School News NZ - Term 4 - 2009

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Issue 08 | Term 4 2009 EDITOR Rebecca Wood editorial@schoolnews.co.nz PRODUCTION Richard McGill

Respect yourself, value education and aim for excellence. These are just three of the six guiding principles that make up the MAGS way, the value system that underpins every achievement at Auckland’s Mt Albert Grammar School. The school, now in its 87th year, continues to celebrate the academic success, sporting prowess and cultural endeavours of its students as we discover in our profile of the school. Turn to page 16 for principal Dale Burden’s views on the school, its history and its future.

In this issue we also take a look at the use of environmentally-friendly products and how they can be used school-wide, and discover what sustainability actually means for a school community. We examine ways

teachers can encourage students to exercise, particularly those who are likely to drop competitive sports in their teenage years, and suggest what needs to be considered when fitting out a gymnasium.

The teaching of special needs children can be a rewarding area to work in and we get an insight into the teaching requirements at the Jean Seabrook Memorial School in Christchurch. We discover how sound therapy can assist children with learning and behavioural difficulties and examine strategies for teaching students with ADHD. I hope this issue gives you a lot to think about. As always I welcome your feedback (editor@schoolnews.co.nz).

Ka kite ano, Rebecca

studio@schoolnews.co.nz CONTRIBUTORS Lisa Abbott, Ian Bowell, Marceline Bryant, Julie Carter, Richard Chambers, Mark Davies, Mary Gillies, Jean Goodbrand, Steve Harris, Rosemary Murphy, Leah Odgers, Chris Robinson, David Wilson, Baz Woodcock

School News is distributed quarterly to all primary,

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intermediate and secondary schools nationwide and selected tertiary education providers by Multimedia Publishing, publishers of leading industry and consumer titles.

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news 4. News in brief 5. Ministry news 6. Principal speaks

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38. Managing a school pool Term 4 - 2009 school news

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News in Brief

news NZPF welcomes delay on national standards The New Zealand Principals’ Federation welcomes the Minister of Education’s decision to delay the implementation of National Standards. However, principals throughout the country still remain concerned about the philosophy behind the standards, and are not convinced that they will have the intended educational benefit for New Zealand children.

NZPF president Ernie Buutveld says national standards still remain unproven as a useful tool for educators.

“The government claims that national standards will lift underachievement, but there is no evidence of this happening in countries where standards have been imposed.”

He says one of the main issues with national standards is how they clash with the philosophy behind the New Zealand Curriculum.

“Our concern is that the standards will become the curriculum. The rich thinking skills and the wide range of creative arts and sciences currently offered in our primary school curriculum will wither away, as schools are forced to respond to these standards. Schools will struggle to attract and retain staff if they are publicly blamed for failure, when the reality is whilst the quality of teaching and learning may be high, there will always be substantial factors affecting student achievement which lie beyond the school gate.”

Longer hours, less pay New Zealand primary teachers are working longer and harder for less pay which the education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa says has serious implications for an already stretched workforce.

The latest OECD Education at a Glance Report shows that of the 29 countries surveyed, New Zealand primary teachers had the second highest number of net teaching hours at 985 hours a year. The OECD average is 798 hours. The report also shows starting salaries for primary teachers are the fourth lowest in the OECD and, even after 15 years experience, New Zealand teacher salaries are well behind.

NZEI president Frances Nelson says the figures come as no surprise, but are particularly alarming when coupled with an ageing workforce and government plans to cut tens of millions out of teacher staffing budgets.

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school news Term 4 - 2009

Students from Green Bay High School constructing the deck and pergola for the Kakariki Marae.

Green Bay High School wins building challenge

School, for a barn-style play house built for the local Argyle Preschool.

Students from Green Bay High School in Waitakere, Auckland have won the BCITO 2009 Build-Ability Challenge People’s Choice award for a deck and pergola built for the Kakariki Marae, located at the school.

Judges said the Green Bay High School’s client consultation phase was impressive as it took careful note of the requirements and suggestions of the entire marae committee.

“The Green Bay submission had a very personal look and feel by comparison with many. Extensive use of handwritten records and colour, as well as the landscaped A3 presentation was certainly a point of difference,” competition judges said.

The Build-Ability Challenge, currently in its fifth year, is a nationwide secondary school-based competition requiring teams of students to construct a building project that is donated to a local community group.

