School News NZ - Term 3 - 2014

Issue 26 | Term 3 - 2014 | $12 Inc GST

The Essential Management Guide for Education Industry Professionals

First aid training In-school training provides vital first aid skills

Acoustics

Good acoustics create better learning environments

www.schoolnews.co.nz

Pegasus Bay School Vision becomes MLE reality

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

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contents ISSN 1178-9964

SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES $42 for 12 Months $72 for 24 Months Phone (03) 365 5575 subscriptions@schoolnews.co.nz www.schoolnews.co.nz ADVERTISING Pip Casey (03) 974 1037 p.casey@schoolnews.co.nz EDITORIAL Christine de Felice editorial@schoolnews.co.nz PRODUCTION Richard McGill r.mcgill@schoolnews.co.nz CONTRIBUTORS Ian Vickers, Diana Feary, Christine de Felice, and Brent Leslie.

sn inside The introduction of the Modern Learning Environment, or MLE, is the Ministry of Education’s response to the significant technological developments impacting our schools and the new approaches to teaching that are seen as vital to meet the diverse needs of today’s students in New Zealand.

In this issue of School News we profile the new Pegasus Bay School in Canterbury, which has been designed and built as a MLE school. On the same note, we look at how the 21st-century school library looks and functions under the MLE model.

Highly regarded United States educator, Dr Anthony Muhammad, was the keynote speaker at this

year’s NZSTA conference in July.

Our Special Report features a Q&A with Dr Muhammad – his views provide an inspiring and informative read.

Issue 26 | Term 3 - 2014 | $12 Inc GST

The Essential Management Guide for Education Industry Professionals

www.schoolnews.co.nz

Children’s food choices have come under the spotlight in recent months. We look at ways of ensuring their nutritional needs can be met with healthy school lunches.

First aid training for teachers and students, playground surfacing and options for out-of-school care are also covered in this issue, while the efforts of an Enviroschool on the Hibiscus Coast should encourage everyone to adopt more sustainable practices.

First aid training In-school training provides vital first aid skills

Acoustics

Good acoustics create better learning environments

Pegasus Bay School Vision becomes MLE reality

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

Read on and enjoy!

Issue 26 | Term 3 - 2014

– The School News team

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

Views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or Multimedia Publishing Limited.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information in Schoolnews, however the information contained in Schoolnews is intended to act as a guide only.

The publisher, authors and editors expressly disclaim all liability for the results of action taken or not taken on the basis of information contained herein.

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We recommend professional advice is sought before making important business decisions © 2014. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

School News is proudly published by:

news 05 Ministry News 07 News In Brief

10 Principal Speaks: Keeping the balls in the air

Email: mail@multimediapublishing.co.nz www.multimediapublishing.co.nz

13 MLE - Libraries: New-look school libraries designed

SCHOOLNEWS WELCOMES 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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education

PO Box 5104, Papanui Christchurch, 8543, New Zealand Phone: (03) 365 5575 Fax: (03) 365 1655

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Term 3 - 2014

11 Special Report: US educator shares his views for 21st-century learning

profiles 18 Pegasus Bay School: Vision becomes MLE reality 22 Stanmore Bay School: Students drive sustainability

administration 24 Fundraising: A necessity for most schools

teaching resources 26 Case Study – Kristin School: New multimedia centre inspires creativity

30 New Books on the Block

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food & beverage 31 Healthy Eating At School: Healthy school lunches foster good eating habits for life

external learning 36 Out of School Care: Plenty on offer outside school hours

health & safety 41 SunSmart: Free resources teach the SunSmart message

42 Teacher Wellbeing: Green shoots emerging of a wellbeing culture change

44 First Aid Training: In-school training provides vital first aid skills

property 48 Acoustics: Good acoustics create better learning environments

52 PA Systems: Time to upgrade your wireless microphones

52 Playground Safety: Surfacing key part of playground safety

news Ministry News

Internationally recognised professor appointed to Ministry role

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nternationally acclaimed educational researcher Professor Stuart McNaughton has been appointed to the new role of chief education scientific advisor at the Ministry of Education.

Secretary for Education Peter Hughes said he was delighted that Professor McNaughton accepted the role, and that an academic of Professor McNaughton’s calibre will be working across government agencies for the betterment of education.

“Professor McNaughton brings world-leading academic and professional credibility to this position. Over the course of his distinguished career he has earned respect from the international educational research community for his work to lift educational achievement.

“In this new role, Professor McNaughton will provide independent advice on areas of education that are especially complex, and will take significant time and focus to tackle. I’m looking forward to seeing how he can challenge us, push boundaries, ask the tough questions, and dig deep to get important answers.”

Professor McNaughton, along with the Prime Minister’s chief science advisor Sir Peter Gluckman and other science advisors, will work with a number of key government agencies and researchers in New Zealand and around the world.

“Professor McNaughton is hugely respected both within the education

Professor Stuart McNaughton

sector and within academic communities in New Zealand and internationally. His agreeing to take this role adds significantly to the mana of our organisation,” Mr Hughes said.

Positive behaviour improves outcomes for students A programme focused on improving behaviour in schools is having a positive impact in classrooms across New Zealand, Education Minister Hekia Parata says.

The findings are from an ongoing evaluation into the Positive Behaviour for Learning School-Wide

(PB4L) programme. The evaluation is being carried out by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER).

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improved approaches to addressing behaviour incidents,

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improved school safety for staff and students,

“More than 500 schools around the country are involved in the PB4L programme, which helps schools to improve student wellbeing and increase educational achievement,” Ms Parata said.

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a decrease in behaviour referrals for major incidents,

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improved students’ ability to self-reflect and manage their behaviour.

“I’m pleased that the first phase of this evaluation shows how effective the programme is.”

Teachers from schools reported that the initiative has contributed to: •

a more respectful and inclusive school culture,

“These preliminary findings show the programme is improving students’ chances to achieve at school and beyond. I congratulate schools, families and communities for their hard work, energy and enthusiasm in making PB4L a success,” Ms Parata said.  06

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0800 UPANDGO | www.UPANDGOVENDING.co.nz Term 3 - 2014

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Ministry News

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 05 “We want to see five out of five kids succeed and PB4L shows this is achievable in every school. That’s why the Government has invested $145 million into the PB4L programme since it was introduced in 2009.

“As we announced last month, student stand-downs, suspensions and exclusions have reached 14year lows. This Government has a strong focus on supporting positive behaviour and giving schools the skills to deal with difficult behaviour, and this is paying off.”

The evaluation’s conclusions will be provided in a final report due March 2015.

For more information visit: http:// www.educationcounts.govt.nz/pb4l

Minister welcomes parental engagement report A report recommending ways to encourage more parents to get involved in their children’s education has been welcomed by Education Minister Hekia Parata.

The report of the Inquiry into Engaging Parents in the Education of their Children puts forward a range of recommendations that could help boost student achievement through better engagement with parents, families, whānau and communities.

Ms Parata said the report from Parliament’s Education and Science Select Committee underlined the importance of parental involvement in student success.

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“Research consistently shows kids’ achievement improves when their parents work with teachers and others involved in their education. We have to make the most of that and support parents and communities as much as we can to be involved.

“The Government is making significant progress supporting early childhood services and schools to get parents involved in their children’s learning.

“We’re seeing benefits with existing parental engagement initiatives, such as Pasifika Power-Up and Reading Together. The Incredible Years programme is a great example of parents working together with educators, and it’s delivering good results for families with young children.

“The Ministry of Education is currently developing a website for parents with advice for those who want to get more involved, and it is also looking at a number of community-based initiatives.

“I consider parental interests and involvement a priority. We’ve made a great start, but there’s more to do. We will take time to consider the report’s findings and recommendations to look at how we can build further on that good work,” Ms Parata said.

Shortlist for school building project announced Two consortia have been shortlisted for a major school building project to construct four schools worth more than $200m, head of the Education Infrastructure Service for the Ministry of Education Kim Shannon says.

The four schools to be built by the successful tenderer will be Aranui Community School and Rolleston Secondary School in greater Christchurch, Wakatipu High School in Queenstown, and a new school in Auckland to be announced. Three of the schools will open in January 2017 and one in January 2018. All four schools are to be built using a public private partnership (PPP) procurement model.

Education Minister Hekia Parata

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“I’m delighted with the highquality consortia that have been chosen following a robust selection process. Those consortia will now proceed to the next stage of the tendering process,” Ms Shannon said.

They are: • Investec – sponsored by Investec, construction by Naylor Love Construction, Opus Architecture as the lead designer, and facilities management provided by Spotless Facilities.

• Future Schools – sponsored

by Morrisons, construction by Hawkins Group, ASC Architects as the lead designer, and facilities management provided by Programmed Facility Management.

Under a public private sector partnership, the design, construction and financing is managed by a private contractor. The contract includes property maintenance for 25 years, leaving school leaders to focus on raising student achievement. In other schools, the school itself is responsible for property maintenance.

“Based on national and international experience and lessons learnt from the Ministry’s first PPP at Hobsonville Point primary and secondary schools, we expect the second partnership has an estimated cost savings of between two per cent to eight per cent over the 25-year period,” Ms Shannon said.

“The successful tenderer will need to demonstrate quality design and construction, high-level facilities management and overall value for money.”

The two consortia will now proceed through an interactive tendering process and final bids will be submitted in October this year.

$15.6m redevelopment of Tarawera High School begins A ceremony to mark the start of construction of new facilities at Tarawera High School, held on July 29 was significant for the community, Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye says.

“The $15.6 million redevelopment of the school reflects the importance the Government places on raising student achievement in Kawerau and on providing a fresh start for the school and local community.

“The state-of-the-art facilities will replace approximately 60 per cent of the school’s existing buildings, and will preserve the educational future of

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye

Kawerau’s young people,” Ms Kaye said.

“The redevelopment will produce a modern learning environment that allows for greater collaboration and interaction. Vibrant, well-connected learning spaces are a key part of the design, and will provide flexible spaces that allow for a variety of teaching and learning methods.”

The new facilities will include modern teaching spaces for 525 students, a library, technology and performance spaces, a wharenui, an administration block, and a wireless fibre network. The redevelopment will also feature a number of environmentally sustainable initiatives.

Specific heating and ventilation initiatives have been implemented to help combat Kawerau’s extreme temperatures. Passive solar heating will be generated via glazing systems that take advantage of the sun.

Tarawera High School opened in January 2013 following extensive community consultation on the closure of Kawerau College and Kawerau Intermediate School.

“The redeveloped school will be one that encourages strong ties with the community and promotes the fulfilment of potential in the community’s rangatahi,” Ms Kaye said.

“It has been designed to engage with the area’s unique landscape and history. The buildings are located on a lay line running from Putuaki to Maketu on the Bay of Plenty coast, and are oriented to maximise the school’s connection with Kawerau’s town centre.”

Work is expected to begin in September and to be completed by the end of 2015.

News In Brief

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Mangere College students take stance on family violence

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he students of south Auckland high school, Mangere College, have become the first in the country to implement the ‘It’s not OK’ campaign throughout the school in an effort to help prevent family violence occurring in its local community.

leaders and local IT support companies to ensure a smooth transition to the Managed Network.

The schools are given on-site support during the transition and have access to N4L’s customer services team whenever they need an extra hand.

Joining the campaign was the brainchild of the students at Mangere College and it includes a number of student-led initiatives that ensure fellow students are supported within the school to help prevent family violence they may be experiencing at home.

A mix of urban and rural schools spanning all areas of the country make up the 700 schools currently using N4L’s Managed Network.

Initiatives include student volunteers, who have become champions their fellow students can approach for confidential advice on how and where to seek support for family violence matters. Elements of the ‘It’s not OK’ campaign have also been embedded in the school curriculum and a student-designed billboard, which depicts the school’s stance against family violence was unveiled at a launch event at the school.

Mangere College student champion, Desaray Williams, said joining the It’s not OK campaign and implementing the measures across the school was a public statement and commitment by students against family violence in their community.

“We were shocked by the rates of family violence in New Zealand,” Mr Williams said.

“We want to make a difference in our community and spread awareness of how others can be part of the solution to this issue, which affects every community.

“We challenge other schools to join the campaign and create communities that are free from family violence.”

The senior students of Mangere College were inspired to join the ‘It’s not OK’ campaign during a school camp where Family Works Family Violence Prevention Advocate and ‘It’s not OK’ ambassador, Jude Simpson, gave a presentation to the students about the impact of family violence in our communities.

Mangere College principal, John Heyes, said the presentation had a

profound effect on the students.

“The students listening to Jude’s presentation that day were so moved that they felt compelled to act and I am extremely proud of the way they have worked to make this relationship with the campaign happen,” Mr Heyes said.

“Becoming an ‘It’s not OK’ school builds on the great work Mangere College has already been doing in supporting students to act with respect and responsibility whilst at school, and this campaign allows these values to reach out beyond the school gate,” he said.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Social Development’s Family and Community Services, Murray Edridge, said the Ministry was proud to be partnering with Mangere College via the ‘It’s not OK’ campaign.

“Young people can influence their peers, their families and their communities and it’s through this initiative Mangere College is helping to create future families that say violence is not OK,” Mr Murray said.

The launch event at Mangere College brought together all the supporting agencies including ‘It’s not OK’ campaign, the NZ Police and Family Works – an organisation providing social services to victims of family violence.

N4L Managed Network rollout ahead of schedule More than 225,000 students from 700 schools have connected to Network for Learning’s (N4L’s) Managed Network and in early August the company announced that it hoped to connect another 300 schools by the end of the year.

Crown company N4L is tasked with building a managed network, connecting all schools to fast and predictable internet with uncapped data by the end of 2016, and 700 schools by the end of this year.

N4L CEO John Hanna credits the steady pace of the rollout to the big demand schools have for a service that has been designed exclusively to meet their needs.

“We are tracking ahead of schedule and this means thousands more students and teachers will be able to connect to the Managed Network this year, allowing schools to fast-track their plans to use more digital devices and online learning programmes with their students,” Mr Hanna said.

“While we are proud of our achievement to date, it’s the teachers who are the real champions here. They want the best for their students and their support and enthusiasm have been instrumental in driving the use of the Managed Network for student learning.”

N4L works closely with school

Heretaunga College principal Bruce Hart, who leads a school with a roll of 748 students in the Hutt Valley that has been using the Managed Network since last December, says the support his school received transitioning to N4L’s managed network was seamless: “We were very impressed with the level of communication and support provided by N4L throughout the transition. We were also very happy with the difference the Managed Network has made to our school. We’ve been able to make significant progress using software and devices that support our learning plans.”

