata school for a celebratory morning tea, before heading back to school while the grown up members of the group visited Fonterra’s Reporoa site.

Fonterra Reporoa Operations Manager, Sam Mikaere, says: “We have had everyone from teachers to farmer shareholders come onsite and it has been great to share the farm-tofactory journey of dairy with them.”

Fonterra Milk for Schools will be making its way to Wellington, Manawatu-Wanganui, and Hawkes Bay next with the national roll-out expected to be complete by the end of Term One 2014.

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Principal’s Conference

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Principals’ conference in Hamilton regarded as world class School News acknowledges that this article uses some information and excerpts from the NZPF website published article entitled ‘NZPF Conference 2013 Report ‘

F

our hundred educational leaders assembled at Claudelands Conference and Exhibition Centre in Hamilton in early July for an annual New Zealand Principals’ Association Conference which was branded “world class” by a number of attendees.

Delegates from Atiamuri to Woodend gathered for a three day conference on the theme of Power to Innovate with presentations from an outstanding group of New Zealand and international speakers. Their backgrounds covered everything from advertising and comedy, to filmmaking, pharmaceuticals and rugby, and they focused on the challenges of leadership in the 21st Century. MC for the conference was TV personality and comedian, Te Radar.

Insights from offshore included the inspiring presentation of Khoa Do. Having crossed the ocean in a small, overcrowded boat from his home in Vietnam as a child, Mr Do was well qualified to speak about overcoming big obstacles to win significant opportunities.

He explained how he built teamwork and motivation amongst a group of marginalised and troubled young Sydney-siders in 2002. The collaboration resulted in a celebrated film which saw the group walking the red carpet with major international film stars two years later. Khoa Do went on to be voted ‘Young Australian of the Year’ in 2005.

Finns offer successful example In his opening address, Principals Association president, Philip Harding, challenged principals to think about what teaching and learning should look like when they are preparing children for a world in which the job that will one day pay them a living, quite possibly does not even exist yet – “A world in which the smart phones we use every day are fast replacing thousands of traditional careers – such fields as banking, retail and even the food trade.”

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agenda which has brought our school system to the position where the profession feels anything but appreciated, trusted and revered, and remains confused as to why the government would want to destroy all that is so good about its world class education system. In his final attack on National Standards, he said:

Phil Harding He offered Finland’s education system as a successful example to follow, noting that the issues that were often protested against in New Zealand – such as National Standards, children’s achievement data being made public, league tables and public comparisons of schools – are all absent from the Finnish system. Instead, he said, Finland has prioritised building high levels of societal equity and elevated the status of the teaching profession and the quality of teaching graduates.

Both politicians and the public placed high trust in the professionals to get on with the job of teaching and learning, and it was these factors that allowed Finland to consistently do so well as a country, Mr Harding said.

He talked about achievement data and the limits of its use by quoting astronomer Clifford Stoll who has persuasively argued eloquently that:

“The tired conservative argument of back to basics has been around for decades, but a modern 21st century education seeks to engage children in broad, rich, and meaningful learning, in a world that is changing so fast that it is breath-taking. Parents did not support this policy in two elections. Most were oblivious to it in 2008, and confused in 2011. Teachers have remained consistently opposed – not to protect their patch, but because it is bad for children when the only thing that matters is two curriculum areas out of eight.”

began her address with an attack on the much vaunted change and innovation. Although they had acquired a notion of desirability, they should not be uncritically revered, she warned.

“Just think about what innovation means. Innovation refers to something novel or new. ‘Novo’ also means new. Think Novopay.” By its reaction, her audience appeared to understand her message. What we should be aiming for, she said, is improvement.

School improvement efforts were in the context of the government’s ‘Better Public Service Targets’ policy which include 85 per cent of students achieving NCEA level 2 by 2017 and 85 per cent of children years 1-8 meeting National Standards within the same time-frame.

While the government’s attempt to reduce the equity gap in student outcomes should be applauded, she pointed out that in the past 15 years there had been no appreciable gains in the equity of achievement statistics and that simply defining targets was unlikely to make any difference.

Achieving real improvement would take a great deal more.

Ms Robinson quoted Richard Elsmore to define improvement.

Elsmore says improvement is change with direction and is sustained over time.

Khoa Do

“Data isn’t information...

Information, unlike data, is useful.

While there’s a gulf between data and information, there’s a wide ocean between information and knowledge. What turns the gears in our brains is not information, but ideas, inventions, and inspiration.

Knowledge – not information – implies understanding. And beyond knowledge lies what we should be seeking: wisdom.”

He acknowledged that more needs to be done to make schools more culturally welcoming for Māori children, and then introduced NZPF’s plan to establish ‘Māori Achievement Collaboratives’– (MACs) a system of professional development led by the profession. He launched the initiative at the conference, encouraging the principals to register for the programme.

Mr Harding then took his audience through some of the government’s educational reform

Viviane Robinson, Academic Director of the Centre for Educational Leadership at Auckland University,

It moves entire systems and it raises the average level of quality and performance while decreasing undesirable variation amongst units. It means engaging in analysis and inquiry, which is central to our curriculum, she said.

Pharmaceuticals entrepreneur and benefactor Sir Ray Avery inspired with his address, which encouraged people to look at challenges and difficult circumstances from a different perspective to discover what could be achieved. He recommended his latest book about New Zealand inventions: The Power of Us: New Zealanders who dare to dream.

Did the audience know, for example, that the plastic syringe was invented

education Supplier Profile | Paramount Services Ltd

Making your school clean and green A SPICK AND SPAN school lifts everyone’s spirits – staff, students, parents and the local community.

A school recycling scheme can lift school spirits even higher especially when you add in eco-friendly cleaning processes to eliminate unnecessary cleaning chemicals and reduce power usage.

Paramount Services is experienced in the education sector, providing cleaning services for many primary, intermediate and secondary schools as well as tertiary and childcare centres.

We use only Paramount Care cleaning products that are certified with the EnviroChoice tick to eliminate pollutants reaching our waterways. We are also on a mission to reduce waste to landfill by recycling paper, plastics, metals and food waste.

Our services go beyond daily cleaning to provide a healthy environment for students and staff.

For example, Paramount Services

• Regular independent site inspections to ensure cleaning is up to standard

Costs

provides periodic services like computer and phone sanitising, carpet and window cleaning. We know hygiene is imperative in schools as bugs can spread like wildfire.

Our organic-based cleaning compounds ensure no school is compromised in cleanliness.

Paramount Services offers the personal service of an owner operator franchisees backed by a comprehensive franchise system.

Paramount has been named best

business franchise system at the Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards three times in the last five years.

We understand the top cleaning concerns in schools:

Quality Our quality systems include: • Closed loop processes so no job or complaint is closed until the client is satisfied • 24 x 7 Customer Service Centre

We tailor cleaning programmes to meet budgets by optimising schedules (not cleaning more than necessary); offering ‘ban the bin’ recycling (saving bin emptying time and bin liner cost); and providing excellent customer support, quality assurance and IT systems to minimise administration time.

Environment We can play a central role in school environment programmes. Our EnviroChoice cleaning products, recycling bins and sponsored worm bins reduce organic waste and help children learn about environmental care.

Our client managers would appreciate the opportunity to meet and provide a free appraisal and quote. Please call 0800 900 845.

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school news

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“

“The tired conservative argument of back to basics has been around for decades, but a modern 21st century education seeks to engage children in broad, rich, and meaningful learning, in a world that is changing so fast that it is breath-taking.

Parents did not support this policy in two elections. Most were oblivious to it in 2008, and confused in 2011.”

by a pharmacist from Oamaru called Colin Murdock? “It changed the world.” If we want this culture of invention to continue, that future is in the hands of New Zealand’s teachers, he said.