Cambridge High School won the national BCITO 2009 Build-Ability Challenge for a toilet they built for Te Awamutu Cemetery and a team from Morrinsville College took out second place for a picnic table built for their school. Third place was claimed by Hamilton Boys’ High

Cyberbullying resources launched New animated cyberbullying resources have been released by Hector’s World, an online service that teaches children aged two to nine stay safe online and learn about digital citizenship.

The new resources, which include an interactive animated episode, music video, song and teacher lesson plans, are aimed at primary school children.

Liz Butterfield, managing director of Hector’s World believes it is important that children in primary school understand what cyberbullying is, and that help is available for those who have been targeted.

“Messages to bystanders about how to support someone who has been victimised can assist in bringing this often hidden problem to light where it can be resolved in a caring way. Hector’s World is able to deliver these serious messages in an entertaining format that has lasting impact with young children,” she says.

See www.hectorsworld.com for the teaching resources.

Science fellowships awarded Thirty-two primary and secondary teachers have been awarded New Zealand Science, Mathematics and Technology Teacher Fellowships for 2010.

These prestigious Fellowships allow teachers to take time out from their schools for one year, on full pay, to immerse themselves in a project relating to science, maths or technology.

During their Fellowship year, the teachers will work with host organisations such as a crown research institutes, universities, local councils or businesses which support and mentor them.

The scheme is run by the Royal Society of New Zealand and funded by the government. It aims to give teachers a better understanding of how science, maths and technology are applied outside the classroom.

Topics to be investigated in 2010 include: investigating sustainable practice in the fashion and textile industries; the role of conservation programmes in zoos and their impact within the community; ageing and brain networking; the science and technology of harakeke fibres; and what are the ingredients for innovation within the food industry.

news Ministry News

Software agreements confirmed

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HE MINISTRY OF Education has signed contracts to provide schools with computer operating systems, office suites, anti-virus and web filtering software for the next three years.

Renaissance, Novell and Datacom will provide applications and support for Apple, Novell, Symantec and Microsoft software to schools.

Telecom and Watchdog will provide web filtering and firewall products.

“The agreement covers almost 200,000 computers and provides schools with certainty for the next three years,” says Howard Baldwin, acting manager, e-Learning. “With the only major change being new antivirus software, schools will not have to spend significant amounts of time learning new products and systems.

This means they can get on with their core role of teaching.”

The Ministry of Education ran an open tender to identify the best possible options for providing software and support to schools.

“During the evaluation process a broad range of options were considered. Serious consideration was given to new options including the use and promotion of open source products and emerging technologies such as Software as a Service,” says Baldwin.

“Schools will still be free to use any product they wish to. A number of schools are using open source software or browser based alternatives and they will continue to have this choice.”

Special education review The Terms of Reference for the Government’s Review of Special Education have been announced

by Associate Minister of Education Heather Roy. The review reflects the government’s expectations and aspirations for special education.

“With this in mind we aim to ensure that special education policies and processes are fair and consistent, reach those most in need, make the best use of existing Government funding - such as the Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Schemes (ORRS) funding - and make the best use of the expertise needed to support children with special education needs,” says Roy. “Much has changed since special education policy was developed in

achievement even further.”

Te Kotahitanga has been proven to lift student achievement by working with teachers and schools to create culturally responsive learning environments, to improve teaching and learning practices and to improve relationships between teachers and learners.

The new schools entering Te Kotahitanga are: • Kaitaia College • Kamo High School • Tikipunga High School • Fairfield College • Forest View High School • Tongariro School • Rotorua Boys’ High School • Rotorua Lakes High School • Taupo-nui-a-Tia • Flaxmere College • Hastings Boys’ High School • Napier Boys’ High School • William Colenso College • Gisborne Boys’ High School • Gisborne Girls’ High School • Lytton High School • Wairoa College

A teen parent facility will soon open at Invercargill’s James Hargest College.

the 1990s, and the government is working to ensure that special needs students receive the support they require. To do this, I need to know what is working well and what needs improvement,” she says.

The Review will cover services provided by the Ministry of Education, and what happens in all schools to support children with special education needs. It will consist of two phases: • Phase One - to commence immediately: access to, and allocation of, special education funding and services for children with special education needs and how to implement the additional $51 million funding allocated in Budget 2009.

• Phase Two - to commence in late 2009: issues relating to workforce; transitions; service development; integration and collaboration between agencies.

“The government remains committed to the current policy platform that underpins special education provision,

including: the Education Act 1989; the New Zealand Disability Strategy; and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ratified

by New Zealand last year. I intend to consult with the Education sector, parents and the disability community regarding the Review,” says Roy.