Franz Josef School principal Janet Ristow said N4L’s Managed Network was helping her school’s 37 students forge better connections to events and people outside of their small rural community: “It is so incredible to have an internet connection that works when we want and need to use it.

We’ve been streaming some of the highlights of the Commonwealth Games, which would have been impossible with our previous internet connection. We are also now sharing more with our friends in other schools because we can collaborate online so much easier.”

An interactive map of all participating N4L schools can be viewed at: http://www.n4l.co.nz/ rollout/ In addition to building the Managed Network, N4L has developed a central digital learning hub called Pond, which more than 1000 teachers are now using to find learning resources for their classroom and share best practices with their peers.  08

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News In Brief

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 07 Pond can be accessed with any internet connection and is being introduced to teachers progressively, with all teachers getting access by the end of the year.

Campaign to recognise teachers launched An annual initiative to recognise and reward some of the 52,238 primary, intermediate and secondary teachers around the country was launched in August.

The New Zealand's Most Inspiring Teachers campaign is an initiative created by Warehouse Stationery to allow students, their parents and families to acknowledge the hard work of teachers.

This year judges include New Zealand Order of Merit recipient, teacher, and former netball star Bernice Mene; director of leadership at Palmerston North Boys’ High School and Deputy Commander 1 NZ Brigade at Linton, Paul King, and Margaret McCaw a teacher of 35 years and mother of rugby star Richie McCaw. With more than $40,000 worth of travel, stationery and technology awarded to the teachers receiving the highest number of votes, the company hopes the New Zealand public will be enthusiastic when it comes to nominating their favourite teacher and seeing them compensated for the valuable work they do. Schools of the winning teachers will also receive stationery prizes provided by the organiser of the initiative.

Ms Mene, a qualified secondary school languages teacher (English, French and German), began her career at Otago Girls’ High School and is now an advisor for AUT and the NZ Academy of Sport. She said it was important to have campaigns such as this to recognise and reward teachers for the job they do.

“An inspirational teacher or leader can really shape your life and give you a great outlook from a young age. They can give you the structure to cope with demands of school work, sport and time and help students find the motivation

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to develop their abilities,” Ms Mene said.

Colonel Paul King, a recipient of the NATO Meritorious Service Medal following recent service in Afghanistan, leads a first principles of leadership and character education programme - the first of its kind in this country - at Palmerston North Boys’ High School.

“Everything comes down to leadership, and so it is vitally important to have inspirational leaders in the classroom inspiring the next generation to pursue excellence, destroy mediocrity and be of outstanding character,” he said.

Mr King said he was excited to see the high standard of nominees in this year’s awards.

“The rewards of education are long term and it’s important to sow the right seeds early. Recognising the great teachers who make a difference in our lives and that of our children is essential. Success breeds success.

“Positive recognition allows people to flourish. As they flourish they will learn to serve the future generation with equal positivity and inspiration. This initiative is one way where those that have inspired us can be recognised for their efforts,” he said.

Also on the judging panel is Margaret McCaw, currently a parttime teacher at St Marks School in Opawa, Christchurch, who has taught in primary and intermediate schools for the past three decades.

As the mother of Richie McCaw she said she understood the pressures both students and teachers face in today’s world.

“Teachers have a key role in developing children to their full potential. One of the most rewarding aspects to the role is seeing the positive change that occurs when a student grows through education. I am really looking forward to helping to recognise the great work some of my colleagues have been doing and the impact it has made on young lives.”

The CEO of Warehouse Stationery Pejman Okhovat said the initiative was established to

bring greater recognition to one of the nation’s most essential service providers.

“For those of us lucky enough to have been inspired by someone in the education system the rewards are long lasting and the desire to learn is a something which never leaves us. We are excited to be involved in championing the role of teachers in New Zealand and encouraging them in the great work they do,” Mr Okhovat said.

For more details on how to be involved see www.inspiringteachers. co.nz

Microsoft gives $1M grant for High Tech Youth Network Microsoft New Zealand is donating $1 million in cash, software and services investment to the High Tech Youth Network to provide pathways for young, underserved Kiwis into the IT industry.

Microsoft New Zealand managing director, Paul Muckleston, made the announcement at One Tree Hill College in Penrose, where Prime Minister John Key joined with students and the CEO of the High Tech Youth Network for the official ground-breaking for the construction of a new High Tech Youth Studio and Academy at the school.

The One Tree Hill College Academy is the latest site set for development by the High Tech

Youth Network to offer vocational and education pathways for students into high-performance digital learning and training.

There are currently six High Tech Youth Studios, located in West Auckland, Manukau City, Hamilton, Tauranga, Moerewa (Northland) and Whakatane. Sites in Dunedin, Fiji and Hawaii are also currently in development.

The studios target young people aged eight to 25 years in underserved communities, providing NCEA and industryrelated secondary and tertiary credentialling, as well as workplace internships and mentoring of young people in the high-tech and digital media industries.

At the studios, young people learn project management and technical skills such as computer game design, electronic publishing, Photoshop, animation and 3D graphic design.

Mr Muckleston said initiatives like the High Tech Youth Network would help secure the future of young New Zealanders with pathways into the tech sector.

“The High Tech Youth Network has paved the way to address the technology capability gap. This is why Microsoft is an enthusiastic long-term supporter of the High Tech Youth Network, because our goals closely align. We want to empower young people and

News In Brief

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communities to help bridge the technology gap to ensure equity of access, skills, and opportunities for all New Zealanders.”

He said Microsoft’s investment in the High Tech Youth Network was part of a wider commitment to building a smart, connected, competitive New Zealand, in which all New Zealanders have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

The $1M grant – made under Microsoft’s global YouthSpark programme – included a commitment of investment to providing ICT industry credentialling opportunities, industry mentors and four 10-week work placements through High Tech Youth Academies for young people aged 16-24 years, Mr Mucklestone said.

“The High Tech Youth Network answers the calls of politicians and business leaders for educators and industry to work together to provide tangible pathways for young New Zealanders into long-term careers through training, mentoring and internships. It is education aligned to workplace requirements and job opportunities.”

Mr Muckleston, together with the Prime Minister and ASB Community Trust Chair Ken Whitney jointly launched the network’s Academy programme in late 2012, with initial investment from Microsoft and ASB Community Trust.

The government’s 2013 Budget also provided $1.9M to enable the High Tech Youth Network to develop two new studios – including the One Tree Hill College site – and to continue to support young people enrolled at existing studios.

For more information on the High Tech Youth Network, visit: http://hightechyouth.org/

Kristin prefects help prevent rheumatic fever at Mansell Senior School Children at Mansell Senior School in Papakura have access to a new medical clinic thanks to the members of Kristin School’s prefect team. The student leaders spent their July holidays renovating a room at the small community-focused

intermediate school to provide accessible medical care to students who are at high risk of contracting rheumatic fever.

Led by deputy head girl Olivia Barker and deputy head boy Christian Silver, the Kristin students partnered with ManaKidz, the Middlemore Foundation and the Manukau District Health Board to transform a room at Mansell Senior School into a medical clinic. The prefects hope the facility will help decrease the risk of rheumatic fever within the school community.

The project involved months of preparation. A major fundraising event was held in May and the team spent one week of the July school holidays onsite at the school, transforming the space and completing the medical centre. In addition to their work in the clinic, the students spent hours clearing and creating gardens around the school grounds.

“It is fantastic to have such vibrant, hardworking and caring adolescents in our school, giving up their holidays for such a beneficial cause. Our students will be more than willing to attend the beautifully decorated ManaKidz clinic.”

Rheumatic fever is a serious disease that can cause long-term damage to the heart. Approximately 160 people are diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever in New Zealand every year, with schoolaged Māori and Pacific children being the most susceptible. Rates of rheumatic fever in Auckland’s high-risk communities are up to 69 times greater than for other groups, and the incidence of the disease in New Zealand is 14 times the OECD average. Rheumatic fever often starts with a streptococcal infection (‘strep

throat’), which can be easily treated with antibiotics.

Kristin’s annual Prefect Project is a student-driven initiative that aims to promote leadership through service. Each year the school’s prefects embark on a charitable project of their choice in which they fundraise, organise and execute a plan themselves. This year’s team chose to focus on children’s health and education. In addition to their work at Mansell School, the students have collected boxes of everyday supplies such as toothbrushes, soap and shampoo to be distributed to the school community. They will also be supporting Avatea School and Nukutere College in Rarotonga, which were hit by devastating arson attacks last year.

The clinic will be home to a health worker from ManaKidz, who attends the school daily. It is hoped that the new, warm and inviting environment will encourage the young students to engage with the school’s health programme and seek out help when they are not feeling well.

Mansell Senior School’s acting principal Sandra Booth said she was very excited to have the students doing such inspiring work on their health clinic.

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Principal Speaks

education

Keeping the balls in the air

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appointed board, with the Minister of Education appointing three people from each school as well as an independent board chair. This group of people were incredibly motivated to do the best they could for their children and made many of the initial decisions for the new school. An important aspect of this was the master plan and design of the new school. This is both an exciting and daunting process. As the Modern Learning Environment concept is in its early days, there are few models up and running.

What works in one setting might not work in another. So alongside designing a school, pedagogy is also being developed. Current advice is to develop the pedagogy and design your buildings around that. Our experience is to develop the design and think about the pedagogy. Teachers are beginning to experiment with and participate in modern teaching practice in preparation for the move.

he work-life of a principal is a complex one. A great analogy is that of a juggler. The principal works to keep several balls in the air while avoiding distractions that will take their eye off a ball, all the while at the ready for extra balls that may be lobbed their way.

There are a myriad of decisions to be made, tasks to accomplish and incidents to cope with, all the while remaining focused on improving outcomes for students.

For a principal of a merging school the work-life is more complex, with new layers, levels and decisions to be made, particularly when Lyttelton Primary School will be built as a Modern Learning Environment.

There are so many decisions to be made, some quite small and some of huge significance. In our case, the Ministry of Education determined the school would exist over two sites while Lyttelton Main School was demolished and the new school built on that site.

This meant that the Lyttelton Main children would need to be relocated to another site for the duration. So in January this year, four portacoms, a break-out space and toilets were placed on the old Catholic school site to house the Main students.

An early and complex decision resulted in the sites continuing to exist as Year 1-8 campuses to minimise disruption for children and their families, while starting all the new entrants from the merger date at one campus to signify the establishment of our new school.

While other decisions were not so difficult, (the naming of the new school was quite straightforward) the move towards a Modern Learning Environment and the change of pedagogy is not without conflict. Teachers from the merging schools accepted positions in the new school knowing their practice would change, and for some, quite significantly. Parents are unsure at best, and not convinced that MLEs will meet the educational and social needs of their children.

The challenge for us is to bring our parents on the journey and reassure them that their children’s education will not be compromised.

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“

Diana Feary, Lyttelton Primary School principal

The common theme from these leaders has been both self-belief, and belief in the vision created for that school.

Leading and managing the change for our school community becomes a priority to ensure we are ready to move into our new school in July next year. I have been fortunate in having the opportunity to visit schools and talk to people who have managed such change, either through merger, or through the creation of a new school. The common theme from these leaders has been both self-belief, and belief in the vision created for that school.

While these visions differ from school to school, what remains the

same is the commitment to reflect their vision in practice by staff and students. The vision reinforces the need for quality professional learning development for all staff and the board of trustees over the period from the merger to the move into the new built school, and beyond.

The establishment of positive working relationships is critical.

While this is especially true for staff, it is also important to have a good relationship with the board of trustees. Initially this was an

The prime ball for a principal to keep in the air is the focus on improving outcomes for the children in the school. In a merging school, the distractions are many and varied. There is the staffing needs analysis followed by the staffing for the new school, which in turn involves the bringing together of staff from two schools. There is a staffing structure to be determined that will focus on developing consistency of teaching and learning practice for the new school.

Then we need to think about how we are going to bring the children together on a regular basis to foster and build relationships. So we wear our hi viz vests and walk regularly between sites for assemblies and house group activities.

There are several more balls in the air for this principal to juggle than is usual. There are many distractions, and extra challenges to cope with. In spite of this, it is an immensely exciting and challenging time to be a principal as we work to create a motivating and exciting place for our children now, and the children of the future.

By Diana Feary, Principal Lyttelton Primary School

Special Report

education

US educator shares his views

U

A:

nited States educator, awardwinning teacher and principal, and best-selling author Dr Anthony Muhammad was the keynote speaker at the 2014 School Trustees Association Conference in July.

His topic was Transforming School Culture: Creating Healthy Learning Environments.

The end goal of Transforming School Culture is to end staff division and create harmonious and productive professional environments in schools. Schools are one of the most important institutions in a progressive society and their quality will be a huge influence on the future life success of their students. Many scholars have studied schools through a pedagogical, curricular, structural and political lens. My research focuses on the sociological component.

Schools are networks of human relationships and the strength of those relationships will determine, to a great degree, the success or failure of a school.

School News asked Dr Muhammad how cultures can be transformed and for his views on other aspects of education in New Zealand.

Q: When a school aims to transform its culture and create a more positive, forwardlooking environment, what steps can teachers and staff take to achieve that?

Q:

A: When a school seeks to improve its culture, that journey begins with developing a collective vision of the school that they seek to create.

The first battle in the development of a healthy school culture is philosophical. Each educator develops his/her own worldview and they bring those worldviews or paradigms to school with them.

Often, many of those philosophies clash and it causes staff division and dissent that leads to a toxic culture.

Educators have to be willing to have a productive dialogue about their collective purpose and work together.

Q: Should the principal take a leading role in this, or do you believe everyone is equally responsible for transforming the culture?

A: The principal is very important in the process of transforming culture.

The principal is the most centralised figure in the entire organisation.

He/she has direct contact with students, parents, teachers and upper management. The principal is best positioned to initiate the conversation about collective philosophy with the

Dr Anthony Muhammad

teaching and to change policies and procedures to align with the collective philosophy.

Q: You have identified four groups of people that can exist within a school – the Believers, the Tweeners, the Fundamentalists and the Survivors. Can you explain what characterises these groups and how their different attitudes affect a school’s culture?

A: My Transforming School Culture (TSC) framework identifies four major subcultures present in each school that influences the health or toxicity of a school culture. The first subculture, I describe as the Believers. The objective of a believer is success for each student, and his/her behaviour is guided by that objective. They are very flexible in their practice and they are willing to tailor their practice to meet the diverse needs of students.