Ad man Michael Hutcheson,UK educational consultant James Nottingham and rugby coach Sir Graham Henry covered the topic of leadership and innovation, sharing their strategies and drawing on lessons from around the world.

Hard-hitting media release The conference was not afraid to enter into a political debate by resoundingly rejecting any further association with the development of the Progress and Consistency Tool (PACT), set to become a defacto national test. In a hard-hitting statement released to the media, delegates said: ‘The Minister had made it quite clear that national tests are not conducive to children’s learning and that we won’t be having them in New Zealand. The Minister recognises that such tests narrow teaching and learning to a small number of key areas at the expense of a broad and balanced curriculum experience. Well someone needs to tell the Minister that by using PACT to support national standards she is doing the same harm as a national

test,’ said Philip Harding, President of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation.

‘Further, introducing PACT will do nothing to help our priority learners who are supposedly the target group of this Government,’ said Harding. ‘We already know who these children are – why can’t we talk about their learning needs rather than foist a test on them so we can say yet again that their achievement results are poor.’

The unanimous endorsement from today’s national conference sends a clear signal that principals remain bitterly opposed to national standards, and that they fully support the earlier call to disengage with PACT. This is not schools breaking the law – but we will not assist in building a weapon of mass destruction within our world class education system.”

On the final day of the conference, Phil Harding was full of praise for both the conference and for Claudelands. “Having attended major international education conferences I can say that both this meeting and the venue were absolutely world class,” he said.

“Claudelands flowed like a dream.

We used three beautiful spaces and the venue has everything that an international conference venue needs. The standard of catering and organisation has been outstanding”,

Pharmaceuticals entrepreneur and benefactor Sir Ray Avery added Mr Harding. A highlight was the masquerade-themed dinner, held in Claudelands Arena, featuring feather plumes, red velvet, comedian Te Radar and pop-funk band ‘Late 80s Mercedes.’

After the conference, President of the Waikato Principals Association and co-convenor of the conference, John Coulam, said he was also well pleased with how it all went. “The quality of speaker was matched by an outstanding modern convention centre at Claudelands, quality food and an enjoyable social programme.

fitting that Te Radar added continuity as the MC. Many of the speakers told of their life story and how innovation and leadership go together. I have had a number of emails from colleagues around the country praising the conference. The Waikato Principals’ Association was pleased to be able to host colleagues from around New Zealand,” Mr Coulam said.

By Brent Leslie, Industry Reporter

RRP $18.50

E NEW Z TH Choice for Frankfurt

THORS AU

The most feared German of World War One crosses paths with a 12 year old New Zealand boy, Jock Logan, in a seaborne adventure that will change Jock’s life. Such was Count Felix von Luckner’s fearsome reputation, he paralysed Allied shipping in the Atlantic and earned for himself the grim alias, the Sea Devil.

After capture in Fiji, he was interned on an island off Auckland, but with fellow Germans soon made his escape in a passing log scow. Jock is on that boat and finds himself caught up in events that are centred on the battlefields of France. What happens when a boy who knows little of the world, is held prisoner by a man reputed to be a ruthless killer?

The outcome is surprising.

TY OF

ion blend of fact and fict on - a cleverly woven cti du 12) pro (20 d ges an jud g s ard itin both wr – Ashton Wylie Aw ... a high standard of and easy to read fun e; tur en adv of e as a young boy’s tal

For orders please contact (09) 575-5067 or email brentleslie1@gmail.com

12

school news

Term 3 - 2013

LAND SO EA

Jock Logan and the Sea Devil

“With the theme of the conference: Power to Innovate, it was

C IE

Principal’s Conference

education

enture a rollicking adv– Longacre Press

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

Should teachers know about emotional intelligence?

What is emotional intelligence?

T

eaching is an emotional activity with emotional highs and lows as a natural part of the many interactions teachers have when working with students, teaching teams, school leaders, administrators and parents.

The capability to meet the challenges required to respond to the Curriculum Guidelines requires teachers who understand their own emotional reactions and have strategies to cope with these. The way a teacher handles those emotions is called emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise and understand the meanings of emotions and their complex relationships, and to reason and problem solve on the basis of these emotions. This ability allows you to: • identify and express emotions accurately;

Distribution of RTS scores 250 200

Frequencies

Emotional Intelligence

education

150 100 50 0 1

2

• use emotions to redirect attention and to encourage different approaches to decision making; • manage positive and negative emotions and emotion-laden situations A teacher with high emotional intelligence is able to understand complex emotions and to know how emotions move from one stage to another. An understanding of emotional intelligence gives teachers the capability to better understand how to manage personal interactions in a work setting.

Is everyone emotionally intelligent?

We all have emotional intelligence but some individuals have developed a higher ability than others. In any population the levels of emotional intelligence is evenly distributed. In our research we used the Reactions to Teaching Situations questionnaire (RTS) designed specifically to measure levels of teachers’ emotional intelligence and surveyed over a thousand primary and secondary teachers.

The results (in the chart below) show that some teachers have very low

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3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Standard scores (Stanines)

• understand the cause of emotions and how they can change; levels and some very high levels and the majority of us have normal levels of emotional intelligence.

develop emotional resilience. These teachers are less able to ‘bounce back’ from negative emotional experiences.

What are the implications for teachers with high or low emotional intelligence ability?

Teachers with varying levels of emotional intelligence react differently to emotions that are positively charged than to emotions that are negatively charged.

Our research shows that teachers with high levels of emotional intelligence are more sensitive than their lower scoring colleagues to their own emotions and the emotions of others. These teachers give consideration to the needs of students and to their own needs. They can manage their own emotional responses more effectively.

Teachers with low levels of emotional intelligence are less able to take the opportunity to ‘capture the moment’, to deal with feedback in a constructive way. In situations involving teaching peers, teachers with low levels of emotional intelligence may experience negative emotions but are not able to transform this emotion into a constructive solution. They remain trapped by the emotional state.

They have very little opportunity to

What’s the difference between positive and negative emotions?

As illustrated in the chart on the opposite page, teachers do react to positively charged emotional situations differently than they do to negatively charged emotional situations. Levels of emotional intelligence play a part in these reactions. Teachers with high levels of emotional intelligence respond differently than do teachers with low levels of emotional intelligence. Teachers with high levels of emotional intelligence deal more constructively with negative situations turning their responses into positive solutions. These teachers always respond appropriately in both positive and negative situations. Teachers with low emotional intelligence

are sometimes likely to respond appropriately in positive situations but are seldom likely to do so in negative situation.

What are some emotional situations for teachers?

This situation might occur - Your students are actively involved in their group work, but you sense that a few are taking advantage of you, and becoming noisy and unproductive.

Your response to this negatively charged situation might be - I would feel trapped in such a situation. (This is an example of identifying the emotion) I would realise that my feelings will affect what I do next. (Here you would be understanding the emotion) I would feel comfortable about being able to handle this. (Here you would be using the emotion) I would introduce another way of doing this in the future.

(This is an example of managing the emotion and looking forward).

Or perhaps you are faced with this positively charged situation. A student, who has recently made a special effort with a piece of work, says : “You are the best teacher I’ve ever had”.

education Emotional Intelligence

Underlying dimensions of emotional intelligence for teachers High emotional intelligence

Low emotional intelligence

Sometimes likely to adopt an emotionally intelligence response in positive situations

Usually or always likely to adopt the appropriate emotionally intelligence response in both positive and negative situations

Never or seldom likely to adopt an emotionally intelligence response in negative situations

General willingness to receive or acknowledge positive feedback

Reflective approach to teaching in negatively charged situations

Capacity to manage oneself in a teaching situation

Positive situations

Your response might be to •

identify the emotion, for example ‘I would feel acknowledged’.

•

understand the emotion, for example ‘I would know that my reaction to this comment is linked with my knowledge of learners’.