Raising achievement for Maori Thousands more young Māori learners at 17 additional schools will benefit from the Te Kotahitanga secondary schools programme next year, Education Minister Anne Tolley and Associate Education Minister Dr Pita Sharples have announced.

“Funding of almost $20 million over four years will allow the number of schools taking part in Te Kotahitanga to expand from 33 to 50 schools across New Zealand in 2010,” says Tolley.

“In Budget 2009, the government committed to extend Te Kotahitanga to 15 new schools.

This announcement takes that commitment to raising Maori learners’

In addition, work has begun on a new professional learning and school based development programme, He Kākano, for up to 100 area and secondary school leaders, to begin next year.

Opportunities for teen parents Education Minister Anne Tolley announced, in September, capital funding of almost $800,000 to establish a new teen parent facility attached to Invercargill’s James Hargest College.

“This unit is the first of its kind in Invercargill and will eventually cater for up to 30 parents and their children,” says Tolley.

“The Invercargill unit will ensure that teenage parents can continue with their education while their children can access quality early childhood education.

“Lifting the educational success of teenage parents can have a great impact on the future success of their children. One of the goals of Teen Parent Units is to provide strong early learning foundations.”

The unit and attached Early Childhood Education centre will be located on the site of the former Surrey Park Primary School and is scheduled to open next year.

Term 4 - 2009 school news

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Principal Speaks

news

The aftermath of the fire at Manning Intermediate.

Coping with a school fire

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ATURDAY 3AM. A phone call from the security company.

The message…“the school is on fire”.

I was later to find out I was dealing with a catastrophic event (as defined by the Ministry of Education). For the next month the fire and the aftermath of the fire defined both my personal and working life.

On the 6th of July 2009, Manning Intermediate School’s hall and administration block were destroyed by arson. We lost the electricity mains, heating pipes, phone system, servers and water connections. Two classroom blocks were also close to becoming engulfed. The school closed for only three days – a length of time I still find remarkable.

Four months on and I am now in the position to be able to consider how we as a school responded to and managed events, and how I led and survived the experience.

I am not going to give a blowby-blow description of events. It is enough to say that the first week was full of long days and very short nights. There were a huge number

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school news Term 4 - 2009

“

“For the next month the fire and the aftermath of the fire defined both my personal and working life.”

of decisions that needed to be made quickly with a constant flow of people and phone calls, and things didn’t get much better for the month following.

There were a number of key positives in the first month after the fire, including: • A personal acknowledgment that cell-phones do have a value.

• Good staff make a huge difference to how an event like this is managed.

• Our contractors were fantastic and worked hard to allow me to re-open the school after such a short period.

• Clear, regular and personal contact with our families was positive.

• The community support is there.

Our neighbouring schools were fantastic.

•

The Ministry of Education support systems are in place.

We used the traumatic incident team and the emergency property contacts.

• A mutually supportive and respectful relationship with your insurance adjuster is vital.

• Providing guided tours for our students and the community through the fire scene helped them to deal with their feelings.

This decision contributed to our students not trying to get in to the fire site.

• Holding a community futurefocused blessing was valuable for all involved.

• The mid winter weather was warm and dry.

There were a few things that could have been done better, and I would urge other principals in this

situation to remember your family and your own needs. I didn’t to that well, my own young kids barely saw me for a month and I was very focused on everyone else’s needs.

The Hiki Tapu ceremony (a traditional ceremony held to lift the tapu from the land) should also have been held earlier.

Looking to the future The school has kept our community informed about progress toward our new buildings and we are focused on using this negative experience in a positive way. The Board of Trustees has also provided confidential counselling for staff who wish it.

As I reflect on events I know, intellectually, that the emotional and physical drain on me was high, but I’m not sure I could have done any thing differently.

news

Events Calendar November 2009 Personalising learning through ICT’s November 5, Auckland www.learningnetwork.ac.nz Using an intranet to support a thinking culture in schools November 6 , Auckland www.learningnetwork.ac.nz

Principal Speaks

As a principal, my focus was on the students and staff. The loss of my office (my space), my things, my time, the financial loss to my family (my wife had to lose several evenings and weekends of work) and the partial loss of focus on the learning needs of our students are things that have come more into my mind of late.

I do resent the actions of those responsible and I am not sure the system is set up to help us address those feelings. I have attended one family group conference, only to have the charges denied and the conference never got started. There are still several court cases to come, assets to replace and buildings to design, and funding and building issues to address, so it is not over.