The second subculture, I call Tweeners. Tweeners are new

professionals whose objective is simply to fit in. They are in a formative phase and they can be easily influenced positively and negatively. A school must pay close attention to this group and properly guide their development if healthy cultures are going to be produced and maintained.

The third subculture, I refer to as Survivors. The objective of a Survivor is survival. They have become so stressed and disengaged that professional concern has all but disappeared.

The fourth subculture, I call Fundamentalists. The objective of a Fundamentalist is to maintain status quo. They covet comfortable conditions and traditions that fit their personal needs and they are unwilling to change, even if the change promises to be potentially beneficial for students. The clash of these four agendas can cause chaos in a school that does not know how to create a common vision and direction.

Q: What is the end goal in transforming the culture?

Now let’s look at student education. In the New Zealand school system we unfortunately have a ‘long tail’ of underachievers. What ideas do you have for principals and teachers to help these students lift their performance and get the most from their education?

A: It is very important to develop and create high performance expectations for all students. It is impossible to address historical underachievement if there are different overt or covert levels of student expectations. These expectations cannot be vaguely defined; they have to be clearly and explicitly defined. Once they are defined and published, educators have to recognise that each student will develop in different ways and at different paces. This means that pedagogy, assessment and student academic intervention systems have to be built right into the regular academic programme.

It is also important to note that achievement has to be measured by acquisition and demonstration of knowledge, not blind adherence to cultural norms.

Extensive research has been done in the United States for over 50 years on school priorities and that research has consistently found that schools tend to place a huge premium on assimilation and that comprehension  12 is secondary.

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school news

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Special Report

education

 11 In other words, it is not uncommon for a student to learn a lot at school, but still do poorly because of his/her personality or a refusal to adhere to rigid non-academic norms. If a school recognises that all students have high intellectual capacity, but they learn in different ways and at different paces, the school will start to develop a responsive environment that brings the best out of all students instead of a creating a norm-referenced bell curve of winners and losers.

Q: Maori and Pasifika students are not always reaching their potential at school. Do you have any suggestions for lifting their level of achievement?

A: Most countries have a group of students that they identify as underrepresented achievement groups. In the United

12

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States it’s African-American and Latinos. In Canada it’s the Aboriginal or First Nation students. New Zealand’s dilemma is very similar. As we have studied these groups around the world, the first thing that we all agree on is that the societal perception and expectations for these groups create the narrative that produces an expectation for underperformance.

Maori and Pasifika students are just as capable as any student in New Zealand, but the combination of low societal expectations and the personal internalisation of those expectations creates a social construct that is difficult to deconstruct.

So, I identify three critical areas of challenge that have to be addressed if we hope to achieve school equity. I call these three challenges Predeterminations. The first one is called Perceptual Predeterminations, which are the perceptions and mental models that educators bring to school with them and the effect that perception has on student achievement. If the

educator consciously or subconsciously expects less of some students compared to others, they naturally create an inequitable environment in the classroom and the school.

schooling, what do you believe teachers can do to provide that support and help them achieve?

The second one is called Intrinsic Predetermination, which are the perceptions that students develop about their own probability for success. Just like with educators, these perceptions develop both inside and outside of school and they guide a student’s effort and performance at school.

Parents are not trained to educate children in academic content, professional educators are trained for this purpose.

The last one is called Institutional Predetermination, which are policies, practices and procedures that have been developed based upon discriminatory mindsets. In other words, institutionalised discrimination.

If achievement gaps are going to be addressed, we must address these huge gaps in thinking and practice.

Q: If students are not getting the support from their parents to get maximum benefit from their

A:

Certainly, a parent can help and reinforce good classroom practice and partner with the teacher and school to form a solid, holistic bond.

But, parents do not develop lessons, assessments, or intervention strategies, educators do.

If a school needs assistance in that process, it is important for it to be clear about what it expects from parents and then strategically implement a plan to recruit, guide and partner with parents.

Parent participation and involvement can always improve, but schools have to work with parents as opposed to being exasperated by uncooperative parents.

MLE - Libraries

education

New-look school libraries designed for 21st-century learning

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workshops, and a lot of the product fully recyclable, because that’s important too.

olourful, comfortable seating, flexible learning spaces, tables for groups rather than single desks, quirky stools.

“Some principals and teachers are unsure where to start when introducing MLE to their school,” Mr Vigis says, “so class* has put together an MLE information pack, which includes an information booklet, photos and CAD drawings of concepts, showing how the various furniture items work in with each other.

Vastly different from what today’s teachers and parents grew up with, these elements characterise the new Modern Learning Environment, or MLE, which the Ministry of Education is introducing into New Zealand schools.

The purpose of MLE is both to accommodate the rapidly changing technological aspects of 21st-century education and to meet the diverse learning needs of students, with flexibility and adaptability being key features of the new learning spaces.

The school library is an integral part of the new educational environment, and that too has changed in the way it is laid out and functions.

As managing director of class* – Future-Proof Furniture Solutions Craig Vigis says, “Five years ago we

thought of ‘libraries’ as books on shelves and places to read; however, with today’s technology and modern learning devices, plus the internet, encyclopedias online, Google maps, e-books etc., it is more appropriate to view the so-called ‘library’ facility as the ‘information and learning centre’ of the school.

“So, besides the ottomans, shaped tables and bean bags that

we supply for MLE learning spaces and libraries, we also have mobile cabinets for charging and locking away iPads, tablets and laptops, as well as computer chairs, swivel stools and individual mobile laptop workstations.

“We have also adapted a lot of existing products to make them more MLE compliant, most of them being assembled in our New Zealand

“Also, teachers often like to be able to see how items will benefit their environment rather than just in theory, so class* also offers some items of trial furniture for periods from two weeks up to a term. This also helps teachers get feedback from students on how the furniture performs, because requirements normally come down to a combination of student requirements, preferred choice and teaching style, and these do vary  14 from school to school.

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school news

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MLE - Libraries

education

 13 “Then when class* puts a proposal together, we know it’s a solution that will work,” Mr Vigis says. class* has fitted out numerous MLE suites, and one of its most recent projects was supplying MLE furniture for the new Pegasus Bay School in Canterbury.

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Julie Carter, director of school furniture supplier Distinction, says her company was the first to start supplying MLE furniture, even before it became a Ministry requirement for all new and renovated schools.

different furniture to match their different learning styles. Some want to sit at a high table, others want to curl up on a bean bag. We also set up study corrals for when children need some isolation.”

“It’s a philosophy we’re passionate about,” she says. “There are diverse kids in our schools, so they need

Ms Carter says libraries are still “special places” within the school, and places of learning, but where they

have changed with MLE is with the various types of furniture being used.

“For example, there are the ottomans, which we supply in curved and round shapes and big and small sizes, the different-shaped tables, the bean bags and the ergonomic Hokki stools. These are exclusive to us in New Zealand and are designed

MLE - Libraries

education

MODERN LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

to help children’s musculo-skeletal development.

“The static shelving hasn’t changed much, but we focus on making our shelving easy to move so teachers can change the learning areas around.”

And while colourful furniture features strongly, the powder-coated steel shelving colours are more neutral.

“You don’t want bright colours that would distract from the books,” Ms Carter says.

“But with the furnishing fabrics, the colours can be fun and vibrant.

We go through a consultation process, with the choices depending on how many kids there are in the school, how much space is available, and we can even match the colours to the philosophy of the school.

“We are also conscious of school budgets, and with refurbishment we can supply new tops for tables, for example, rather than full replacement.”

FURNITURE

Ninety per cent of Distinction products are New Zealand made, though one exception is the Germanmade Pantoflex chair, which comes with a 25-year warranty.  16

LEADERS Visit our showroom at: 8 Couldry Street, Eden Terrace, Auckland P 09) 523 4092 F 09) 523 4093 W www.distinction.net.nz Term 3 - 2014

school news

15

MLE - Libraries

education

 15

offering a full library fit-out service.

“We are very proud of our New Zealand-made products, with the bulk of them being recyclable. The bulk of our products also carry the Environmental Choice NZ tick and we are the only suppliers to schools that have this,” Ms Carter says.

“In the last three years we have set up our new division under the Int. workspaces brand, as a separate part of the business. This is entirely focused on libraries, both public and school,” director Martin Cornes says.

Library Furniture Specialists Int. workspaces has been supplying school and library furniture for over 20 years, but more recently has expanded into

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Term 3 - 2014

“We have already completed several full school library fit-outs and we are currently working on many other projects.

“When we work with a school we

start with a blank floor plan, than work through the desired outcomes and ideas the school has for their library,” Mr Cornes says. “We then take that away and turn it into a concept plan. It is very much a consultation process in which we turn the client ideas with our input into an attractive MLE library.

“We have a range of standard configuration mobile shelving units and many other products that schools can purchase according to the space and budget they have at the time.

This simplifies the process of finding exactly they need. Along with the standard ranges we also offer help with any bespoke designs or ideas the school has, as we both welcome and encourage creativity.”

Int.workspaces is in the process of building a comprehensive, all new and user-friendly website and will be launching it later this year, Mr Cornes says.

By Christine de Felice, Staff Reporter

education 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.

info@intworkspaces.co.nz

0800 884 887

www.intworkspaces.co.nz

Term 3 - 2014

school news

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Pegasus Bay School

profiles

Vision becomes MLE reality at Pegasus Bay School

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T

he brand-new Pegasus Bay School located in Pegasus Town, 25 kilometres north of Christchurch, welcomed its first students on May 5, the start of term two. It is the first school build to be completed as part of the Government’s $1.137 billion investment in education renewal in greater Christchurch following the earthquakes.

It has been designed as a Modern Learning Environment (MLE), the new education concept introduced by the Ministry of Education to meet the changes in teaching practices and learning needs for the 21st century.

Catering for Year 0-8 primary school students, the Pegasus Bay School roll includes children from the former Waikuku Primary School, where the roll had more than doubled from 125 to 260 as earthquake-affected Christchurch residents moved to areas north of the city.

The roll at the new school will be monitored closely, Mr Hornblow says.

“There is a house completion every second day in our catchment area so we have a strict enrolment scheme in place to limit growth of

school news

Term 3 - 2014

the roll as much as possible.”

Timing has been a significant factor in the development of Pegasus Bay School. As Mr Hornblow explains, “I was appointed principal at the Waikuku site six years ago and part of my role was the visioning for the new school, and building what was a small country school that needed some TLC into a large, 600-plus-pupil school.

“However, Pegasus Town didn’t take off as quickly as expected, which worked to our advantage. If we had built the school when we were originally meant to, it could have been terribly difficult to get what we wanted because the Ministry was still focused on the cell-type teaching system.

“But even if the Ministry hadn’t been promoting MLE, we would have insisted on it. The kids are getting a far better deal with MLE than with single-cell education.

When Pegasus Bay School got the go-ahead we were very ready, as our visioning work was really thorough.”

Pegasus Bay School is being constructed in two stages, for 420 pupils, then 600. The design

Pegasus Bay School

profiles

team for stage one was headed

by Jasmax, who also designed the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, Te Papa and The Cloud on Auckland’s waterfront. The main contractor was Arrow International Ltd and project manager was Aurecon. The construction budget was $14.945m, including $481,000 for the school’s priorities including furniture, equipment and ICT.

of term one this year the children played their part by helping movers pack up and move the furniture.

The completed first stage comprises a student common, open-plan administration facilities, performing arts practice rooms, gymnasium, and the initial teaching areas consisting of six learning communities for the initial 420 students.

The decision to go with MLE means the school has no ‘standard’ classrooms, but instead has six learning communities, each being equivalent in square metres to two and a half classrooms. These communities feature a range of moveable seating and tables, with the different syndicates of teachers working together in the spaces and the students being mobile between the spaces and various student offices. School offices and ‘withdrawal rooms’, otherwise known as ‘cave space’ or the ‘fish tank’ make up the balance of the constructed area at Pegasus Bay School. These rooms give the children a quiet space where they can study and discuss ideas in smaller groups.

“We looked at other systems as well, and when we went to talk design, we knew what we wanted,” Mr Hornblow says. “The Ministry and Jasmax gave us a huge amount of input. We were concerned that the Ministry of Education would look at cookie-cutter-type building due to the enormity of the Christchurch rebuild, but to their credit they are seeking individual community input.

“We also had major input from the school board, especially the board chair Nigel Sharplin, and the staff and students were consulted as well to get their ideas.”

Construction of the new school started in the last term of 2012 and took about 14 months to be completed and readied for occupation. Once that happened, Waikuku School began the process of moving, and during the last week

“We did it with the kids, not to the kids,” Mr Hornblow says. “It was really important for them to be part of the move process. Waikuku School has been going for 140 years so we needed a respectful end as well as a beginning that celebrated the potential of our future.”

“That flexibility is a key point, with the furniture able to be changed around depending on the type of learning that’s going on,” Mr Hornblow says.

“There are three teachers and teacher aides to about 75 students and it works outstandingly well. It’s a collaborative environment that makes the best use of the different teachers’ skills and passions.  20

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free MLE info pack heaps of ideas for MLE learning spaces class* can make things much easier for you.

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p. 0800 337 574 | f. 06 868 8734 info@class.net.nz | www.class.net.nz Term 3 - 2014

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Pegasus Bay School

profiles

20

Prime Minister John Key and Education Minister Hekia Parata chat with students and teacher Penny Vincent about their new MLE school.

 19 “When considering our vision for the new school, one of the key factors needed to be the professional development of the teaching staff.

We are really deliberate about what needed to happen and is still to be done. Working every day with other teachers means the practice is deprivatised through working co-operatively and sharing ideas and that way they are getting professional development every day. It’s incredibly powerful.

“Many areas are coming to the fore that need to be addressed.

The lack of readiness of our Student Management System, our appointment process, especially our job descriptions for teachers, have had to change. Being a contributing, collaborative, innovative team member is just as important as being a great teacher. Our job description and expectations need to reflect this.

Teaching like this is not everyone’s cup of tea though, as it requires a whole new mindshift. Teachers coming to a MLE school like Pegasus

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Term 3 - 2014

Bay are not just getting a new class – they’re getting a whole new learning community.”

Mr Hornblow says the teachers and students are thoroughly enjoying their new learning environment.

"We had been prototyping this style of learning at Waikuku so it was great to see how easily the pupils took to it.

“After we arrived here I asked a senior student how the new school was going. His reply was, ‘It’s like the school was built for us’.”

At the same time, he recognises that part of his challenge as principal at Pegasus Bay is selling the MLE concept to parents in what he describes as a “realistic and authentic way”.