•

•

use the emotion, for example ‘I would say that they did well because of their effort not mine’. manage the emotion, for example ‘I would enjoy a feeling of pride and know that it would help me through difficult classroom situations in the future’.

How is emotional intelligence linked to effective teaching?

Within the essential learning identified in the current school curriculum are the domains of personal and social learning.

•

Efficacy is a strong predictor of coping behaviour and teacher selfefficacy is strongly related to positive student achievement.

We are often not skilled in expressing our feelings; we often express our emotions indirectly. We often miscommunicate our emotions.

As with any ability, you can continue to develop your emotional intelligence. You can focus on enhancing skills such as -

Self awareness •

•

These involve skills associated with emotional intelligence.

Teachers need to have these skills in order to pass them on to students.

Teachers are encouraged to provide a supportive and productive learning environment for their students.

To do this relies very much on the teacher’s emotional intelligence.

A teacher’s level of emotional intelligence is related to their sense of efficacy.

Self-efficacy is a person’s sense of being able to deal effectively with a particular task or situation.

Negative situations

So a teacher with high emotional intelligence is able to work harder and persist longer because they have a belief in their ability and feel that they are in control.

Can you improve your emotionally intelligence?

Try labelling your feelings, for example ‘I feel confident’, ‘I feel discouraged’ - try making a list of ‘emotional’ words.

Focus on recognising the difference between thoughts and emotions, for example, a thought would be ‘I feel like a fool’ but an emotion would be ‘I feel rejected’. A thought would be ‘I feel as if they like me’, an emotion would be ‘I feel appreciated’.

Emotional management •

Take responsibility for your feelings, for example ‘My anger made that situation worse’.

•

Develop ways to gain time in emotional situations so that a positive end can be achieved.

Empathy •

Listen to others without taking on personal emotions

Identification and acceptance of negatively evaluated emotions

Distinguish between what others do or say and your own personal reactions and judgements.

Communication

•

Try making a list, alphabetically, of positive emotional words and negative emotional words.

•

Increase your skills in reading non-verbal communication.

Co-operation •

•

Increase the number of situations where you lead and also the number of where you follow.

Involve yourself in situations that require your co-operation and encourage the contributions of others

Teachers are emotional practitioners, For the classroom teacher, understanding the impact that their own emotions and those of others have on the effectiveness of the teaching-learning situation is important. Such understanding can only prepare more effective teachers in a profession that relies on the ability to establish good relationships with others. It is important to understand the role emotional intelligence plays in the interactions between teachers and students, and between teachers, their colleagues and other adults.

Dr Chris Perry Authors, Dr Chris Perry and Ian Ball are Faculty Fellows at Deakin University, Melbourne.

Their work has combined school-based consultancies with research into individual growth and development and personality development.

Contact: perryac@deakin.edu.au

Dr Ian Bell

Term 3 - 2013

school news

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Libraries

admin & management

Expert help available for libraries

W

hile the school library has changed considerably in recent times, it is certainly still as important as it ever was.

Computers, e-publications and other electronic wizardry mean it is now used in additional ways than in the past and there is more emphasis on effective lighting, ergonomic seating, adjustable shelving, temperature comfort and good acoustics – but the fundamental purpose remains the same – to provide adequate resources for students researching projects and to fire their intellectual enthusiasm in as many directions as possible.

As every teacher knows, many pupils find reading a daunting challenge, and one they will easily put aside for the many other interests or temptations that children have today.

The best way to banish negative feelings about reading being boring, difficult or irrelevant is to make your library a welcoming area with lots of good-looking books with really interesting covers that

will tempt young people of any age to reach out and pick them up.

Creative display can make a huge difference to a student’s attitude.

Books should be displayed to attract their attention or they are likely to simply ignore them.

Libraries for small children should have an area where they can be read to aloud.

Rows of shelves with their books spine-out, are not likely to inspire enthusiasm, and can be quite intimidating for less confident children. When the choice is overwhelming, they may well feel it is too difficult to know where to start.

Creative solutions School libraries in particular need to sell the experience of reading in a world where there are so many other distractions competing for a young person’s attention. If they are interested enough to pick a book up, they are very likely to read it.

It would be sensible to make

it comfortable for children to be able to touch what takes their eye.

Place the books at a height they can reach easily and do not try to cram too many publications on the shelves.

Students who are reluctant readers may well suffer the adverse consequences for life, so any creative ideas from librarians that might help them to take the plunge into regular reading, could have highly significant outcomes.

For instance, they could highlight individual books by turning them face-forward or giving them a special stand. Another idea is to make small displays and change them frequently – this helps children to maintain interest and makes choosing a book easier.

Keen young book lovers at the National Library learn some secrets from designer David Elliott.

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Books for younger children in particular need to associate the books with excitement, pleasure and play. Some shelving companies have developed a range of tunnels, hidey-holes, playboards, nooks and arches that will help to do just that.

Teachers and librarians could ask children to choose a book of the day to be highlighted – then keep it going by suggesting anyone who takes it can choose the next book of the day in its place.

Intriguing discovery With so many rapid changes happening in the use of school libraries, flexible shelving is a must these days, but it should also be interesting and inviting. Ideally, a school library should be an intriguing discovery space.

admin & management Libraries

Supplier Profile | Accessit Software Ltd

Information and resources, anywhere, anytime THE MODERN SCHOOL library is a centre for resource discovery and information management and the direct integration of its resources into teaching and learning is increasingly expected. Students and staff want to search once and be able to see what is available across both physical and electronic resources. A good library management system not only needs to deliver this but it should also enable the library to have virtual walls so providing access to learning resources to all borrowers from the classroom, home as well as the physical library.

As Martin Neyland, managing director of Access-It Software explains, “libraries worldwide are not sitting still with the new and emerging technologies. They are demanding more and more from their systems. They want seamless integration with eBooks and on online content, they want it from iPads and mobile devices, and they want it now!”

Just returned from a large international library conference where Access-It was the platinum sponsors, Martin Neyland describes the success of Access-It Library

on the global stage. “We devote enormous resources to understanding the changing needs of schools with regard to teaching and learning. The library requirements of today bear little resemblance to what schools were doing 5 years ago. That’s why we are technology partners with content and eBook providers from around the world (such as EBSCO and Overdrive), as well as local suppliers such as Wheelers. And we deliver on all platforms, and across multiple devices.”

Access-It Library is a NZ product, and is now used in over 30 countries across primary, secondary and tertiary sectors. It is the most commonly used library system in NZ schools, and integrates with the leading student management systems, supports single sign-on, AD/LDAP, SIP2, SQL, cloudbased or locally installed, and all the other industry standard technologies that sophisticated networks are increasingly demanding.

As Martin explains, “20 years ago

we launched our product branded as “Access-It” and this vision is a greater reality today – students want access to information and resources, anywhere, anytime.” And he continues: “it’s all we do – we just focus on making great library software to support schools, because we’ve always believed that to run library and resource management professionally, you need professional software. This is software that does make a difference.”

Access-It Software has its head office in Wellington, with offices in London, Middle East, and Australia.

If you don’t currently use Access-It Library in your school, contact them for a FREE presentation and quote.

Email: info@accessitsoftware.com or FREEPHONE 0800 54 2727

Term 3 - 2013

school news

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Libraries

admin & management

Authors and artist/designers (foreground) talk with teachers and others at the National Library.

Shelving systems can be used to create fascinating shapes – such as curves, islands and archways – making your library a place that children want to visit.

Add some play elements and seating and you have a really special place for reading activities – a place which can change a child’s attitude to books and put creative reading at the heart of a school’s culture.

Those designing the library should ask themselves whether the layout will tempt children to explore further. There are some fundamental factors in school library design that it is essential to get right, e.g. placing the circulation desk in an area that allows the librarian to see every corner of the library.

This is very important for security reasons. Make the area for computers away from direct sunlight and with sufficient electrical outlets to power the computers and other hardware.