I am, however, confident that we will end up with an administration and hall complex that will meet the needs of our community more effectively than before and a school that will be stronger and even more focused on our students.

Advice for principals And finally, some advice for principals who may find themselves in the same boat: • Have your emergency contact numbers off site.

• You don’t have to know everything, you just need to know where to start looking.

• Know roughly where chemicals are stored and where the electricity and water connections are.

• Remember you are the first contact for everyone, you are the face of the school, you have to make decisions and be able to delegate aspects of the job.

You have to express community feelings and a sense that you are in control and that positive things are happening.

• Say thank you to everyone who helps you survive, even the media.

• And most importantly …employ great staff and trust them!

The school is using this negative event in a positive way.

Inquiry – led learning though ICTs

New Zealand Association for Research in Education Conference

January 19 – 22, Hawke’s Bay www.nzaeeconference2010.co.nz/

November 7, Auckland www.learningnetwork.ac.nz

November 30 – December 4 Rotorua www.eenz.com/nzare09/

Inspired Impact Teachers’ Conference

Association of Tertiary Learning Advisers of Aotearoa New Zealand Conference November 18 – 20, Auckland www.atlaanz.org/conference/2009conference

January 2010 Australasian Computing Education Conference

The International Careers Conference

January 18 – 22, Brisbane http://elena.ait.ac.nz/homepages/ ace2010/

November 19 – 21, Wellington www.avenues.co.nz/careers/index. html

New Zealand Association for Environmental Education Conference

January 28 – 29, Palmerston North www.inspiredimpact.co.nz/

February 2010 Resolving Conflict in Schools February 22, Auckland February 23, Hastings February 25, Wellington February 26, Christchurch www.ppta.org.nz/index.php/nzspcevents

Term 4 - 2009 school news

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Case Study – Jean Seabrook Memorial School

education

Surmounting learning barriers

Developing self-esteem through experience of success is paramount.

Teaching methods are tailored to the children’s learning needs.

R

time at the Jean Seabrook Memorial School. Due to handwriting, spelling and structuring difficulties, computers will often be a lifeline for the students to produce written work when they return to mainstream education.

Knowing how to type properly from the start will avoid the formation of less efficient typing habits which are hard to break later.

Developing self esteem and confidence through experience of success is also paramount.

In all cases students at the school are encouraged to function at their own level within each learning area of the curriculum, and learning outcomes within each Achievement Objective are personalised.

Programmes are carefully graded to ensure success is achievable at all times and are adapted to the rhythm of the student.

As the focus is on remediation rather than accommodation, teachers also work on consolidating a child’s weaker skills, such as memory or

ETURNING STUDENTS WITH severe specific learning disabilities to mainstream schools with the ability to work more effectively and confidently in groups, as well as individually, is the ultimate goal for a very special school in Christchurch.

The Jean Seabrook Memorial School, which is situated on the site of the Seabrook McKenzie Centre in Richmond, Christchurch, is a private special school that caters for primary aged children who have severe specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia and dyspraxia, and do not flourish in the mainstream education environment.

With a maximum roll of 24, the school is split into two classes of 12. Each class has two teachers in the mornings, and a teacher and teacher aide taking the afternoon programmes.

In each class, typical mainstream curriculum areas are covered, but delivery and methods are tailored to the children’s specific learning needs.

These commonly include information processing, acquisition and use of receptive or expressive language, reasoning, social skills, self esteem, literacy and mathematics.

A multi-sensory approach to literacy and numeracy is used which combines systematic, explicit teaching with activities that incorporate the visual, auditory, tactile and kinaesthetic modalities. In literacy, for example, it aims to develop strong links between sounds and letters.

This is not limited to simple letter sound correspondence but covers systematic teaching of letter patterns, spelling rules and morphemic rules.

In mathematics the multi-sensory approach aims to develop a strong understanding of concepts through use of concrete materials and various symbolic representations.

Computers, with specialist software for literacy and numeracy, are constantly in use in the classrooms, and typing is a core skill that students learn during their

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school news Term 4 - 2009

phonological awareness, and use the child’s strengths to develop compensatory strategies, with the goal of empowering students to realise their potential and return them to mainstream schools.

The children also have access to speech language, occupational therapy and social skills sessions each week.

Although the time spent at the school varies, most children stay on average for three years. The transition process back into mainstream education involves a number of collaborative discussions with teachers, psychologists, therapists, parents and the children themselves.