“Their perception, correct or incorrect, is our reality,” he says. “So far, 80 per cent have taken MLE on board, while for the other 20 per cent, the jury is still out. But we are winning them over. MLE is pushing everyone’s boundaries – pupils, teachers and especially parents.”

profiles Pegasus Bay School

Another significant feature of Pegasus Bay School is that it is the first net zero energy school in New Zealand. It has been designed to produce as much energy as it uses, with any spare energy going back into the grid. Four solar panels provide the school’s hot water, and photovoltaric panels installed on the roof of one block and the gymnasium produce the school’s electricity.

“Light sensors in the ceilings are part of the whole eco focus, too, with the lights automatically turning down when the room is sunny.

Temperature sensors ensure that only areas needing to are being heated,” Mr Hornblow says.

Pegasus Bay School is built to the New Zealand Green Building Council’s Green Star Education 5-Star Standard, which is now the Ministry’s policy for all new schools.

With its five-star energy-saving construction Pegasus Bay School is a model for other schools being built around the country. By producing 110,000kW/h of electricity a year, the school will use approximately 75 per cent less energy than a non-five star school and save about $15,400 a year.

A touch-screen TV in the school foyer enables students and staff from each learning community to check how much power is being produced and how much each one is using.

Another innovative concept Mr Hornblow has introduced at Pegasus Bay School is the place-based curriculum.

The school is in a stunning and culturally significant part of

New Zealand, he says, and with the historic Kaiapoi Pa a kilometre away, as well as so many significant natural features nearby, the local environment becomes an integral aspect of the students’ learning.

“As the children move through each learning community they learn and experience making a difference in our local environment, for example, growing salmon to replenish the Ashley River.

“One of the biggest challenges for this generation,” Mr Hornblow says, “is to survive this century. People say we need to leave a better planet for our children. At Pegasus Bay we say we need to leave better, more informed children for our planet. With our place-based learning there is the notion of kaitiaki, or guardianship of the Pegasus Bay area. It’s using the local environment for their learning in a meaningful way.”

Stage Two of the construction project at Pegasus Bay School will provide a further three learning communities for an additional 180 students. Future plans include a scooter track, a community garden, new playground, bouldering wall; a golf academy and surfing academy are also planned.

Weekly tours are currently being run for all those interested in seeing the new school’s facilities and how MLE operates.

“

There are three teachers and teacher aides to about 75 students and it works outstandingly well. It’s a collaborative environment that makes the best use of the different teachers’ skills and passions.

By Christine de Felice, Staff Reporter Photography: David Baird

Schneider Electric is proud to support and have provided energy management services to Pegasus Bay School www.schneider-electric.com

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Stanmore Bay School

profiles

Students drive sustainability at Stanmore Bay School

S

tanmore Bay School on the Hibiscus Coast north of Auckland is a primary school with a current roll of 482, ranging from new entrants to year 6.

The school was established in 1979 to cater for the growing population in the area, and five years ago it became an Enviroschool.

Teacher Robyn Bennett says the school was already part of the Travelwise initiative, which encourages sustainable transport to and from school, and as an extension of that, the decision was made to place greater emphasis on environmental sustainability.

“We are a Gold Travelwise school, and this concept goes hand in hand with the Enviroschool ethos, Miss Bennett says.

In becoming an Enviroschool, Stanmore Bay would foster environmental awareness among the pupils, with its Enviro Group becoming the major focus of environmental-based activities, she says.

Students standing around the vertical garden, known as the Pet Wall.

how food is grown and how to care for plants, is the lunchtime garden club. Teacher aide/gardener Linda Westbrooke runs the club and all students are welcome to get their hands dirty in the vegetable and flower gardens and learn valuable skills as they go.

“That’s the way we wanted to go – we wanted the children to have more respect for the environment and to have the environmental practices they undertake at school become even more entrenched in their everyday lives. If we instill good practices in them now, they will carry those through as they grow up.”

Teachers Linda McPhail and Nicola Dunphy oversee the Enviroschool programme at Stanmore Bay School, and are fully committed to it. The Enviro group has representatives or Nature Nurturers in all of the school’s 22 classes and these students also take their role very seriously, Miss Bennett says.

The school has received a grant to purchase fruit trees and an orchard is now being established.

The brown milk cartons from the Milk in Schools programme, which Stanmore Bay is part of, are recycled and were used as a weed mat for the orchard before the Enviro Group members laid the mulch.

Students preparing and planting the garden.

“The representatives don’t apply for the role. They are nominated by their teachers, who choose students they see as being passionate and willing to take on the task with enthusiasm and commitment. That works quite well. Every class has a ‘future greenie’ who wants to save the world.”

week to discuss their activities and plan and implement new ones. They also report to their class about what they are doing, provide information on the Enviroschools programme, and encourage their classmates to play their part in caring for the environment.

While the teachers act as facilitators, the initiative is very much student-driven, Miss Bennett says.

The Nature Nurturers meet once a

From the beginning, one of the main activities has been recycling waste food and creating compost.

However, this process is now being

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managed more effectively with the recent installation of a purpose-built worm shed. Year 3 and 4 students distribute and collect the classroom bins of waste each day. To make sure the worms can do their job effectively, these students produced colourful posters for each classroom, showing what is good and what isn’t good for the worms.

Another related activity, which is helping the students get to know

“By being involved in creating the orchard the students are more likely to care for it,” Miss Bennett says. “In the future, as the trees mature, we hope students will be able to pick and eat the fruit grown there.”

One of the main focuses for this year has been waste reduction at the school. Students are encouraged to take any packets or other paper waste home, rather than filling up the bins at school. Aligned to this is paper recycling, which is done weekly.

Stanmore Bay School

profiles

Linda McPhail and a group of students hard at work in the garden.

To reduce the amount of paper used, students and staff are encouraged to use both sides of the paper before it goes into the recycling bin. Students collect the paper recycling bins and empty them into a bin provided by the local council.

“Room 15, a year 6 class, wrote a play about it and presented it in assembly to remind everyone that it’s not right to dump rubbish like that.

There is also a competition being run by two students to design a sign to be placed at the school gate to tell people to stop dumping rubbish next to the clothing bin. This is one of the best examples of a student-driven initiative that I have seen.”

Saving energy is seen as an important aspect of being an Enviroschool, and to this end solar panels have been installed on top of one of the classrooms. These help heat the swimming pool, reducing the school’s energy costs, while students and staff are also encouraged to switch off electrical devices that are not being used.

In a past project to raise environmental awareness at the school, students painted sea creatures on the school’s drains to remind everyone that whatever goes down the drain goes out to sea. Every class visited these and the students learnt why it is important to know what happens to the rubbish that goes down the drain.

Perhaps the most innovative recycling project at the school was initiated last year, and is quite possibly the first of its kind at any New Zealand school, Miss Bennett says. It is the PETS Green Wall, a four-metre by two-metre concrete wall that has been transformed into a vertical hydroponic garden where both native and exotic species, including epiphytes and edible plants, grow and flourish.

To create this living wall, students and teachers collected plastic bottles to be used as planters. Six hundred bottles were collected, and then over two days, students, family and community members attached 460 of them to wire frames to form the

Miss Bennett and her colleagues at Stanmore Bay School are thrilled with how the students have got behind the Enviroschool initiatives over the last five years, and want to build on it.

The students researched and chose the plants. The garden requires very little water as mostly succulents and hardy plants have been used. They also painted the box and lay paper under the soil.

“

The wall has become a talking point with everyone. Many feel that a project like this is a great way to combine sustainable technology with an environmentally sound ethos.

structure, which was then fastened to the wall. The main sponsors of the project, Natural Habitats, were part of it from the start, and installed an irrigation system to keep the plants alive.

All those involved see vertical gardens as an answer to the everincreasing spread of urbanisation, providing essential ecosystems in the landscape without taking up too much room, Miss Bennett says.

“The wall has become a talking point with everyone. Many feel that a project like this is a great way to combine sustainable technology with

an environmentally sound ethos.”

For school principal Carol Abley, the PETS Green Wall is another way the school has added to its plan to “fully embrace a sustainable future”.

“To turn so many bottles into a garden feature is amazing,” she says.

Over recent weeks, the presence of a clothing bin located outside the school gates has turned the students’ attention to the problem of dumping.

“People think that because the clothing bin is there they can dump rubbish beside it, which is creating an eyesore,” Miss Bennett says.

“We’re not quite there yet. It is an ongoing project,” she says.

“We see teachers and students as having an equal responsibility to develop an Enviroschool that we have pride in, and have hope for our future.

While we have been implementing many aspects of the Enviroschool ethos into our school, we are now exploring the option of using a total, whole-school concept curriculum with a strong focus on sustainability for 2015.

“What this would mean is that every student at our school would be learning simultaneously, and deepening their understanding of what sustainability is and what their responsibilities are to ensure and maintain this idea for life.

“This would empower them to make informed decisions that will impact positively on their future. Our hope is that the children will continue to transfer this knowledge back to their homes and community.

“As our school motto says, ‘The sky’s the limit’.”

By Christine de Felice, Staff Reporter

Term 3 - 2014

school news

23

Fundraising

admin & management

Fundraising a necessity for most schools

R

aising extra funds for activities, trips, sports equipment and other things that will enhance the overall education experience for students is an ongoing issue for most schools around New Zealand.

Even major building projects can require a concerted fundraising effort from school supporters.

Parents and teachers are constantly needing to come up with different ideas to bring in extra funding. These include raffles, school fairs, on-selling consumer items such as chocolate and biscuits, mid-winter dinners, quiz nights and school discos.

Service organisations will often get behind their local school and run activities such as selling compost or Christmas trees to boost the school’s coffers.

There are also a number of companies specialising in fundraising, and using these can be a way of reducing the workload for busy parents, teachers and board members.

The Village Press The Village Press started its fundraiser project three years ago as they saw the need for a healthy food option offer rather than the standard sweet range of product, director Maureen Startup says.

“Since we have started we have helped a large number of schools and charities with distribution in excess of $150,000 given out in sponsorship monies.”

The fundraiser package has no minimum orders, no upfront costs and no freight costs.

The Village Press has recently teamed up with Student Horizons, which is a leader in overseas educational travel providing schools with world-class sports tours, educational trips and volunteering expeditions to developing countries.

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school news

Term 3 - 2014

admin & management Fundraising

thevillagepress.co.nz

Olive Oil Fundraiser Offer The Village Press fundraisers are the perfect solution to an often daunting task. We offer you a fantastic range of The Village Press olive oils at very competitive prices for your fundraising group to sell to friends, family and the wider community.

For every unit of olive oil sold we guarantee you a return of $4.00 (incl GST) per unit sold to go towards your fundraising project.* Our Direct Sales team will be in contact with you every step of the way to ensure that your fundraiser is a great success and to make the process as easy and as hassle free as possible.

You are guaranteed $ per unit sold in sponsorship funds a fantastic return!

Glow sticks create an atmosphere of fun and excitement with the sales helping to raise funds.

4.00

Benefits to you…

Student Horizons’ partnership with the Village Press gives schools the opportunity to invite Brett McGregor (New Zealand's first Masterchef ) to schools to assist with a fundraising function.

things very simple and risk free.

Mish

•

Request a free sample and information pack.

•

Place your order, with the company’s guidance if needed and pay nothing upfront.

“We have all your glowing needs for a school disco, gala, camp or movie night. Plus we now do blowup toys for school fairs and carnivals.

•

Sell all you can on the night and send back what you don’t sell.

Then you only pay for what you sold.

“We know teachers and PTA members have a lot on their plates already, that’s why we like to make

“So if you haven’t heard about us already try the Mish experience today.”

The team at mish.co.nz are all about colour and fun, director Graeme Le Roux says.

” There are three easy steps to getting Mish involved with your school’s fundraising, Mr Le Roux says.

• • • • •

There are no upfront costs.

There are no products to return.

There is no minimum quantity to sell. Just sell as much as you can!

We guarantee prompt, dependable service and delivery.

We offer you an internationally acclaimed and well known product.

These are:

GLOWSTICKS TO FUNDRAISE

Fundraising Products for Schools & Community Groups • Glow Sticks • Flashing Toys • Glow in the dark • UV Lights & Paints • Disco Decor incl Balloon Lights • Solar Lights & LED Battery Lights • Blow Up Toys for School Fairs

0800 456784

smiles@mish.co.nz | www.mish.co.nz

Here’s how it works…

• You provide us with your fundraising details & we provide you with a hard to resist offer!

• We supply you with a personalised order form & information sheet on the olive oil along with a tally/summary sheet to make keeping track of the sales a breeze.

• It’s then time for your fundraising group to hit the streets and make some sales!

• On completion of the fundraiser you send us the orders and payment and we will dispatch the olive oil and send you your sponsorship money.

It couldn’t be easier!

For further information or enquiries please contact directsales@thevillagepress.co.nz or 021 376 398

Brett McGregor teams up with The Village Press Brett McGregor, NZ Masterchef winner and ex Deputy Principal is passionate about the health of our youth. Teaming up with Village Press Olive oil they plan to rid our schools of the sweet and sickly fund raisers of the past and give them an opportunity to fundraise for their sports clubs and organisations - A completely healthy alternative with massive earning potential for any event etc you may need to raise money for. Whether you are heading overseas for sport or a special event this is one great way to get a head start on your competition.

Term 3 - 2014

school news

25

Case Study – Kristin School

teaching resources

New multimedia centre inspires creativity

A

lready renowned for its innovative use of digital technology in the classroom, Kristin School in Albany on Auckland’s North Shore is unlocking the creative potential of its students by providing flexible learning spaces, fully equipped with the tools and resources to support active engagement and inquiry.

The school’s newest facility, the Canon Cloud Suite, which was opened in June, is a dynamic learning space designed to provide students with the tools, space and inspiration to explore the world of video production and multimedia, and it is set to become the hub of creative technologies at Kristin.

It features a nine-metre green screen and professionalgrade film, sound and lighting equipment. More importantly, the facility provides students with the opportunity to explore the almost limitless realm of creative technologies.

The Canon Cloud Suite works alongside Kristin’s school-wide digital learning programme, which enables students from kindergarten through to year 13 to utilise digital devices in all areas of the curriculum, with students from year 4 taking responsibility for their own personal device. A myriad of software and apps allow students to explore and express their learning in a way suited to their individual learning style and objectives, resulting in students who are actively engaged and inspired learners.

Speaking at the opening, former executive principal Peter Clague described the Canon Cloud Suite as “an exciting addition” to the creative facilities at Kristin.

“We have a great number of students who utilise multimedia and creative technology in their learning.