Good guidance important So when schools are planning a new library or modernising the existing one, where can they turn for guidance? Several local shelving companies have expertise in this regard, and offer a free advice.

The School Library Association of New Zealand looks after the interests of librarians and can assist with advice, but another valuable source is the National Library of New Zealand’s Services to Schools, which can offer a great deal of information and assistance in this regard.

The service is well known for supplying schools with requests for a huge range of publications and does an excellent job in promoting knowledge of new resources. Its nationwide campaign to bring children and teachers together with authors and illustrators has proved very successful.

But what is not always appreciated is how much assistance it can give when a school is establishing or modernising a library.

That advice can be hands-on.

When a school is considering building a new library or renovating an existing one, staff can either contact their local National Library adviser or email: servicestoschools@ dia.govt.nz .

The service website also gives advice on several different sectors: • • •

What will tomorrow’s school libraries be like?

Concepts, scenarios and visions for school library spaces What will be important elements of the design of school library space?

•

Who will be involved in imagining the scope and vision of the school library?

School Library as Learning Commons

What will tomorrow’s school libraries be like?

In an article entitled: School libraries building capacity for student learning in the 21st Century, the authors wrote: “A school library that becomes a high-end production facility, builds capacity for student learning in the 21st century.”

RRP $18.50

E NEW Z TH Choice for Frankfurt

THORS AU

The most feared German of World War One crosses paths with a 12 year old New Zealand boy, Jock Logan, in a seaborne adventure that will change Jock’s life. Such was Count Felix von Luckner’s fearsome reputation, he paralysed Allied shipping in the Atlantic and earned for himself the grim alias, the Sea Devil.

After capture in Fiji, he was interned on an island off Auckland, but with fellow Germans soon made his escape in a passing log scow. Jock is on that boat and finds himself caught up in events that are centred on the battlefields of France. What happens when a boy who knows little of the world, is held prisoner by a man reputed to be a ruthless killer?

The outcome is surprising.

TY OF

ion blend of fact and fict on - a cleverly woven cti du 12) pro (20 d ges an jud g s ard itin both wr – Ashton Wylie Aw ... a high standard of and easy to read fun e; tur en adv of e as a young boy’s tal

For orders please contact (09) 575-5067 or email brentleslie1@gmail.com

18

school news

Term 3 - 2013

LAND SO EA

Jock Logan and the Sea Devil

•

C IE

Libraries should be designed to create attractive, friendly spaces which mix books with play, discovery and peer communication.

enture a rollicking adv– Longacre Press

admin & management Supplier Profile | Int.workspaces

Creating that special space DYNAMIC PLACES IGNITING inspiration and creativity in children; school libraries are a hub of activity focused on the changing needs of 21st century learners.

Creating a space that is exciting, durable, comfortable and welcoming is key to students enjoying their school library, and no one understands this more than Int.workspaces.

When Tawa Intermediate needed to renovate their old library they asked a number of companies to come up with concepts. Librarian Elaine Smith explains: “As the project took place we began looking at how we fitted it out so it was an exciting space for our students. We invited suppliers to present ideas. It was Int.workspaces who stood out.”

Martin Cornes from Int.workspaces led the pitch.

“Martin came up with a lot of ideas and suggestions; from the start he was very interested in what we wanted to achieve,” says Elaine.

“He’s very approachable and on the

timeframe and there was a bit of pressure but Int.workspaces were unphased. They were great, very helpful and accommodating.”

rare occasion we needed to change something he was completely adaptable.”

The first step was creating concepts and from there furniture and fittings, and a pallete, were chosen.

Throughout the project the buy-in of the school community was vital.

“The colours we selected came from our school logo and we involved a group of our students in the decision making process,” Elaine says. “Our students chose the predominantly

int.elligent library solutions

ottoman-style of furniture, which makes it a versatile, bright space to be in.”

Int.workspaces included some bold use of colour, that appealed to students but was not too radical or daring. Face Out library shelving was selected to support the way children look for reading material. Furniture needed to be appealing yet functional and extremely hardwearing.

Elaine Smith: “Towards the end of the project we had a very tight

Now complete, the Tawa Intermediate School library build went well and students and teachers are enjoying using the vibrant, versatile space. “The best bit is seeing the library all set up with students using it. It’s a lovely space with a great feel about it. The feedback has been really positive. That’s the biggest thing: kids saying ‘Wow, it’s awesome!’.”

Int.workspaces is 100% focused on libraries, providing everything needed to organise, maintain and enhance libraries, and make workspaces more enjoyable and productive. They have particular passion for school libraries and learning-related workspaces.

For more information visit: www.intworkspaces.co.nz

■ library shelving ■ tables ■ seating ■ learning centre furniture ■ display solutions ■ trolleys ■ returns equipment ■ floorplan designs ■ project coordination

Talk to us today about your Library

info@intworkspaces.co.nz

0800 884 887

www.intworkspaces.co.nz

Term 3 - 2013

school news

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Libraries

admin & management

Their PDF covers how that vision might translate into library and learning spaces throughout the century ahead.

A website background on the article says “there are many scenarios for future library learning spaces that are possible models for the future and there are certain concepts that will guide the development of visions for those spaces. A primary goal of designing school libraries will be to maximise the educative value of available and emerging technologies, informed by the voices of learners and educators using human and other

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Term 3 - 2013

resources to create a place where real transformative learning takes place.

How will we design such a space?”

Concepts, scenarios and visions for school library spaces In this area of the website, the National Library includes content, links and resources, as well as case studies to “stimulate thinking and discussion about the future design of school libraries.”

What will be important elements of the design of school library space?

In this wide-ranging section, the Services to Schools website makes the following points on design elements in the library: It will be underpinned by the goal of supporting transformative learning It will enable learning through engagement with knowledge, guided by teachers, utilising tools and resources made available by library It will make good use of the freedom that ubiquitous wi-fi, mobile devices will deliver, allowing creativity in the design of physical space. Flexible space that can

be adapted for individual, small or large group use with acoustic considerations paramount to allow quiet individual as well as noisy collaborative work. It will encourage active learning with formal and informal areas, comfortable seating for reading, reflecting, wireless device use, group areas with multimedia access for teaching/learning.

It will have well designed areas for collections that support literacy, life-long learning and the curriculum. The allocation of space for differing functions will be aligned to amount of time spent on that function – e.g.: as

admin & management Libraries

National Library Services to Schools, Auckland – bringing children, teachers and reading resources together. technologies such as RFID become commonplace, the traditional issues desk will become redundant.

collaborative learning environment where students and teachers are learning together.

Interiors will be designed using modular, flexible, multi-use furniture and power points will be installed everywhere.

The learning commons concept embodies both a physical and a virtual learning space,” the website says.

School Library as Learning Commons “As school libraries evolve, the term learning commons is being applied to reflect the participatory,

The School Library Association of New Zealand – Te Puna Whare Mātauranga a Kura (SLANZA) aims to strengthen and promote the role of school libraries, to enable all school communities to become information literate. Through its

national executive portfolios and regional networks, it endeavours to: provide a national voice for school library teams – school librarians and library assistants, teacher librarians, teachers with library responsibility and school staff involved in managing school libraries advocate for the critical role of school libraries in reading, teaching, and learning; and to provide support and networks for school library staff improve the professional standing, working

conditions and qualifications for all staff involved with school libraries support professional development through conferences, network meetings, and articles published in its magazine, Collected develop links with associated national and international professional organisations.

New Zealand schools are certainly fortunate to have such useful resources to draw on.

By Brent Leslie, Industry Reporter

Term 3 - 2013

school news

21

Media

admin & management

Do you have a crisis communication plan?

Pete Burdon Founder and Head Trainer, Media Training NZ

T

hose who have been through a school crisis will tell you that trying to communicate with everyone from national media to concerned parents is a difficult task when their priority is to manage the crisis itself.