The Jean Seabrook Memorial School is the only school of its kind in New Zealand and is meeting just a small part of the huge need for a service such as this in Christchurch.

by Mary Gillies, principal, Jean Seabrook Memorial School

6HDEURRN 0F.HQ]LH &HQWUH

SPECIALISTS IN SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES CAN PROVIDE: ● Teacher Training and Teacher Development in the field of SLD including Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia and others. This can be tailored to the needs of particular schools /organizations ● Advice on classroom management of children with SLD ● Specialist Assessments ● Specialist intervention programs for children with SLD’s

TELEPHONE 03 381 5383

education Listening Therapy

Sound therapy and literacy difficulties

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REENPARK SCHOOL IN Tauranga participated in a preliminary research study in 2008 to determine the effectiveness of sound therapy as an intervention for children with literacy difficulties.

Led by Rosemary Murphy of the Developmental Learning Centre, the study explored the effect of sound therapy on literacy. Murphy had noticed that most children with learning and behavioural difficulties have an underlying auditory processing difficulty which is largely undiagnosed.

Sound therapy programmes are used worldwide to treat individuals of all ages with auditory processing difficulties. The programmes use high quality classical music treated with a number of psycho acoustical techniques, such as filtration, gating and frequency enhancement. A progressive sequence of frequencies, from low to high, is delivered to the listener via high quality headphones to ensure that the children are processing the entire range of frequencies. In this process any gaps in the child’s ability to process certain sounds are filled, and the child’s overall auditory processing of language is improved.

A group of 24 children were selected by teachers because of their learning difficulties, which included persistent difficulties in reading, writing and spelling, as well as some behavioural issues related to poor listening such as restlessness, distractibility, dreaminess, forgetting instructions, frequently requiring repetition, poor short term memory and difficulty keeping up in class.

The children were split into two groups for the study with 12 children between the ages of seven and 10 years listening to the treated music for half an hour every day, over a period of two terms. A further 12 matched children were selected as a control group.

All 24 children were tested prior to beginning the study, and again at the end, for reading and spelling ages, and a number of auditory processing skills such as auditory memory, discrimination between similar sounding words and the ability to hear correctly what a speaker is

saying when there is background noise in the classroom. A listening behaviours checklist was also filled out by the teachers for each child before the study began and then again afterwards.

The results The results have been very interesting with a number of gains made in the group using sound therapy such as: •

•

•

•

•

•

An increase in reading age of 15.5 months in the therapy group, as opposed to a six month increase in the control group, using the McKenzie Sentence Reading Test.

A 10+ month increase in the Neale Reading Accuracy test compared to a five month gain in the control group.

In the Neale Reading Comprehension test the therapy group showed a nine month gain compared to a seven month gain in the control group.

The Schonell Spelling assessment showed the sound therapy group to have improved by an average of 11 months compared to seven months in the control group.

In the behavioural observations made by teachers there was almost two times the level of improvement in the therapy group.

In auditory processing tests, such as telling the difference between similar sounding words and perceiving the sounds within words, the results showed improvements of between 10-27 percentile points in all areas in the therapy group. The control group improved in two areas only and these were significantly less than that of the therapy group.

Greenpark School students undertaking listening therapy.

Photo courtesy Bay of Plenty Times

In conclusion sound therapy is an effective intervention tool for children with literacy difficulties in schools, raising reading ages much more quickly than with the usual interventions alone. The study also showed increased improvements in a wide range of classroom behaviours and overall auditory processing skills.

by Rosemary Murphy, director, Developmental Learning Centre.

Term 4 - 2009 school news

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ADHD

education

Strategies for teaching ADHD students

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HE CHILD WHO repeatedly disrupts your class and who seldom completes assignments may not be deliberately troublesome, but could be showing signs of ADHD. Similarly, a student who constantly stares out of the window might not be intentionally ignoring you, but instead could be demonstrating behaviour caused by ADHD. This neurological disorder causes impulsive behaviour, difficulties in focusing attention, and hyperactivity. It is highly heritable, begins in childhood and is developmental in nature.

Here are a few tips on the school management of the child with ADHD. The following suggestions are intended for teachers in the classroom, teachers of children of all ages. Some suggestions will obviously be more appropriate for younger children, others for older, but the unifying themes of structure, education and encouragement pertain to all.

First of all, make sure what you are dealing with really is ADHD. Specifically, make sure someone has tested the child’s hearing and vision recently, and make sure other medical problems have been ruled out.