To provide such a facility will enable these students to further develop their skills and ideas, preparing them for a world driven by creative ideas

and innovation,” Mr Clague said.

The flexibility of the new facility means that student creations are no longer limited by the technical tools at their disposal; instead they are able to realise their vision effectively and to a very high standard.

As Kristin’s head of eLearning Innovation Barry Baughan says, “If you can imagine it, you can make it at Kristin.”

Students collaborate to share their message and publish their learning.

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The development of the new multimedia centre was a priority for the school and was more than a year in the making, while the education-focused relationship with a business partner is a bonus, Mr Baughan says.

“The partnership with Canon has brought great value to the project, but it goes well beyond a simple  28 supply agreement.

BAYVIEW SCHOOL’S SMART MOVE “I very quickly recognised the power behind using interactive technology as a motivator and behaviour enabler.”

Canon solutions have made Bayview School an education leader, which has led to big improvements in students’ learning and academic results.

Principal Diane Raynes says Bayview students’ impressive development and higher achievement comes down to the introduction of Canon SMART Boards.

SMART Boards bring together the simplicity of a whiteboard with the interactive power of a computer, making them a valuable tool for both teachers and students.

“Over the last five years our student achievement outcomes have significantly improved and I can confidently put this down to the use of Canon technology. Student literacy results especially have jumped since installing our SMART Boards, which has been a fantastic result.” she says.

Canon has a strong relationship with Bayview Primary, not only providing effective solutions for the schools printing and photocopying needs, but also supplying further tools, such as digital cameras for every classroom. When it came time to find a SMART teaching solution, Canon was the natural choice.

From printing, copying, connecting, educating and sharing, Canon’s product range has a solution for your school environment.

To find out how Canon can help your school, please call 0800 222 666 or visit canon.co.nz

Case Study – Kristin School

teaching resources

Year 8 students enter into the post-production phase of their project.

 26 "Thanks to Canon, our students will be using professional-grade equipment of a type that we have never had access to before, and they will also be engaging with industry specialists in both photography and video. They will benefit from extensive technical support, exposure to the latest products and trends, and the opportunity to participate in industry-related events.”

Prior to the launch of the new facility, a team of experts from all divisions at Canon visited Kristin to help assess the school’s requirements.

Based on this assessment, Canon provided the latest versions of four professional-grade cameras for the Cloud Suite – two C100 cinema cameras and two XF205 video cameras, as well as several accessories.

Since it was opened in June, the Canon Cloud Suite has played host to students from across the school, from middle and senior school film clubs and media studies classes, to junior school stop-motion animation workshops.

“Students are already active, engaged and empowered by the

opportunities offered in this new learning environment,” Mr Baughan says.

General manager of Canon NZ Craig Williams says he feels very privileged to be partnered with Kristin.

“The facilities that Kristin provides through these new technologies, the outputs and the learning environment they create for the students, are quite spectacular. What really appealed to us at Canon was [Kristin’s] focus on innovation. This focus on forward thinking has very strong parallels to what exists within Canon.”

Canon’s national manager - large enterprise and government, Craig Gregory says, “We are looking at helping the students get the best out of Canon in what they produce.”

Professional-grade equipment from Canon means students are no longer limited by the technical tools at their disposal.

Westpac is proud to support and provide banking services to Kristin School.

Westpac New Zealand Limited.

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school news

Term 3 - 2014

Students filming school sports activities both at the campus and at other venues and transmitting that back to the school for uploading to the school’s website so families can watch their children in action is just one example of how the equipment

can be used, Mr Gregory says.

"We will be working with Kristin on an ongoing basis, offering them our extensive product and service range to enhance the experience of the students and staff alike,” Mr Gregory says.

“We currently supply the school with wide-format printers, which means students can print on surfaces such as canvas. Canon is looking into the school’s document management systems to provide efficiencies in the school offices and there is always opportunities to display the students’ work on our Canon projectors.

The Canon Cloud Suite is just the beginning of where we can add value.”

The Canon Cloud Suite was opened on June 18 by New Zealand actor Karl Urban, who played roles in Lord of the Rings and Star Trek. Mr Urban urged the students to take a cue from world-renowned film directors Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams, both of whom began their careers as teenagers making short films.

teaching resources Case Study – Kristin School

Photography competition Students from Kristin School, along with students from schools right across New Zealand, who are studying photography, are invited to enter the 2014 Canon EYECON competition.

Now in its sixth year, the competition gives photography students and assistants at secondary and tertiary level, the chance to win a valuable prize pack and the opportunity to be mentored by the competition’s judges, who are all leading professional photographers.

By entering EYECON, students can showcase their talent, have their work looked at by professionals, and test themselves against their peers.

The competition is divided into three categories. Photography: Tertiary students and assistant photographers currently studying photography; Photography: Year 12 and 13 high school students currently studying photography; Film: Tertiary students and assistant filmmakers currently studying film.

The Canon Cloud Suite works alongside Kristin’s school-wide digital learning programme, which enables students from kindergarten through to year 13 to utilise digital devices in all areas of the curriculum.

Designer School and Corporate Wear We were delighted Kristin School chose Barbara Lee to design and supply their school uniform.

Creating and maintaining a uniform that respects the history and traditions of each school that modern young students will be proud to wear is a challenge, a pleasure and a privilege.

Telephone: 03 3665979 barbara@barbaralee.co.nz

www.barbaralee.co.nz

Term 3 - 2014

school news

29

Book Reviews

teaching resources

New books on the block Singing Home the Whale

story by an award-winning writer for young adults.

Punctuation Mark

Singing Home the Whale will appeal to all readers of high-quality New Zealand fiction.

This is the first book in a new series that tracks each year in World War One, from 1914 to 1918, each focusing on different aspects of war.

Marmaduke Duck on the Wide Blue Seas

Belinda Ellis Scholastic. For ages 5-10 years

Mandy Hager Penguin Random House For young adults To be released September 5, 2014 This extraordinary story, from an award-winning New Zealand author, tells of how the arrival of a baby orca threatens to tear apart a small fishing community and forever changes the life of the boy who first finds it.

Will Jackson is hiding out, a city boy reluctantly staying with his uncle in small town New Zealand, while he struggles to recover from a brutal attack and the aftermath of a humiliating YouTube clip gone viral.

Mark reads at high speed. He pauses at a comma, star-jumps at an asterisk and leaps at an exclamation mark!

Juliette MacIver & Sarah Davis Scholastic. For ages 3-7 years When Marmaduke Duck trades sweet-shop life for adventure on the wide blue seas, he gets more than he bargained for!

Designed to enthuse children and adults about the delights and nuances of language, Punctuation Mark is a companion title to Ellis's Back-to-Front Bob.

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school news

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For fans of The Drover’s Quest and Brave Bess and the ANZAC Horses, 1914: Riding Into War is an actionpacked celebration of camaraderie and horsemanship.

Fifteen Bones

The third book in the Marmaduke Duck series delivers a delightful dose of rollicking rhyme and ship-shape shenanigans.

I Am Not a Worm!

Rebecca Morgan Scholastic UK. For young adults

The boy and whale develop a unique bond, forged by Will’s love of singing. With echoes of the classic book and film, Whalerider, this powerful connection is utterly convincing on the page.

These qualities, along with its lyrical use of language and its compelling and persuasive exploration of many global concerns, makes this a beautifully touching, rich and multi-layered

Each book in the series is written by a top New Zealand author, with threads that link the stories together; however each book can stand alone.

1914: Riding into War

After he discovers a young abandoned orca his life is further thrown into chaos when he tries to protect itagainst hostile, threatening locals.

An exciting plot-driven story full of drama, tension and romance, this magical book captures both heart and mind to hold the reader enthralled from start to finish.

before they finally get shipped out – without their horses – to fight at Gallipoli. And there they discover that war isn’t the fun adventure they thought it would be.

Jake is not a bad person – he used to have ‘potential’.

Susan Brocker Scholastic. For ages 12+ Scott Tulloch Scholastic. For ages 3-7 years “Hello, little worm.” “I am not a worm.”

“Are you sure?” “Yep.” And indeed, he’s right – he’s not a worm. So what is he? And is it a good thing to be?

Scott Tulloch has created a hilarious dialogue between an unlikely pair, culminating in a dramatic twist at the end.

Young Billy Bowman and his mate Jack get caught up in the excitement when war is declared in August 1914 and they leave their jobs on the farm to rush off and enlist in the Mounted Rifles – because the war would ‘probably be over by Christmas’.

We follow their journey from the Awapuni training camp, to more training in the sands of Egypt,

But now he’s been expelled from five schools and only Cattle Rise, a tough inner-city school, will take him.

Here, survival means keeping his head down and that’s not something Jake’s very good at.

Then he meets Robin, a girl with problems that are bigger and more serious than Jake can even imagine.

Helping Robin means entering a dangerous, violent world. It also might mean remembering why life is worth a second chance.

food & beverage Healthy Eating

Healthy school lunches foster good eating habits for life

Eating healthy lunches at school helps young people develop good food habits for life.

O

ver recent months, concerns have been increasingly raised about the foods New Zealand children are eating. Questions are being asked by experts in the field about whether children are getting too much of the unhealthy variety and not enough of the highnutrition foods they need both to grow and develop, and to enjoy good health in adulthood.

In addition to inadequate nutrition, it is recognised that lack of exercise is also creating health issues for our young people. According to Ministry of Health statistics (2011/12) one in 10 children is obese, with the obesity rate for children aged five to 14 being stable between 2002 (nine per cent) and 2006/7 (eight per cent) but increasing to 11 per cent in 2011/12.

Those same statistics showed that one in five children had drunk fizzy drink three or more times in the previous week, that children who are obese in childhood are more likely to be obese in adulthood and overweight and obesity are major risk factors for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and common cancers.

The Ministry of Health chief advisor on child and youth health Dr

Pat Tuohy has recently highlighted the issue.

“A concerning finding from recent research was that many children are eating treat foods most days. These are empty calories, which fill children up but don’t nourish them.”

Mr Tuohy’s comments were made in conjunction with the Ministry’s release of a new handbook in early August. The new Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Children and Young People (Aged 2-18 years) provides evidence-based recommendations about food, nutrition and physical activity for this age group.

“These guidelines provide advice about how to improve children’s nutrition and keep them healthy, which includes keeping high fat, sugar or salt food for occasional use only,” Dr Tuohy said.

The New Zealand Heart Foundation notes that childhood is a time when lifelong eating habits are being formed. It sees schools as playing an important role in creating a culture of healthy eating and in helping children to develop the healthy food behaviours that will support them to grow into healthy adults.  32

“We are extremely happy with the Lunchonline service because it is efficient, streamlined, very well organised, offers a fantastic menu and most importantly the children love it.”

David O’Neill, Principal, St Mary’s School

Term 3 - 2014

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31

Healthy Eating

food & beverage

The food industry is being encouraged to provide healthy choice for children’s lunches.

 31 The Heart Foundation’s strong focus on healthier foods for young people is promoted in schools and early childhood education services through its Fuelled4life initiative.

Currently 1411 schools and 1939 early childhood education services are signed up to Fuelled4life. This free tool is based on the Ministry of Health’s Food and Beverage Classification System (FBCS). It aims to increase young people’s access to healthier food and beverages, to inspire food services to provide tasty, nutritious

32

products and to encourage the food industry to produce and supply healthier foods and beverages young people will want to consume.

Products registered with Fuelled4life are classified into ‘everyday’ or ‘sometimes’ according to the FBCS nutrient criteria and are listed in the Buyers’ Guide, which schools receive when they register for Fuelled4life.

The FBCS nutrient criteria is based on levels of energy, fat, salt, sugar and fibre.

David Chapman, operator of the website-based lunch ordering service Lunchonline, also sees obesity as a “huge issue” for New Zealand, but says if children are given healthy food at home, as well as at lunchtime, they at least have a good chance of avoiding the problem. He says his online ordering service is about taking the hassle out of organising children’s lunches for busy parents, and also providing good-value, everyday meals.

When considering what “everyday” meant – was it fish and chips and pizza – and what food providers

should be involved in the service, Mr Chapman spoke to a nutritionist colleague.

“What she said was that food is a holistic issue, and eating does not need to be totally focused on healthy food items. If most things children are eating fit into the range of a healthy lifestyle, one pie a week is not an issue. ”However, as the nutritionist also pointed out, if children were not active, and not eating well at home (breakfast and dinner) then lunch food has little impact.

So what was the solution for Lunchonline?

“We decided it was to provide a good cross-section of foods and leave it to the parents or other decision makers to decide what the children would have,” Mr Chapman says.

“After being in business two years we sent out over 5000 questionnaires to parents and got around 38-42 per cent response. We were thinking of introducing the traffic light system for classifying the foods we offered, and the response was scathing, with parents saying they knew what was healthy and did not require any assistance when selecting lunch items.

Fresh fruit and vegetables play a key role in helping children avoid obesity.

school news

Term 3 - 2014

“So our philosophy now when bringing new providers and new schools on board is that schools are offered a good range of products, with many items having been reviewed by the Heart Foundation for its Fuelled4life initiative.

Healthy Eating

food & beverage

“Some schools were like the ‘food police’ and were taking out items like muffins etc. We spoke to the schools and they saw different ways they could identify foods that were not for everyday, like pies. And we put the responsibility for making the choices back to the parents.”

Products are kept on the menu according to demand and if they are not being sold they are removed.

Sushi, for example, is there because it is very popular, especially in primary schools, Mr Chapman says.

“We sell very few whole apples and bananas, but if the fruit is cut up it sells well. It’s about presentation.”

Gluten-free has now become a more prevalent issue and a number of providers offer gluten-free products, as well as nut-free and dairy-free, he says.

“It comes back to having a good range so parents can choose.”

Sanitarium has identified another solution for providing healthy options when it comes to food choices for children – with its UP&GO Vending Partner Programme where Sanitarium supplies vending machines in schools allowing students to get UP&GO when required. UP&GO is a liquid breakfast option that is hydrating and nutritious, containing 10 essential vitamins and minerals, while being 98.5 per cent fat fee.

The first vending machines were rolled out in the North Island in early August 2013, and from the beginning of 2014 they have been distributed into Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Next year they will go into Dunedin and Invercargill.

Sanitarium’s national key account manager – vending, Fitu Ah-Young, says Up&Go is being very well received by school children.

“The good thing about it is that

Many primary school students choose sushi for lunch on a regular basis.

as healthy options like this become available, it influences the choices of other foods. Hydration and nutrition are a very important part of making healthy choices and as users grasp the reasons behind the need for eating well, they are more likely to make informed choices at other times.”