Much information is written about how to deal with disasters at school. Everyone talks about getting the situation under control first, and then worry about the communication next. While this is the obvious answer, the reality today is that you must be ready to communicate almost immediately.

It doesn’t matter if we are talking about a bus crash with mass fatalities or a sudden allegation by parents about sexual misconduct by a staff member.

In these days of social media and the internet, stories about incidents make it into the news at the speed of light. For example, if a school bus crashes, it’s likely to appear on someone’s Facebook page within minutes and spread across the Internet and into the hands of journalists.

If you are not ready to comment, the story will grow without you.

This often leads to misinformation and questions about why you are not commenting. It can damage reputations and anger parents looking for answers.

So what do you do?

You need a Crisis Communication Plan. This doesn’t have to be a huge book that sits in a drawer gathering dust. But it does need to include some pretty important information.

Firstly, you must have a team of people assigned to play different roles. A media spokesperson, media liaison officer and writer are three such roles.

The Plan must also have contact information for everyone you may need to contact in the event of a crisis. This is not only parents, but police communications, and even political figures who will have an interest in your situation. The list of stakeholders will vary between schools, but it’s vital that you are able to get hold of everyone immediately.

A list of relevant news media

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school news

Term 3 - 2013

“

While many school leaders fear the media, they are in a unique position of being able to help you get important information out

should be on this list. You will need to contact them to help let the community know what is happening.

While many school leaders fear the media, they are in a unique position of being able to help you get important information out. In some situations, they will be camped at the school gate anyway.

How do you start communicating quickly?

You’re probably wondering how you will find the time to communicate amongst so much stress and even confusion. The key here is to anticipate what could go wrong and prepare your responses now. If you don’t give some thought to communicating immediately, it could take you many hours to be heard. That’s because when you prepare written material for release, it takes time. You will have to work out what to say, then you will need to get that cleared by different people, including your lawyer.

By this time, you could have hysterical parents clogging phone lines, media stories saying you are refusing to comment, and parents

abusing you all over social media. I know none of this would be your fault, but perception is everything.

What channels do you communicate through?

You need to anticipate what could go wrong and prepare media statements and letters to parents that could be used if that scenario ever happens. You then get them cleared by your lawyer, so you can tailor and release them at a moment’s notice.

As part of your plan, you will need to determine how each stakeholder group should be communicated with. This could include phone, email, text, social media, your website and traditional media. While the advance in the internet and social media now gives you less time to respond, it also gives you the chance to tell your own story through your own channels. You do need to communicate with journalists, but you should also get your messages out through your own channels like your website and social media sites.

This way, there is no-one to distort your message.

All these initial statements really need to say is that you are aware of the situation, you are doing all you can to resolve it, the safety of your students is your priority and you’ll be back in touch as soon as possible.

This will save you a lot of headaches, satisfy your stakeholders, and give you some breathing space to focus on the crisis. However, you must still keep everyone informed of progress. Whoever does that will depend on the team of people you put together before anything happens.

This is a brief look at why you need a Crisis Communication Plan, but it should highlight the importance of having one.

Pete Burdon is Founder and Head Trainer at Media Training NZ. The company runs course and sells products on “Media Interview Training for School Leaders” and Crisis Communication Planning for Schools.

Book Reviews

teaching resources

New books on the block Project Huia

Collage, Illustration, Pop Art, Abstract, Modern Portraiture, even Street art.

Each painting or object is presented in a story format, also including a question and answer section, and this is followed by two art activities based on the techniques and visual effects of the piece.

Des Hunt, Scholastic With a flash of yellow wattles glowing against the sheen of her black feathers, the frightened huia whirls clumsily across the rugged gorge…

Fighting a family of thugs and a long-lasting jinx, Logan and Grandpop Jim attempt to unravel the mystery of a huia that vanished long ago.

Wearable Wonders Fifi Colston, Scholastic What wonderful stories can petals, shells and stones tell? What fantastic forms can fabrics, wire and cardboard take? What out-of-thisworld shapes can old cans and drink bottles make?

Des Hunt is a popular author, three times shortlisted for the NZ Post Children’s Book Awards, who weaves an adrenaline-pumping adventure with his love of the natural world. For ages 8-12 years.

Mix them together, add a dash of drama and a splash of imagination and learn how to WOW the world with your very own wearable wonder! In this how-to book bursting with tips and tricks, talented author-illustrator Fifi Colston shares her years of experience in the visual and wearable arts.

Wildlife of New Zealand Rob Suisted, New Holland The 5th title in this successful compact-format pictorial series by leading photographer Rob Suisted showcases not only our flagship wildlife species such as kiwi, kauri, kakapo and tuatara, but a unique assembly of fascinating plants and animals that have evolved amid habitats ranging from alpine peaks, open scrub and subtropical forest to wetlands, rocky or sandy shores and the open Pacific.

Well researched and informative captions from natural history writer Matt Turner make this not only a stunning photographic collection, but also a very useful reference.

Featuring an interview with a WOW model and endorsements by Dame Suzie Moncrieff (WOW founder) and Sir Richard Taylor (Weta Workshop).

For ages 10+ years.

The Freedom Merchants Sherryl Jordan, Sholastic A riveting tale of piracy and slavery set in the early 1600s; a powerful, dramatic story about a little-known white slave trade, which took place at the same time as the black slave trade to America. Twenty-five years ago, young Liam’s small fishing village on the Irish Coast was raided and its population decimated by brutal corsair pirates from the Barbary Coast who killed, plundered, and took a number of his people back to Northern Africa as slaves to Muslim masters. Pirate ships continue to prowl the coasts for slaves, but one has been wrecked in Liam’s bay, and survivors are struggling ashore …

For ages 12+ years.

Modern Art in Action Maja Pitamic and Jill Laidlaw, New Holland This instructional book explores the stories and meanings behind 21 masterpieces of modern art as inspiration for children to create their own exciting and creative art projects. Each of the eight chapters covers a particular category of modern art: Sculpture, Textile,

The Song of Albion Trilogy Stephen Lawhead, New Holland Book 1: The Paradise War Wolves prowling the streets of Oxford.

A Green Man haunting the Highlands... Drawn from the dreaming spires of Oxford to the misty moors and glens of Scotland, Lewis expects little more than a pleasant weekend away. But the road north leads to a mystical crossroads, and he finds himself in a place where two worlds meet, in the time-between- times.

The ancient Celts admitted no separation between this world and the Otherworld: the two were delicately interwoven.

schoolnews WE WELCOME EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND IMAGES ON RELEVANT TOPICS FOR FEATURES, NEW PRODUCT PROFILES AND NEWS ITEMS. 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.

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23

health & safety Supplier Profile | NeilMed

Nasal and sinus allergies and the benefit of nasal irrigation THE NOSE IS the only filter to approximately 14,000 litres of air that we breathe every day.

In order to keep this air-filter clean, it is necessary to have a routine of daily nasal hygiene.

Practicing daily nasal hygiene is a safe, effective, and affordable method of relieving nasal symptoms such as allergies, sinusitis, rhinitis, cold, hay fever, asthma – even snoring, bad breath and many others.

The best method of nasal hygiene is doing saline irrigation or nasal douche or lavage.

Nasal Irrigation & Surgery Nasal Irrigation & Oral Corticosteroid Nasal Irrigation & Antibiotics Nasal Irrigation & Corticosteroid Sprays Nasal Irrigation & Decongestants / Antihistamines Nasal Irrigation

What are allergens or allergy inducing particles?

Allergens are usually organic particles that attach to the nasal mucosa (lining) or respiratory mucosa and lead to the development of an antibody, which creates a series of chemical reactions leading to allergic symptoms.

Everybody’s reaction to allergen exposure is different. The same amount of exposure to allergy particles can cause mild, moderate, severe, and life threatening reactions in different people. Some may not have any reactions at all. Those with moderate to severe reactions will have symptoms.

Types of allergens There are indoor allergens as well as outdoor allergens. Examples of indoor allergens include dust mites, mould, pet dander (from animals and birds) and pests.

Examples of outdoor allergens are pollen, grass, wood dust, and mold.

Other substances such as cigarette smoke, perfumes and aerosol spray can be irritants and worsen allergy and sinus symptoms, or can act as allergens themselves.

Why Nasal Irrigation?

Breathing in allergens and irritant substances causes the lining of the nose to swell and become inflamed.

Mould 24

school news

This leads to sneezing, itching, runny nose, breathing problems, coughing, and even ear pain.

the entire nasal and sinus cavity.

women and children over the age

Nasal Irrigation for Children

of 5.

The nose can be chronically inflamed blocking the sinus passages. Blocked sinuses can lead to pain and pressure in the face and head, and infection.

Parents are hesitant to use medication on children. Antibiotics and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs can be harmful for young children.

When it comes to natural remedies, many products can be overpriced and ineffective. However, salt water, also known as saline, used as a nasal treatment is a cost-effective, natural treatment with a proven history.

Saline nasal rinse can prevent chronic inflammation, swelling and blocked sinuses.

Similarly, some amount of mucous production in the nasal and sinus lining is normal. Allergies and infections cause excessive mucous production. This creates nasal and sinus symptoms. Saline nasal rinse with large volume, low pressure squeeze bottle help wash away excess mucous and irritants such as pollen, dust particles and bacteria, thus reducing inflammation of the mucous membrane. Normal mucosa fight infections and allergies better thus reducing symptoms.

It is important to mention here that nasal sprays are not very effective in these cases as they can only enter up to a certain level in the nasal cavity. Whereas, nasal irrigation allows a large volume of solution to travel through and actually flushes

Pollen Term 3 - 2013

Pet Dander

Some may say it is the best natural decongestant. Both neti pots and squeeze bottles (NeilMed Sinus Rinse Paediatric) can be used on children four years or older; while children one to four should use approved saline sprays with special nozzles or specially designed saline vials (NeilMed NasaMist/Nasadrops).

Neilmed Sinus Rinse is a soothing, large volume and low pressure system for therapeutic and preventive saline nasal irrigation, moisturisation and daily nasal hygiene. It alleviates a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, post nasal drip, etc. As it is an all-natural, over the counter, preservative free product; it is completely safe for pregnant

Virus

According to a book written by Dr. Raph Metson of the Harvard Medical School, nasal irrigation should be the first line of treatment for allergies and sinus related problems right from the mild stage to the most severe stage where surgery is required. The picture given below shows the stepwise treatment for allergies and sinus problems.

– By Ketan C. Mehta, MD, FCCP, Santa Rosa, CA Adapted from: “The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healing Your Sinuses”

by Professor Ralph B. Metson MD

For more details on our products, please refer to NeilMed’s advertisement in this magazine.

We also have a special offer for subscribers of this magazine and those who ‘like’ our Facebook page, get a free NeilMed product from us!

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Mail to: NeilMed® Pharmaceuticals Pty. Ltd. Attn: P2252 PO Box 27310, Mount Roskill, Auckland 1440

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Available at: For More Details, please Call Sid at: 021 571141 or Toll Free: 0800 634 5633 / Fax: +64 (0)9 353 1430 or Email us at: questions@neilmed.com s www.neilmed.com/nz

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1

Blood Drive

health & safety

Student blood donors making a difference

L

iam Fisher thought he had a skateboarding injury but it turned out to be a cancerous tumour.

A young cancer patient who has just finished his treatment is already thinking of others.

Selwyn College student Liam Fisher helped organised the New Zealand Blood Service to visit his school in Kohimarama, Auckland so students and staff could donate blood.

“I am done with needing blood but there are lots of kids who are worse off than me who are going through treatment and need it,” said the Kohimarama 14-year-old.

“Donating blood is a cool way

Donating blood is a cool way students can help others students can help others and support me because some of the kids felt too awkward to come and see me when I was really sick.”

Liam was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour in his leg 12 months

ago. What he first thought was a skateboarding injury turned out to be osteosarcoma - a type of cancer that starts in the bone. He has undergone a human bone transplant in his tibia (shin bone) and has a titanium artificial

AMAZING BLOOD! FREE downloadable resources for teachers of years 9-13

ALIGNED WITH THE NEW ZEALAND CURRICULUM CONTAINING ENGAGING LEARNING EXPERIENCES ACROSS CURRICULUM AREAS SUPPORTING EXPLICIT TEACHING AND SOCIAL INQUIRY

EXTENSIVE DIGITAL RESOURCES

Interactive digital texts to complement the learning experiences in the teaching units.

The units are supported with engaging digital resources designed to be used either with an interactive whiteboard or data projector.The interactive digital text features include embedded vocabulary and information pop-ups and videos to foster engagement and support understanding.The digital resources come with downloadable teaching notes with suggested learning experiences for different curriculum levels.

COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE LINKS SECTION

A large range of resources to support using blood donation as a context for learning.

Web-based links include the following: video clips, teaching resources, slide shows, images, lesson plans, graphic organisers, posters, charts, diagrams, information sheets, articles and brochures.This section of the website is supported by a powerful search feature based on learning area, year level and medium.

TEACHING UNITS

INTERACTIVE DIGITAL TEXTS (WITH TEACHING NOTES)

Down l o ad t he F R E E r eso u r c e s h e r e

www.nzblood.co.nz/education For more in f or ma ti o n p le a se e ma i l: e d u ca t i o n@ nz b l o o d . c o . nz

26

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Term 3 - 2013

knee. Twelve rounds of intensive chemotherapy not only left him feeling terrible but prevented his body from making its own blood cells.

“They tried to blast it out of me,” he said.

IIncludes

fantastic

literacy activities that make the technical

information accessible for a variety of learners.

Anna Simonsen Social Sciences Teacher Wellington Girls’ College

The Level 5 unit is easy to follow, w varied w, and interesting V ry thorough indeed!

Ve Paul Keown Educational Consultant Waikato University

The teaching units are brilliant.

I love the range of activities!

RESOURCE LINKS

Zena Kavas Science Teacher Taita College

health & safety Blood Drive

“It made me feel so horrible and sick I didn’t want to talk to anyone. All I wanted to do was pull the curtains and curl up in a ball.”

Liam needed several blood transfusions and in total received eight units of red blood cells and four units of platelets.

The four units of platelets alone took 21 donors. Sixty-six staff and students went to the school gym to give blood. Blood transfusions are an important part of most cancer patients’ treatment,

people think most donated blood is

“Over 20 per cent of all red blood cells from donated blood are used for treatment of cancer patients. Many

and its important that encourage

used for accident victims but this is not the case.”

Approximately 42,000 people every year need blood or blood products today’s youth to become tomorrow’s

The New Zealand Blood Service has FREE Secondary School Resources aligned with the curriculum and offer achievement standards to teach students about blood and importance of blood donors.

If you would like to know more information you can call us on 08 00 448 325 or visit www.nzblood.co.nz

active donors.

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Book now: www.redcross.org.nz/training

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

Term 3 - 2013

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27

SunSmart

health & safety

Be a SunSmart school

“

T

erm four means it’s ‘hats on’ and time for schools to be SunSmart.

With continual sunny weather it is important that students are protected from the sun’s UV rays which cause sunburn and result in skin cancer. New Zealand has the highest rate of melanoma in the world, and a high level of other skin cancers. Too much sun exposure in childhood greatly increases the risk of developing skin cancer later in life. We live in an environment where solar ultra-violet radiation (UVR) can be very high across the country during Terms one and four, so SunSmart behaviour is needed.