Mr Ah-Young says Up&Go has

three important benefits for schools, viz. that it is nutritious and convenient, it is easy for children to access and that with the partnership programme, a portion of the payment for every unit sold goes back to the school – a valuable fundraising option.

By Christine de Felice, Staff Reporter

Term 3 - 2014

school news

33

food & beverage Supplier Profile | Up&Go Vending Partnership Programme

Head to an Up&Go Zone at St Peter’s Cambridge – Recharge and Fuel Up! MANY SCHOOLS are taking action, supporting healthy lifestyle choices, by partnering with Sanitarium and the ‘Up&Go Vending Partnership Programme’.

By asking the question, ‘Is there a way to incorporate more affordable and healthy food in schools? Schools definitely try to provide lunches that are nutritious for their students!

Schools have an opportunity to help by offering healthier food choices at breakfast, recess and during the lunch hour. Studies have shown that when students eat healthier foods, such as, a nutritious breakfast and drink more water their behaviour improves and learning is increased. Does the offering of healthy foods in school truly impact on students? Yes! Foods that are high in sugar and fat tend to make anyone feel sluggish and sleepy. Students who eat these sugar and fat laden foods are likely to zone out during their classes.

‘Within your students brain, a biochemical process of learning is occurring that parallels the classroom experience. Making connections, finding meaning, and solving problems are learning tasks that require lightningfast electrical impulses between areas of the brain. Formation of memory requires physical growth and reshaping of networks in the brain cells.. That wonderful experience – when the lights go on and your students says ‘I get it’ is a neurochemical process as well as an academic one. By nourishing the brain with healthy food and water, you will optimise the internal environment, enabling students to truly engage in the classroom environment and achieve their potential.’

- Philippa Norman MD, MPH

34

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Having the St Peter’s Cambridge Up&Go Incentive in place allows our students to achieve wellness whilst developing to their full potential in Body, Mind and Spirit.

We are proud of one of our very own Up&Go Champion Schools – St Peter’s Cambridge. The school philosophy of ‘Body, Mind and Spirit’, underpins a holistic approach to the education of students. The school’s special Anglican character is promoted by all staff and students. A major school goal is to create a highly effective learning environment that prepares students for living, learning, leading and serving in a global world.

Jess Sloan, is incredibly busy, but has championed Up&Go with the

support of the Principal and Senior Management team. During the day, she covers as, PE & Health Teacher & Head of Health, Gwynnelands House Director. Jess, who has been supportive of the Up&Go Vending Partnership Programme from day one, said, ‘….One of St Peter’s Cambridge 2014 goals is to ‘develop wellness’.

This tied in nicely, with the Up&Go Vending Partnership Programme, offered to us from Sanitarium. Due to a percentage of each unit of Up&Go given back to the School, we wanted this given back to our students. The St Peter’s Cambridge Up&Go Incentive was created which assists students with maintaining wellness and balance to ensure that they continue to ‘Up&Go’, ultimately empowering students to become great people whilst on the go…’ Jess, with the support of the school implemented an innovative way to gain buy -in, saying, ‘…A range of students applied, from year 7-13, male / female, day and boarders…’ A panel selected five recipients and these ranged from a

student who, ‘…wanted to continue taking piano lessons as it challenges her and teachers with her music and helps with being well rounded…’, another example, a student, ‘…who takes a range of academic subjects, also public speaking and is heavily involved in extracurricular activities.

He required assistance to partake in an exciting athletics tour to the United States in 2015 as he is a top athlete.

Having the St Peter’s Cambridge Up&Go Incentive in place allows our students to achieve wellness whilst developing to their full potential in Body, Mind and Spirit.

The Sanitarium Up&Go Vending Partnership Programme is committed to assisting schools and students make healthy lifestyle choices when they are on the go!

We believe the best place to start is within schools and believe the right time to it is NOW! Up&Go is a great choice for busy, active students!

UP&GO Breakfast in Schools Partnership Vending Programme:

No risks.

No costs.

Just partnership rebates.

Making a difference for our children, Making a difference for our schools and paying dividends for life.

For more information please contact: Fitu Ah-Young

National Key Account Manager - Schools Vending

021 864 836 fitu.ahyoung@sanitarium.co.nz

www.UPANDGOVENDING.co.nz

Out of School Care

external learning

Plenty on offer outside school hours

36

R

eliable and safe out-of-school and holiday care has become increasingly important for today’s busy families. Parents who need to have their children taken care of while they are at work want to have confidence in the professionalism of the providers, and they also look for programmes that stimulate, encourage and entertain their children.

Bizzy Bodz Bizzy Bodz Ltd prides itself on offering quality before and after-school care and holiday programmes in a fun, safe, caring and organised environment in several schools in the greater Auckland area. Bizzy Bodz is not a franchise but is proudly run by Jo Adamson and what she calls her “lovely team”.

“We run all the programmes ourselves and have a real hands-on, day-to-day involvement with the business.”

All staff members are carefully selected, are police checked and hold a current First Aid certificate.

“We’re approved by Child, Youth and Family, which means we must operate to pretty strict standards. This also gives parents the opportunity to access the WINZ OSCAR subsidy should they require it.”

While Bizzy Bodz is based in Auckland, Mrs Adamson is actively looking to provide programmes in other areas as well.

“We’re experienced, we’re flexible, and we are keen to look at new opportunities in other centres. We have really good office operation and electronic systems, so

“ school news

Term 3 - 2014

it’s definitely achievable.”

Bizzy Bodz currently runs eight after-school care programmes and seven holiday programmes.

“Most of our venues operate both before and after-school care and holiday programmes,” Mrs Adamson says.

“We have a couple of standalone holiday programmes. And likewise in the after-care, we have a couple of programmes where we don’t run holiday programmes during the break. We are looking to expand the business and take on more programmes – either before and after care only, holiday programmes only or both together – we are keen to look at all scenarios.

“There might be schools out there that either don’t have a provider at present and are looking to start something, or are looking to change their provider. I’m happy to answer any of their questions and put a proposal to them.

“All of our programmes can be tailored to each school, so the principals might like to be involved or not want to be involved at all.

We’re pretty flexible in that regard and are really happy to work with each school. We have been operating for nine years and have a wide range of experience in many different types of schools.

“The programmes are an important part of the school community, particularly for working families, and we value the subtle but important role the programmes play in the lives of the children in our care. Communication with families, via parents and feedback from the children, is vital in ensuring the

All of our programmes can be tailored to each school, so the principals might like to be involved or not want to be involved at all. We’re pretty flexible in that regard and are really happy to work with each school.

external learning Out of School Care

quality of all programmes remains high.”

She says after-school care is structured, with children being provided a nutritious afternoon tea, free time, supervised homework time and access to quality, organised activities such as art and craft, games, baking and sports.

Holiday programmes include outings twice a week from each venue to places such as the movies, swimming, ice-skating, rollerskating, beaches, as well as specialist entertainment venues such as Rainbows End.

4FUN West Auckland’s 4FUN provides before and after school and holiday programmes for between 150 and 220 children a day, servicing the area from Taupaki to Glen Eden, across to the Te Atatu Peninsula and all schools in between.

After conducting extensive research, director Tasha Jeffries opened 4FUN at the Trusts Stadium in Waitakere in August 2009, with the aim of providing what she believed the community wanted.

“We are open from 6.45am to 6.15pm and we offer pick-up and drop-off services in our own vans to cater for busy families. It gives parents the benefits of flexibility,” Ms Jeffries says.

0508 4FUN2U

“What the market research told us was that providers rarely – if ever – actually meet the community’s needs – hence our later hours, the pick-up and drop-off service and our  38 flexibility.”

www.4fun.co.nz

Become a Bizzy Bodz School!

We provide quality Holiday Programmes and Before and After School Care Programmes DOES YOUR CURRENT OUT OF SCHOOL CARE PROVIDER: ■ Have CYF, OSCAR and WINZ approval?

■ Have passionate, industry-trained & police checked staff?

■ Have structured and supervised homework time?

■ Offer nutritious and interesting afternoon tea every day?

■ Have themed activity weeks?

■ Have an awesome Art and Craft programme?

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■ Offer awesome and exciting holiday programmes?

Bizzy Bodz does all of the above and more!!!

If you are interested in finding out more about the wonderful Bizzy Bodz programmes, please contact:

Jo Adamson 021 678 076 | jo@bizzybodz.co.nz All enquiries and new locations welcomed!

Term 3 - 2014

school news

37

Out of School Care

external learning

“

From one phone call we can collect sick children from school, take them to the doctor, collect the script and have them tucked up in our sick bay for parents to retrieve.

 37 The pick-up and drop-off service means children that normally may not be able to, can get to their after-school activities, which enables families to increase family participation, Ms Jeffries says.

Sick children are no problem for 4FUN staff, either.

on-

“We understand the realities of daily life for parents, whether it be studying or working, so from one phone call we can collect sick children from school, take them to the doctor, collect the script and have them tucked up in our sick bay for parents to retrieve when they are ready to take them home.”

After outgrowing their space

at the Trusts Stadium within the first 12 months, 4FUN relocated to premises next door to Te Pai Park in Lincoln Road, Henderson, from where they have safe access to the park, playground, netball courts and the skatepark.

4FUN’s school holiday programmes include off-site trips almost every day.

M*A*S*H was founded in 2012 by a registered teacher with 10 years experience in the classroom and four young children.

There are now 7 M*A*S*H programmes throughout Canterbury offering before school, after school and school holiday programmes. * Condi�ons Apply

M*A*S*H programmes are professionally run, staff are well trained, police checked and have experience with children in a professional capacity. The children are the absolute priority!

38

school news

Term 3 - 2014

external learning Out of School Care

These can be to a local park or playground, further afield to places like Rainbow’s End, or to take in jetboating, roller skating or ice skating activities.

and in the local community, regular newsletters are sent out, while the Facebook page enables families to see what their children have been up to during their time at 4FUN.

“Ours are definitely not your everyday holiday programmes,” Ms Jeffries says.

“It’s our way of having an ‘open door’ policy for families who are not able to come in and see what’s going on.”

“During the school holidays families don’t need to pay for before and after-school care. They can just enrol their children on an hourly rate at times that suit them, whether this is just a two-hour break from being at home with their parents, or for those that start early and finish early.

“A lot of families enrol their relatives with us on a regular basis during the holidays. These people come from outside West Auckland and we are frequently asked if we have branches outside of West Auckland.”

To keep the families in touch with what’s happening at 4FUN

Ms Jeffries says 4FUN has agreements in place with several local schools stating they will only actively promote 4FUN, which indicates the valuable reputation the provider has within the local community.

4FUN is a CYF approved OSCAR provider and OSCAR subsidies are available from WINZ.

MASH The Christchurch-based My After School Headquarters, known as MASH, was set up by former school

teacher Craig Fortune and his wife Nicole in January 2012 when they couldn’t find a suitable after-school programme for their own children.

“We wanted at least some structure in an after-school programme and because we couldn’t find that we started our own programme in the ElmwoodMerivale Bowling Club premises,"

Mr Fortune says.

“We started with four or five children. At the time I was still teaching and I juggled running the programme with my commitments at school. By the end of the year we had 30 kids a day aged five to 13 and up to 50 a day in the school holidays.”

 40

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Term 3 - 2014

school news

39

Out of School Care

external learning

 39 The majority of the children attending the programme are from Elmwood Primary School and Heaton Intermediate but there is also a shuttle bus provided to collect children from surrounding schools.

Since that first programme, MASH has grown and there are now seven programmes being run across the city. In addition to ElmwoodMerivale (two programmes), they operate at Pegasus Bay School, Burnside Primary, Bromley School, Heathcote Valley School and Bamford School.

The children have a semistructured week at MASH, Mr Fortune says, and on any given day they start with afternoon tea and then do their homework with staff members sitting alongside them.

At about 4pm Monday to Thursday they have ‘gathering’ and discuss the planned activity for the day. Activities range from baking, which is very popular, art and craft, science experiments to fun physical activity which promotes MASH philosophy of healthy living. They also encourage external community groups to come and present to the children. Organisations such as the Fire Department, the Deaf Association, Kapa Haka groups and self defence organisations have

40

school news

Term 3 - 2014

visited the various programmes.

Friday is Chillax Day, acknowledging that by the end of the week the children are all tired and the programme is more relaxed leading into the weekend.

“In essence we did a lot of research about what we would offer, and we pride ourselves on the semi-structured aspect of our programmes,” Mr Fortune says.

“Nicole and I have four children and all the decisions we make about MASH are made as parents.

We have a young, vibrant team of staff who go through a lengthy recruitment process, which includes police checks. They must have

good social skills and they are expected to respect our brand and our philosophy and to be actively involved with the children.

“The big difference with MASH is the one-on-one with the children’s homework and also the structure, which the parents love.

“The kids have access to the weekly plan so they know what to expect and they respond well to this. Chaos can occur if there’s no structure or routine for children, so we provide an environment that combines structure, routine and supervised free play to reduce this”.

MASH also runs seven holiday programmes for five to 13-year-olds,

with a variety of sessions available to suit the community’s needs. The children are taken on outings, such as to the movies, the swimming pool, and Orana Park.

“In the last holidays we ran a MASH Kitchen Rules competition where the children had to cook a recipe from the ingredients provided. It was a real hit”.

Mr Fortune is looking to take the MASH brand into other communities and welcomes enquiries from any schools interested in finding out more.

By Brent Leslie & Christine de Felice, Staff Reporters

health & safety SunSmart

Free resources teach the SunSmart message

“

N

ew Zealand has some of the strongest levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the world compared with similar latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. Research has shown that excessive sun exposure - particularly in childhood and adolescence increases the risk of getting skin cancers, including melanoma.

Teaching our students SunSmart behaviours at school is an incredibly important way to lower the risk of skin cancer and promote an awareness they will carry forward into adulthood.

New teacher resources to download The Cancer Society has new curriculum-linked resources available for free download on their SunSmart Schools website: www. sunsmartschools.org.nz. There are four Unit plans for levels 1-4 of the New Zealand Curriculum. They have been written and designed by education professionals and can be

These resources are so well linked to the curriculum and cross so many strands they will be easy for our school to use.

downloaded as a unit for the whole term or individual lessons.

Every Unit Plan is curriculum linked, with a planning tool that shows the links between the curriculum, assessments, teaching and learning approaches, and key concepts. They cover many curriculum strands so they are easy to blend into your teaching plans: • • • • • •

Numeracy Literacy Health Science Technology Te Reo

The new SunSmart Schools resources: •

develop numeracy and literacy and provide opportunities to assess the National Standards

•

explain key science concepts and experiences about the sun, energy and protection.