Students are in school when UVR levels are at their peak. Schools are uniquely placed to provide a sun safe environment, and educate students about sun protection behaviour which will reduce the risk of skin cancer.

The SunSmart schools programme provides accreditation by the Cancer Society to New

28

school news

Term 3 - 2013

Schools are uniquely placed to provide a sun safe environment, and educate students about sun protection behaviour which will reduce the risk of skin cancer Zealand primary and intermediate schools. During the accreditation process schools develop and implement a comprehensive sun

• wearing a broad-brimmed (7.5cm brim), legionnaire or bucket (6cm brim) hat that protects the face, neck and ears

behaviours and education into

• providing shaded areas for outdoor play

practice. This includes:

• encouraging students to wear

protection policy and put SunSmart

clothing that protects their skin from the sun (for example tops with sleeves and collars and rash tops when swimming outside) • holding outdoor activities in areas with plenty of shade whenever possible1

health & safety SunSmart

•

encouraging the use of SPF 30+ broad spectrum sunscreen on exposed skin

•

encouraging all staff to rolemodel SunSmart behaviour

•

teaching students how and why they need to be SunSmart by using Cancer Society curriculum resources.

Being a SunSmart school shows that your school: •

•

•

•

•

is committed to protecting students, staff and parents from the risks of UVR is raising awareness about the importance of skin protection in your community promotes your school as one that is committed to the health of its students and wider community has a sun protection policy that follows the Cancer Society minimum criteria promotes and supports positive

•

sun protection behaviours such as wearing hats with a broadbrim outdoors is developing and maintaining a sun-safe environment.

Make a commitment to improving sun safety in your school by joining the SunSmart Schools Accreditation programme. If you would like more information, help applying or want to view a sample policy online, please contact us or visit our website: www.sunsmartschools.co.nz

You can also contact your local Cancer Society centre for help.

You can be SunSmart by following these five simple steps from September to April, especially between 10am to 4pm: 1. Slip – on a shirt with collar and sleeves 2. Slop – on broad spectrum Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 30+ sunscreen 3. Slap – on a hat with a wide brim

4. Wrap – on sun glasses 5. Stay in the shade.

During winter months (terms two and three) sun protection is not usually needed except at high altitudes in highly reflective environments, for example, in snow and/or when skiing.

1.

The highest clear-sky UVR levels occur around the

middle of the day. The Cancer Society recommends planning trips to venues with adequate shade or providing your own shade (umbrellas or tents).

BECOME A SUNSMART SCHOOL Apply online at www.sunsmartschools.co.nz

Our health promoters are available to work with schools to help them become SunSmart

Being a SunSmart School shows that your school:

• Is committed to protecting students, staff and parents from the risks of UV radiation • Wants to raise awareness about the importance of skin protection among parents and students • Promotes the school within the community as one that is committed to the health of its students • Has a sun protection policy that follows Cancer Society recommendations in schools . such as hat wearing • Promotes and supports positive sun protection behaviours • Is developing and maintaining a ‘sun safe’ environment

For more information and to apply online visit www.sunsmartschools.co.nz

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29

Maintenance Programmes - Painting

property

Extend the paint life on your building

P

ainting maintenance programs are not unique in the concept of maintaining buildings and structures. First, you have to define what is a painting maintenance program and secondly what benefit does it provide to school management.

Definition In brief a painting maintenance program is constructed over a set period of time, generally in years.

It will in most cases consist of a full repaint followed by annual paint maintenance services which, if external, will include cleaning of soiled painted surfaces and painting of any painted surfaces that have been damaged by normal wear and tear.

The cleaning component will in most cases include detergent washing of painted surfaces to remove dirt and grime and dry cleaning using a soft broom to remove cobwebs and dust where washing is not appropriate. The external cleaning is an important part of the process of maintaining a building as it is the build-up of salt, dirt and grime over time that will break down painted substrates.

A simple analogy is ‘we clean our cars regularly to protect the duco so why would you not clean your painted building on a regular basis’ especially when you consider the cost difference between a car and a school complex.

“

If you wash your building externally every year the life of your paint work will be extended by three to four years

It is a well-known fact that if you wash your building externally every year the life of your paint work will be extended by three to four years. Once upon a time, paint manufacturers never used to mention the need to maintain your paint work, now they do as their warranty is linked to maintaining painted surfaces. It is no secret that the environment we live in has changed in regards to climatic conditions, pollutants in the air and the effect of acid rain impact on painted and pre-finished surfaces so it makes sense to wash your building on a regular basis.

Paint maintenance is the last step of the maintenance process

30

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Term 3 - 2013

where by any painted surfaces that have been damaged by normal wear and tear are sectionally repainted to an architectural break to ensure uniformity of appearance.

Nothing looks worse that patch painting, so it is important that the painting extends to a break line in the building to project a uniform finish.

A typical painting maintenance program will be over six to seven years depending on the location, consist of a full repaint in year one and annual paint maintenance services on the anniversary of the initial repaint. There of course will be variances to the above; for example if you have a group of buildings that are in varying degrees of condition, your program will be structured accordingly with the repaints spread over the program - no point painting everything in the first year if does not need it. The only exception to this would be if you wanted to implement a full colour change.

The Benefits What are the benefits you may well ask - the logical one is that you will extend the life of your painted surfaces and therefore save yourself the cost of regular repainting and possible building repairs where the substrate has broken down due to moisture ingress caused by your paint work breaking down.

The other stand out benefit is that your building will be maintained at an acceptable level that does not detract from its appearance.

Depending on which company you engage to put in place your painting maintenance program, there are a number of payment options to consider: first, there is the even spread of payment approach that divides the total cost of the program evenly over the term of the contract. This is a simplistic option that makes it easy to budget for.

This system is generally a lot more expensive as it has an interest factor built into the price and “indexation” or rise and fall when calculated over the life of the program can increase the overall cost by up to 25 per cent.

property Maintenance Programmes - Painting

The other payment options include paying a higher percentage in the first year to lessen the ongoing payments in the latter years, or the standard pay as you go option where you pay the exact value for the work each year.

The added benefit of paying for the work each year is that the contract becomes a performance based agreement, as no money is owed it can be terminated without additional cost at any time which provides greater flexibility.

Suitability When considering a painting maintenance program approach to your building, ensure that it is beneficial.

CONTRACTORS OF CHOICE

For example, a multi-story classroom block generally would not suit a standard painting maintenance program unless it is close to the sea

and susceptible to salt air build up.

In this type of situation, full building washes can be tied in with high inaccessible window cleaning to minimise costs. With multi-story blocks that are not close to the sea, it not so much the repaint but the annual paint maintenance that has

to be considered when it comes to accessing the building. Put simply it would be just too expensive to maintain all the building every year, hence you would have to compromise and only maintain ground level areas and internal common areas.

The majority of buildings and structures in the education sector would suit a painting maintenance program. The main factor is that it must suit your requirements and be structured accordingly to your benefit not the contractors.

By David Roney, Higgins Coatings

The Dulux Weathershield range has been specifically developed for the toughest of conditions.

First impressions count!

Keep your school buildings looking fresh and tidy?

Maintenance Programmes Painting & Decorating Exterior and Interior

Offering long lasting protection for New Zealand’s schools, each can of Weathershield X10 comes with an incredible 10 year guarantee against peeling, blistering and flaking, to ensure it lasts the distance.

There’s a product in the Weathershield range to suit just about any exterior surface, from playgrounds to classrooms, exteriors and roofs.

Here at Dulux we want to help and be part of keeping your buildings looking fresh and up to date. We also know that this can be a long process to achieve. With the services Dulux offer it doesn’t need to be.

Listed below are some of the services we can offer your school now: • Free customised painting specifications to ensure the right coatings for the job.

EST 1896

50 Carroll St, Dunedin E: wrens@wrens.co.nz Ph: 03 477 9384

www.wrens.co.nz

• Free colour advice and exterior colour scheme development.