•

support the principles of SunSmart and the New Zealand Curriculum

•

use different examples/contexts that are appropriate for different ethnic groups

•

use Te Reo Māori concepts and language

•

take an inquiry-based learning approach

•

help schools gain SunSmart School status

Paekakariki School on the Kapiti Coast is in the process of becoming accredited as a SunSmart School.

The head of the Junior School, Monique Streeter, is looking to the

new resources to teach the junior block why we need to be SunSmart, how we can be SunSmart, and how science can inform and underpin the SunSmart choices we make.

Becoming a SunSmart School Make a commitment to improving health and safety in your school by joining the free SunSmart Schools Accreditation Programme. If you would like more information, need help applying or want to view a sample school policy online please visit our website: www. sunsmartschools.org.nz.

You can also contact your local Cancer Society centre for help – they have health promoters that can come to your school and guide you through becoming a SunSmart school.

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

Term 3 - 2014

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Teacher Wellbeing

health & safety

Green shoots emerging of a wellbeing culture change

I

was delighted to receive so much positive feedback from my term two article and the challenge I posed for you to introduce a teacher wellbeing programme in your school.

I was contacted by numerous teachers and principals keen to learn more and to request a copy of the free teacher wellbeing resource that we have been using for three years at Sancta Maria College in Auckland. The resource can be seen at the following online version of School News. http://www. schoolnews.co.nz/images/pdf/2014Teacher-Wellbeing-Booklet.pdf.

The original document is in a format that can be easily customised to match the culture and ethos of your institution. I have been heartened that ‘The Good New Habits’ resource is now in more than 800 schools nationwide, whilst also being used in Australia, Cook Islands, Argentina, Canada, the United States and the UK. Such is

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“

By Ian Vickers, Assistant Principal, Sancta Maria College

In my own school, our teacher sickness rates reduced by 27 per cent in the first year of the wellbeing programme and our water consumption grew as queues developed at the chilled water tap.

the intense interest from principals and teachers in finding a way to start looking after the wellbeing of teachers, particularly when workplace wellness programmes are now standard in businesses and industry worldwide.

The days of employing a teacher and flogging them to burnout, maybe getting 10 years’ service, should now be well and truly over.

The 21st-century employment model is to add value to your workforce by looking after their wellbeing and guess what? The benefits of improved productivity, reduced sickness, a happy work environment, becoming an attractive prospect for future quality employees and loyalty, are all well documented outcomes.

Despite hours of communication to date, some of the leaders and executives in high-powered positions in our profession continue to procrastinate, and struggle to understand that a proactive and preventative approach with regards to teacher wellbeing would lead to a significant improvement in the teaching and learning for our young people. Discussions will continue and in the meantime, I am thrilled that we, the workers in the schools, are pushing on to look after our own wellbeing.

Over the last two and half years, whilst on this journey to kick start teacher wellbeing programmes in our schools, I have received over 6000 emails and had hundreds of face-to-face conversations with

teachers about their own wellbeing issues and concerns. There is a strong desire for action. I have read horror stories of huge workload issues, stress, burnout, bouts of major depression, high-quality seasoned professionals throwing in the towel for other careers, and unfortunately I have heard of a couple of suicides.

I have cried, shouted, become angry, laughed at the joys of successes of improved wellbeing and taken pride that some schools have totally changed their teacher wellbeing culture for the better.

The notes from older newcomers to teaching are very worrying, as they are all gobsmacked that there is a ‘nonexistent’ culture of workplace

Teacher Wellbeing

health & safety

wellbeing for the teachers whilst there are a considerable number of programmes and strategies for the wellbeing of students. One asked a few pertinent questions like: “Do we not matter?” “Where are the resources for teachers to survive in this profession?” In my own school, our teacher sickness rates reduced by 27 per cent in the first year of the wellbeing programme and our water consumption grew as queues developed at the chilled water tap.

Staff nutrition, weightwatchers and fitness groups sprouted as spinoffs, laughter returned to the staffroom and colleagues now feel more comfortable talking about their wellbeing.

The principal and BOT supported a request for funding to support an annual visit by a team of local nurses to provide health checks for all the staff. This year, we were pleased to introduce a subsidised weekly massage opportunity of 20-minute sessions for neck and shoulder massage, again for all the staff.

We have come a long way in just three years and the numbers of sick teachers last term, particularly in the last month of the term, was minimal and appeared to suggest that we are progressing nicely on our wellbeing journey. We are just getting started, with much more planned for the future. The nation’s

Wellbeing tips for term 3 Tip 1: Have a clean-up

winter weather as an excuse.

When was the last time you spent a little time emptying your desk drawers and classroom cupboards?

Throw out old clutter, boxes of papers, broken furniture, and perhaps your walls need to be freshened up. Talk to the principal about changing an afternoon staff meeting to a schoolwide tidy-up. Order a skip and have a clean-up. The next day, you will be invigorated to teach and work in a tidy workplace.

Start walking to work, arrange to have a run with a friend after work, visit the local pool for a swim and have some relaxation time in a spa. Visit your local gym or re-start your yoga or cycling adventures.

Make a start and you will feel great mentally!

Tip 2: Start exercising Do you keep telling everyone that you need to do more exercise?

Well don’t just talk about it, make a start this week. Don’t use the school principals also appear to understand the need for a proactive and preventative wellbeing approach in their schools and it is pleasing that so many have already taken action for themselves and their teachers.

Alas, I have met a handful of principals that do not believe in this concept and truly believe that there is no demand for such a programme in their schools.

Tip 3: Launch a teacher wellbeing programme Organise a small group of interested teachers to launch a teacher wellbeing programme.

Download the Good New Habits resource available online or feel free to contact me at i.vickers@ sanctamaria.school.nz for a copy.

They dismiss the results from three national principal surveys undertaken from the late 90s through to 2007 showing that principals nationwide are overworked, highly stressed and that burnout is a real possibility.

Thankfully these few principals are in the minority.

In this whole journey to date, the most disappointing comments came from two employees of the

Ministry of Health, who decided to vent their frustrations at me about our profession. Statements like: “What is wrong with your profession?” and “Business and industry gets it and look after their workers. In your profession, you just hang them out to dry!” Then another female colleague chipped in with “It’s 50-50. Fifty per cent chance that you are sick first week of your holiday or 50 per cent you get sick in the second week”. These people were delegates at a national workplace wellness conference at Te Papa, Wellington last November.

They had a point but seemed keen to make me accountable for the whole of the profession’s woes. The solution will need to be a team effort from all across our profession to introduce a whole raft of resources and strategies into our schools, to support all New Zealand teachers.

Please join the culture change in our schools by considering introducing a teacher/principal wellbeing programme at your place of work. We are on a roll, the green shoots are emerging, so please get involved and make a difference not just for yourself and your colleagues but in the long run, for the young people in our schools.

They will enjoy having a healthy, fit, passionate, creative and upbeat teacher every day.

Term 3 - 2014

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43

First Aid Training

health & safety

In-school training provides vital first aid skills

F

irst aid training in schools is provided for two key reasons – firstly, to train teachers so the school meets the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment’s Health & Safety guidelines; secondly, to give students important life skills to take with them when they leave school and put into practice should a situation arise where someone needs first aid.

As well, their first aid certification can be taken into the workplace or tertiary study, where first aid training is sometimes required.

NZQA has set down minimum requirements for reporting first aid credits. These are that providers must be NZQA registered and accredited and that the course meets the minimum training hours. As well, the course teachers and assessors must be trained in standards-based assessment.

There are a number of first aid course providers around the country, so schools are able to easily access first aid training and refresher courses when they need to.

Pro+Med (NZ Ltd) Timaru-based Pro+Med (NZ) Ltd has been delivering first aid into schools for students, teachers and support staff since 1995 and is accredited

by NZQA to assess against unit standards.

Pro+Med’s quality manager Jocelyn Gutsell says the company’s first aid training courses provided for teachers means schools can meet the Ministry requirement that there must be a trained firstaider on site during school hours.

44

Teachers or parents supervising groups of students on school camps must also include one or more people trained in first aid, who can provide appropriate assistance in the event of an accident or medical incident, Ms Gutsell says.

The company also delivers Gateway programmes to more than 200 schools around New Zealand.

These include a range of courses designed to provide skills and training for students before they enter the workforce. While these courses provide valuable skills and knowledge, they are also designed for the enjoyment of the students.

As Pro+Med Gateway instructor Mark Taylor says, “Fun is the best way to learn, so all our courses are centred around the students having fun, while at the same time being challenged to solve problems as a

WE TEACH PEOPLE TO SAVE LIVES IN A FUN & INTERACTIVE ENVIRONMENT First Aid for the School Environment (FASE) 4-hour course held at your premises at times to suit you. This is a cost effective course designed to give teachers confidence to cope with medical emergencies and accidents at school or on suburban trips. This fits with staff development and is based on Ministry of Education guidelines.

For further information and pricing for all first aid courses please email info@first-training.co.nz or call us 0800 1ST AID www.first-training.co.nz

school news

Term 3 - 2014

group, and to justify their answers using the incremental knowledge gained throughout the day.”

Mr Taylor is currently conducting a rap competition for Pro+Med’s Gateway students, with the winners to be announced at the CATE conference being held in Tauranga in November.

First-Training First-Training, which has its head office in Auckland, was established in 1997, and has been operated by managing director Johanna Verheijen for 14 years.

The company’s trainers are NZQA accredited and the company is a category one Private Training Establishment.

The first aid courses for teachers are specifically designed for the school environment, with the

trainers aiming to make them “fun and interactive” Ms Verheijen says.

The School First Aid Course covers a range of areas including CPR, accident management, use of a defibrillator, fractures, major bleeding, shock and others.

Participants are given hands-on training and get to practise their skills using scenarios in the school setting. The course can be modified to suit specific staff needs. The company’s First Aid for the School Environment (FASE) course trains teachers to deal with medical emergencies or accidents at school, and more particularly in EOTC situations.

“Learning outdoor first aid skills is important for teachers that take students on school camps, especially in relatively remote areas,” Ms Verheijen says.

health & safety First Aid Training

For year 12 and 13 students planning to join the workforce, First-Training offers workplace first aid courses through the Gateway programme.

move to a different school.

“Courses need to be relevant, practical and fun,” he adds.

Pacific Medicare offers two first aid courses for students – basic first aid, and workplace first aid, which not only prepares them for employment where first aid certification is required, but can also be the first step on a career path within the first aid and emergency care industry, Mr Mundy says.

“That prepares them before they go into that environment – a lot of places require employees to have first aid training,” she says.

First-Training’s teacher and student first aid courses are available throughout the country.

Pacific Medicare Based in Tauranga and offering services throughout the country, the Pacific Islands as well as Asia and the Middle East for the UN, Pacific Medicare is NZQA accredited for unit standard assessment.

Founding director Dennis Mundy has had extensive experience in the emergency care field and over

15 years as a secondary school teacher. All Pacific Medicare trainers have an educational focus versus instructional delivery and are industry qualified with practical experience in many emergency care areas.

“As with any service delivery in our field, it has to come down to quality,” Mr Mundy says. “We are very client-focused. We have many longstanding clients, including schools, and we find that the relationship often carries over when teachers

First aid and refresher courses for teachers are also provided, with a strong emphasis on training for EOTC and other outdoor activities, including sport.

However, Mr Mundy believes it would be worthwhile for schools to take a strategic approach to selecting staff to be trained in first  46 aid.

Flexibile, professional and willing to listen to our clients’ needs.

• Registered NZQA provider • We develop and deliver a range of medical and Health and Safety training courses including outdoor • Delivering Gateway & STAR programmes into over 200 schools nationwide • We can provide medics for events • We can provide First Aid supplies to meet every need

For further information contact 0508 PROMED, sales@promed.ac.nz, or visit www.promed.ac.nz

• A first aid course in 6 hours or less, nationwide • NZQA registered and accredited Private Training Establishment • First Aid Training, First Aid Supplies and First Aid Medic coverage at events

Affordable, easy to organise and customised to your needs Phone: 0800 487 475 or email: schools@tripleonecare.co.nz

Term 3 - 2014

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45

First Aid Training

health & safety

 45 “First aid and health and safety are often only thought about after an accident happens, resulting in negative connotations around it.

If the first aid issue was addressed beforehand, there would be a more strategic focus, and the school could match relevant staff for different roles both inside and outside the classroom.”

Triple One Care Triple One Care, which provides a nationwide service, has an extensive history of first aid certification and

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Term 3 - 2014

revalidation in schools, director Andre Slierendrecht says.

“We also provide training in outdoor first aid for teachers that take students on trips. We offer the Outdoor Management Unit Standard, which is very appealing to teachers, especially if they have been faced with an accident in a distant place where there is no communication.

“In the training they go through scenarios in prolonged patient care, as well as managing the group.”

The company has also had a “very good response” to its TOOL course, Mr

Slierendrecht says.

“That stands for Triple One On Line. It reduces the contact time to three and a half to four hours for the practical component, which is done at school after hours, and they do the theory component online in their own time.

“All teachers are computer literate and have previous first aid training, that’s why it works so well.”

Triple One Care offers unit standard based first aid training for year 12 and 13 students through the school curriculum and Gateway.

“Schools can also book students into a public first aid course in the school holidays, for which they get a discounted rate.”

The company has a government syndicated procurement contract that can be utilised by schools.

“This gives schools the facility to use the contract and receive excellent rates for the courses. It also provides quality aspects and a monitoring process to ensure quality assurance,” Mr Slierendrecht says.

By Christine de Felice, Staff Reporter

health & safety Supplier Profile | New Zealand Blood Service

Today’s youth, become tomorrow’s donors NEW ZEALANDERS who donate blood to the New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) provide blood and blood products for more than 45,000 people in need of transfusions every year. However, those generous donors represent only four per cent of the population, and NZBS is keen to raise awareness of the service and encourage more people to donate blood.

One of the major ways it is doing that is with school visits and blood drives at secondary schools around the country. As well, in conjunction with Lift Education, NZBS has created a range of resources for teachers to incorporate into the school curriculum. They are designed to help students understand how their blood system functions, how to keep it healthy, and how donating blood can help save lives.

The first resources were developed for secondary students at levels five to seven.

These engaging slides help students understand the importance of iron in their diet and what foods will provide it.

They include teaching units, with curriculum and NCEA achievement standard alignment and inquiry-based learning experiences; interactive online ebooks, fact sheets and graphic organisers and resource links. For level five students the resource is used in science, social studies and English classes. For level six students the resource is incorporated into science, health and physical education classes and for level seven students it is used in science and social studies classes.