• Recommendation of painting contractors and help with the tendering process.

For more information please contact Mark: mark.fraider@dulux.co.nz

or Mobile: 021 926 215

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31

Maintenance Programmes

property

Preventive maintenance vs reactive maintenance

A

key benefit of preventive maintenance is to preserve and enhance the life cycle of a property before the passage of time and weather elements wear it out.

It is most effective where the cost of repair and replacement increases over time and when the overall cost of a proactive maintenance program presents a comparatively cheaper option – especially when taking into consideration that this also reduces ancillary intangible costs such as extended downtime and loss of facility use due to major reactive works.

An example of the benefits of ongoing maintenance painting versus ad hoc, based on the level of appearance over six years is shown in the graph.

Other benefits of consistent planned maintenance include: • Ensuring the vibrancy of the campus environment through buildings that always look new and grounds that are always well presented.

working at heights and sensitive access areas.

• Advice and consultation that will help you present a professionallooking site that complies with local council legislation, safety and environmental regulation and even promotes sustainability.

Frequently asked questions Everything looks good. Why should I sign a maintenance contract?

own unique requirements yet has the experience and ability to tailor a maintenance solution to suit your specific needs.

• Outsourcing managing of all OHS functions.

• No capital tied up in equipment and maintenance of depreciating equipment.

• A broad and deep resource base of skilled, licensed and qualified trade professionals who can offer not only quality service, but also the ability to finish jobs within tight timeframes, even it means working through weekends and public holidays.

• Productivity of operatives measured to industry best practice.

• Innovative solutions that are safe, for example, the ability to deal with difficult locations,

• Specialist and latest equipment with trained operatives using it.

• Protecting key external substrates like timber fascias and windows from breakdown by ensuring all surfaces always have a clean sound paint film.

• Extending the life cycle of buildings and lowering its overall life cycle cost by not having to replace substrates due to breakdown.

• Annual building condition reporting as part of the ongoing maintenance program. This will determine if repairs/ improvements can be planned and implemented before or during the next scheduled maintenance. This eliminates revisits and increased cost.

• Constantly protecting and promoting the school and community image.

The benefits of outsourcing By outsourcing your maintenance to specialists you have access to • Technical knowledge that understands every site has its

32

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“

Ensuring the vibrancy of the campus environment through buildings that always look new

Rather than waiting until a building looks worn and dated, with paintwork that is cracked and peeling, it is more advisable to ensure that over that same period of time, the building constantly looks good. Also, it may cost more to undertake an extensive preparation and possible replacement of substrates prior to repainting to restore a building to its former glory.

On-going maintenance ensures that the building always looks wellpresented and modern. In addition, on-going maintenance reduces

property Maintenance Programmes

future replacement costs. Constant inspections and audits as part of the maintenance can identify any areas that can be quickly repaired.

For example, fixing broken down paint on windows as part and parcel of a long-term maintenance contract will extend its life span and eliminate costs associated with ongoing replacement.

I have always employed someone to oversee our grounds and facilities.

Why should I outsource this?

Outsourcing the grounds and facilities enables you to focus on your core business. By engaging a specialist company to manage your maintenance painting, you have specialists prolonging the life of your buildings and grounds, while you keep an eye on your main role as principal. Thorough annual inspection reports keep you fully informed and highlight any areas requiring attention.

Extensive cost savings can be demonstrated when comparing the cost of employing full time trades people as compared to outsourcing.

Furthermore, a specialist company is able to pass on cost savings due to economies of scale achieved by large volume discounts from its suppliers to its customers.

The large labour force enables a

specialist company to help you get work done in short time frame.

A single point of contact makes coordinating work easier and more efficient. Throughout the service provision period, you need to speak only to one person, the project manager specially assigned to your campus with regards to your requirements. The project manager

who will be available 24/7 and will manage the entire painting team and free you to concentrate on other aspects of your school.

Scheduled regular reporting and frequent feedback ensures you are constantly kept abreast of developments and in-the-know.

By Kim Wouters, Programmed Property Services

Term 3 - 2013

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33

property Supplier Profile | Descol Pulastic

The world’s leading sports flooring system – now in Te Awamutu MANY NEW ZEALAND schools face the dilemma of what to do about their gymnasiums’ old, worn out wooden floors.

School gyms cater to a wide variety of sports most days and, as a result, their traditional floors can show significant signs of wear after as little as just five years of use.

Pulastic sports floors are not only much more durable than timber, one of their key benefits for schools is that they can actually minimise injuries for children.

The reason is that with traditional timber floors, adequate shock absorption is only achieved if the athlete is large enough to depress the timber floor over a wide area. A child is not usually heavy enough to cause this and so for them, falling on a timber sports floor is like falling on concrete.

Pulastic sports floors however have an immediate, high shock absorption level so they respond very quickly to dynamic impact.

Another key advantage of Pulastic sports floors is that they can even be optimised to suit the sports that will be played on them, giving consistent play properties (uniform bounce, uniform shock absorption, uniform friction, etc.) and exceptional ball response (height of the bounce, the rolling behaviour, etc).

These are “hidden” benefits that school coaches and teams really appreciate.

Te Awamutu College is just one of the many schools, colleges, Polytechs and Universities across New Zealand to have had a Pulastic sports floor installed.

The College did not have to go far to see how Pulastic Sports floors stand the test of time as their neighbouring school, Te Awamutu Intermediate School, has had a Pulastic sports floor since 1995, and it still looks and performs as good as new.

34

Approved Contractor, NZ Specialised Coatings Ltd installed the floor. The application is called Classic 90 Eco, which involves initially placing a 7mm shock absorbing mat followed by a 2mm liquid applied, self- smoothing layer which creates a seamless Pulastic floor. A top coat then completes the surface.

The top coat colour Te Awamutu College chose is Capri Blue 309. The total surface area covered was 527m². Once the Pulastic sports floor had been laid, the line markings were painted on - Ruby Red for basketball, Light Green and Yellow for volley ball, White for netball and Signal Blue for badminton.

The result is an exceptional playing surface that will serve Te Awamutu College well into the future.

“I’ve talked to people from all the sporting bodies that use it and have received nothing but positive feedback.

I know the kids are very happy with it – they love playing on it. It’s a very nice floor in a very impressive new building” says national business manager for NZ Specialised Coatings, Greg McGuire.

A Pulastic sports floor gives a very attractive, seamless finish. There are no distracting open seams and no loose fits between walls and floor. The colours are completely uniform, and if repairs are ever needed, there will be no major visual deviations. It will look (and perform) exceptionally for many, many years. You can even create your own distinct look to match your school’s colours.

A 2mm base layer is applied on top of a 7mm shock absorbing mat.

A self-smoothing layer of seamless Pulastic floor is then applied.

Descol Pulastic is the world’s market leader in sports flooring systems. Descol is part of the global Sika building products business.

The first Pulastic sports floor was laid in New Zealand in 1995. Over 25 million square metres of Pulastic sports flooring has been installed worldwide.

“I’ve talked to people from all the sporting bodies that use it and have received nothing but positive feedback. I know the kids are very happy with it – they love playing on it.

It’s a very nice floor in a very impressive new building” – Greg McGuire, National Business Manager, NZ Specialised Coatings

A final Pulastic top coat is applied and then the customised markings are added.

school news

Term 3 - 2013

BALLS BOUNCE BETTER. CHILDREN DO TOO. SHOCK ABSORBING SPORTS SURFACES

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Descol Pulastic sports surfaces are now in Schools, Colleges, Polytechs and Universities across New Zealand. Because they instantly absorb the shock of sudden impacts, the risk of injuries is reduced. And their ability to deliver good ball response and consistent play properties will have your coaches purring.

0800 SIKA NZ www.sika.co.nz

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