A new Google Slides presentation, Maintaining Healthy Iron Levels, is now available for use with all secondary resources.

Complementing the secondary resources, the newly developed primary resources are for levels three and four students and are designed to meet health and physical education and science achievement objectives from the New Zealand Curriculum.

They include fun classroom activities, fact sheets and graphic organisers. The three sections are, Let’s Learn About Blood, Healthy Me, Healthy Blood and Save Lives – Give Blood.

These primary and secondary teaching units were written by teachers with input from curriculum and subject experts and reviewers. They are all free to download from http://www.nzblood. co.nz/Education. In addition NZBS has provided a database of further resource links for teachers to integrate into their learning programmes.

AMAZING BLOOD! FREE downloadable resources for teachers of years 5-13

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)

Students can start donating blood from the age of 16. NZBS believes that by gaining greater knowledge of blood and how it contributes to life through these resources, more young people will be inspired to become regular blood donors.

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!

Zena Kavas Science Teacher Taita College

RESOURCE LINKS

* NOW WITH PRIMARY SCHOOL RESOURCES *

Down l o ad t h e 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 t i o n p le a se e ma i l: e d u c a t i o n@ nz b l o o d . c o . nz

Term 3 - 2014

school news

47

Acoustics

property

Good acoustics create better learning environments

N

umerous local and worldwide studies suggest classrooms are greatly affected by acoustic quality. The design needs to take into consideration the effect acoustics can play on the learning environment, as competing background noise can cause students to misinterpret key words, phrases and concepts.

A study conducted in United States classrooms reported that the speech intelligibility rating is 75 per cent. This means, on average, every fourth word in the classroom in

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Term 3 - 2014

misheard (Seep, Glosemeyer, Hulce, Linn, Aytar, 2000). Background noise – in particular irrelevant speech – interferes with children’s ability to hear their teachers or one another, therefore affecting their ability to learn.

Many teaching spaces in older schools were not designed for the current teaching methods and often have poor acoustic qualities.

The traditional approach was for a teacher to stand at the front of the class, whereas today, teachers prefer to move around. This involves

working with groups or individuals and requires their voices to be heard from all parts of the room.

Evaluating the acoustic suitability of your classrooms is the first important step to ensure that unsatisfactory acoustics do not adversely affect learning in your school. The Ministry of Education strongly recommends that you: • Make an assessment or, if in doubt, have one carried out by an acoustics specialist.

• Remedy any shortcomings highlighted by the assessment.

The signal-to-noise ratio is the ratio of the teacher’s voice to the ambient noise. The recommended minimum necessary for students to hear efficiently in a classroom is +12 to +15 dB (+20 dB is preferred when there are students with hearing impairments).

This means that if the background noise level is, say, 55 dB, the teacher would need to speak at 70 dB, which is almost shouting. The louder the background noise, the louder the teacher must speak so the students can hear clearly.  50

sub -section

property

Headline

B

ody text to go here

COMPOSITION® PEEL ‘N’ STICK TILES IN CHILLI RED

REDEFINE YOUR ENVIRONMENT...

Autex understand the importance of great learning environments and continue to refine their vibrant Interior Acoustics range.

The environmentally-friendly, polyester range of high performing wallcoverings and ceiling tiles provide schools with real creative freedom whilst delivering effective sound absorbing solutions.

For information about our acoustic solutions for your school, contact Autex on 0800 428 389 or visit our website www.autex.co.nz Term 3 - 2014

school news

49

Acoustics

property

 48

Absorbing unwanted noise All materials have some soundabsorbing qualities; the sound that is not absorbed is reflected.

In buildings, the sound-absorbing characteristic of a material is rated as the Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) and is measured at voice frequency. If the reverberation time of a room is too long, it can be reduced by adding other materials.

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The Ministry of Education and The Acoustical Society of America suggest achieving the best acoustics for learning is by installing inlay acoustic ceiling tiles and a suitable acoustic wall covering.

that schools follow the appropriate stages set out in the Ministry's Property Management Handbook.

Interior acoustic companies understand that all classrooms and educational areas are different and require unique solutions to provide the optimum level of noise reduction.

They should also ensure their architect or property manager consults with an acoustic consultant or an account manager at a company specialising in acoustic products.

Because teachers’ voices travel best in spaces that are acoustically well designed, it is recommended

Following these guidelines will develop classrooms that meet the needs of students and provide

school news

Term 3 - 2014

a comfortable environment for teachers to work in. Autex Industries have over 40 years’ experience in the education sector and point out they have continuously improved the performance of their 100 per cent polyester, environmentally friendly products over that time.

The company’s interior acoustic solutions are described as a nontoxic alternative to mineral and fibreglass products, and durable,

safe, clean, eco-friendly and well suited for use in the education industry.

By Jeremy Robertshaw, Autex Industries Reference: Seep, Benjamin., Glosemeyer, Robin., Hulce, Emily., Linn, Matt. Aytar, Pamela. Classroom Acoustics – A Resource for Creating Learning Environments with Desirable Learning Conditions, August 2000. Ministry of Education & BRANZ. Designing Quality Learning Spaces: Acoustics, (2007).

property

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SPORTS FIELD ■ PLAYGROUND ■ ASSEMBLY ■ PE

INDOOR AND OUTDOOR USE - BATTERY AND MAINS OPERATION Body text to go hereLIGHTWEIGHT, POWERFUL AND EASY TO USE! CHALLENGER 1000-D ■ Best sounding system in New Zealand ■ Portable – operate with or without mains power

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■ Flexible – Perfect for both indoor assembly and outdoor fields ■ Powerful – Cover hundreds of people over large areas ■ Expandable – Wireless extension speakers available

CALL US NOW! on 0800 433 927 (ext 2) or email sales@edwardsnz.co.nz for more information 68 WALLS ROAD, PENROSE, AUCKLAND | PHONE: (09) 571 0551 | FREEPHONE 0800 4 EDWARDS | www.edwardsnz.co.nz

Any wireless microphone operating on a frequency between 698 and 806mhz will be illegal to operate from March 2015.

REPLACE OR RETUNE? Any “Chiayo” brand wireless microphone less than 7 years old can be re-tuned to a new legal frequency at low cost, however most microphone brands are not economical to re-tune and will have to be replaced.

Take the opportunity to upgrade your old wireless microphones to legal and compatible sets.

• • • •

All matching and compatible systems Fully guaranteed Improved audio quality and reliability Large trade-in rebates

Plus... We work with the major asset finance lease providers so purchases can be added to existing equipment leases if you prefer.

Call us to get started on 0800 433 927 (ext 2). We'll work with you and help arrange everything and manage the changeover with you.

Term 3 - 2014

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PA Systems

property

Time to upgrade your wireless microphones You’re not a criminal. Yet.

with trade-in rebate.

You need to check that your wireless microphone systems are not about to lead you on a secret life of crime.

Most suppliers of wireless microphone systems in New Zealand are offering trade-in rebates on old equipment so make sure to twist their arm on the price, especially if you are replacing more than one system.

If your equipment is Chiayo brand it is cost-effective to have it retuned onto the new frequency range. It takes four to six weeks and will be sent back to the manufacturing plant in Taiwan. The small cost is worth it as they will check and correct the operation while it is back at the factory, so don't throw anything away.

This doesn’t apply to you?

Yes it does. Every school, church, conference venue and hire company is affected if their wireless microphones operate in the ‘700 band’ - most do because for over 15 years you had a licence to use it.

Remember the digital switchover?

Switching off old analogue TV and getting crisp, new digital TV? You had a good reason to buy a new TV. High definition, wide screen - nothing sinister there. TV prices were down, quality was up and the time was right.

How can you tell if your equipment complies or not?

It is easy to check. The frequency is usually marked on the back or bottom of the receiver (the box with the aerials that connects to your audio system) and it will have a number on it, something official sounding like Freq. 750.000Mhz. It will also be marked under the battery cover of the actual microphone.

Wireless microphones also share the radio frequency spectrum with TV and mobile phones. The exponential growth of 3G and the arrival of 4G require even more spectrum to operate.

If the main frequency number shown is between 698.000 ~ 806.000Mhz it is in the ‘700 band’.

The digital dividend The Ministry of Economic Development saw they could make billions of dollars by selling a portion of radio spectrum to Vodafone, Telecom and the other telcos for 4G use. It is called the ‘digital dividend’.

Who can you ask?

But, TV stations and wireless microphone users were licensed to operate in that ‘700 band’. Surely they can’ just...

It was sold. Your licence got changed and the eviction notice has been served. You must move out of their space by mid-March 2015.

Of course, buying new wireless microphones isn’t going to give you the same satisfaction as a new TV, but recent technological advances over recent years provide great improvements.

• • • •

Better sound quality Longer-range operation Ease of use (IrDA) Greater channel density (more microphones can operate together without interfering)

So, take this news as an opportunity to clean up your school sound

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school news

Term 3 - 2014

Frequency indetification sticker

equipment and refresh your wireless microphones that may have been collected over many years and are a mixture of different types and brands.

What will it cost?

You get what you pay for, like most things. Stay away from the Trademe hawkers and low-end surplus clearance dealers. You want backup, spare parts and professional advice at some point in the future – ask about the manufacturer’s ability to ‘retune’ them in the future if the

licence is changed again. A quick glance around the industry shows a range of prices from $450-$1000 for microphone systems suitable for a school. You can pay more for professional microphone systems – you don’t need that – but try to choose a system that has switchable frequencies, diversity aerial systems, automatic frequency allocation (IrDA), operates in the UHF band, and uses good-quality condenser microphones. You can comfortably get all that for about $500 per set

Contact a competent local sound company (ask around for names) and request them to carry out a simple audit of your sound system and equipment. They shouldn’t charge you for this. Ask them to check everything, list your wireless microphones, whether they comply or not, and check the cables, amplifiers, speakers and audio-mixing equipment while there.

They can sort out minor equipment and cabling issues during the visit and will be able to offer a package on repairing/replacing the necessary items, trading in your noncompliant wireless microphones on a compatible system, and you won’t have the men in white coats turning up at the admin office next March.

For more information search for ‘radio spectrum management microphones’.

By Jonathan Neil, Edwards Sound Systems

property Playground Safety

Surfacing key part of playground safety

P

laygrounds are an integral part of the outdoor environment at school, providing facilities where students can explore their physical capabilities, gain confidence and social skills and, of course, have fun.

For schools installing a new playground or extending an existing one, a key part of the project is the surfacing. This item also represents a significant proportion of the overall cost, and so it is important that careful consideration is given to the type of surface selected.

There are two types available – loose fill, such as wood chip or bark, and unitary, such as rubber wetpour or tiles. Loose fill is less expensive, but unitary surfaces have a longer life, so the choice often comes down to the available funds. Sometimes a school will choose the less expensive option initially, then upgrade to a more durable surfacing a few years down the track.

When comparing quotes for the various options, make sure they are transparent and cover all elements required for the completion of the job.

With any playground surfacing, safety is the most important factor; however, there are a number of other aspects to be looked at, too.

Playground surfacing is covered

by NZS 5828:2004, and while it is a voluntary Standard, most schools require the playground equipment and surfacing they purchase to comply with the Standard.

There are five Standard requirements, each having a particular test method stipulated.

The supplier should be able to provide a test report showing that the product has been tested according to this method and complies with the Standard.

Surfacing at AC Baths in Taupo supplied by Burgess Matting.

The requirements are as follows: •

Critical fall height – applies to both loose fill and unitary surfacing. This is expressed in metres and indicates that the surfacing achieves the impact attenuation requirement of the Standard for free heights of fall up to the stated critical fall height.

Whatever the critical fall height of the surface, the equipment used for the playground should not allow a child to be able to fall from a greater height.

•

Slip resistance – applies to unitary surfacing. The Standard requires a slip resistance of not less than 40 in wet and dry conditions.

•

Resistance to abrasive wear – applies to unitary surfacing.

While not directly a safety issue, a surfacing that wears well will also continue to comply with the other safety requirements, particularly critical fall height and slip resistance.  54

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Term 3 - 2014

school news

53

Playground Safety

property

Examples of school playground surfacing by Playmatta.

event of replacement, and does it include reinstallation. Half of the warranties analysed did not cover reinstallation costs.

 53 It also indicates whether the surfacing is likely to provide value for money over time, or whether problems will emerge in high traffic areas and scuff zones.

•

•

Resistance to indentation – applies to unitary surfacing.

When deformed under a test load the surfacing should return to its original shape without cracking and splitting. The Standard requires that the residual indentation after 24 hours be no more than 5mm.

Ease of ignition – applies to unitary surfacing. The test method involves dropping a super-heated metal nut onto the surface and measuring the distance scorching travels – this must be no more than 35mm.

It is essential to have a comprehensive warranty of the sub base, as if it is incorrectly prepared, subsidence, cracking and movement to the surface can occur, and major damage in severe weather events is likely.

Also, find out if the suppliers always honour their warranties and ask for evidence of this.

When you speak to suppliers ask if you can access recent references.

Also, have a good look at their warranty to see if it is acceptable to you. The length of the warranty is not always the best guide. A warranty lasting a certain number of years might not be as good as it

looks because of the exclusions and a reduction in the dollar value of the warranty over time, so watch out for loopholes and ‘value reduction over time’ clauses.

An analysis undertaken in August 2013 of four US playground surfacing warranties found that not all product warranties cover the whole playground area, with most of them excluding high traffic wear areas.

This exclusion effectively negates the entire warranty.

Other exclusions that can negate the warranty include the placement of chairs on the playground and the wearing of certain types of footwear, both of which would be difficult to monitor so could become a matter of dispute in the event of a claim.

It is vital to establish the dollar value of the warranty, i.e. what it covers in the event of a claim. Is it for the full purchase price, does it include freight to the site in the

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Before making the final decision, you are advised to have a look at a well-aged installation of the products you are considering in your local area to see how they have performed.

As well, speak to an independent playground industry expert about the quality of the products you are considering.

After all aspects have been considered and you have made the decision, installation will need to be arranged. Where matting is being installed some clients may choose to undertake elements of the project, such as excavation and base work, themselves. However, professional installation by the manufacturer of the surfacing is highly recommended to avoid any potential disasters, which could cost time and money down the track. This way you can get a site Compliance Certificate for the installation rather than needing an independent test.

By Christine de Felice, Staff Reporter

ORIGINAL

SAFETY

REBOUND

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Z

RECOVER

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school news

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