Second, know your limits. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You, as a teacher, cannot be expected to be an expert on ADHD. You should feel comfortable

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in asking for help when you feel you need it.

Ask the child what will help. These kids are often very intuitive. They can tell you how they can learn best if you ask them. By far the best “expert” on how the child learns is the child him or herself. It is amazing how often their opinions are ignored or not asked for.

Remember that ADHD kids need structure. They need their environment to structure externally what they can’t structure internally on their own.

Make lists. Many children with ADHD benefit greatly from having a table or list to refer back to when they get lost in what they’re doing. They need reminders. They need previews.

They need repetition. They need direction. They need limits. They need structure.

Post rules. Have them written down and in full view of everyone. The children will be reassured by knowing what is expected of them.

Make frequent eye contact. You can “bring back” an ADHD child with eye contact. Do it often. A glance can retrieve a child from a daydream or give permission to ask a question or just give silent reassurance.

Seat the ADHD child near your desk or wherever you are most of the time. Or, seat him/her next to students who provide positive role models.

Have as predictable a schedule as possible. Post it on the blackboard or the child’s desk. Refer to it often.

If you are going to vary it, as most interesting teachers do, give lots of warning and preparation. Transitions and unannounced changes are very difficult for these children.

Break down large tasks into smaller ones. This is one of the most crucial of all teaching techniques for children with ADHD. By breaking the task down into manageable parts, each component looking small enough to be able to do, the child can sidestep the emotion of being overwhelmed.

Seek out and underscore success as much as possible. These kids live with so much failure; they need all the positive handling they can get. This point cannot be overemphasised; they need and benefit from praise. They love encouragement.

Memory is often a problem.

Children with ADHD often have trouble with “active working memory”, the space available on the mind’s table, so to speak. Any tricks you can devise – cues, rhymes, code and the like – can help to enhance memory.

Simplify instructions. Simplify choices. Simplify scheduling. And use colourful language. Like colour coding, colourful language keeps attention.

A point system is a possibility as

part of behavioural modification or a reward system for younger children.

Children with ADHD respond well to rewards and incentives. The teacher gives or removes points immediately, according to behaviour. An older child may be willing to work toward a deferred reward but younger children may need immediate reinforcement.

For hyperactive children, you may want to establish active tasks such as cleaning the blackboard or running errands to eliminate desk fatigue at various times during the day.

Another proven strategy often used by teachers is to provide a specified time-out location to which the student can go when he or she is not in control. This is a place to go to for a few minutes to calm down.

Since children with ADHD have difficulty understanding different rules for different places, parents and teachers benefit from working together to develop a consistent set of rules and a similar management system. When teachers and parents communicate with each other about a child with ADHD, they increase the likelihood that he or she will be able to learn effectively.

by Marcelline Bryant ADHD Association, www.adhd.org.nz

admin & management

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USTAINABILITY IS THE new buzzword. We hear it every week in a different context. But what is sustainability and what does it mean for schools?

Sustainability, as described in the 1987 UN ‘Brundtland’ report on the environment and development, is defined as ‘the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.

In other words, being sustainable enables the things we do and the natural resources we use today to continue to be used through future generations.

For schools this can mean minimising waste, minimising the use of resources, creating opportunities to learn about food production, and creating efficient buildings where possible.

So how can schools introduce sustainable practices like these?

A simple way to get started is to

join Enviroschools. The project offers a facilitated programme to help both teachers and students learn about sustainability.

The programme offers a whole school approach to sustainability and examines four key areas of school life, the physical surroundings, operational management, operational practices and the curriculum.

Alternatively, teachers can download a new teaching resource aimed at primary and intermediate schools that has been developed by engineering consultancy Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM), in collaboration with Epsom Normal Primary School and education specialists Hooked-on Thinking.

The draft resource, entitled Learning Today: Sustaining Tomorrow, is set to raise awareness of the issues surrounding sustainability and link to the curriculum.

Pam Hook of Hooked-on Thinking says the objective behind the

learning framework presented in the resource is to address sustainability in a holistic way, including the long-term impacts of social, cultural, scientific, technological economic and political practices on society and the environment.

Schools can also look at creating a walking school bus programme to cut down on the amount of carbon emissions caused by parents taking children to school in their cars. This has the added benefit of ensuring children get some exercise.

The school office is not kept completely out of the loop, with the introduction of energy efficient light bulbs, turning off unnecessary lighting and computing equipment all contributing to sustainable practices within the school.

The office is also a good place to start a school-wide plan to reduce waste and recycle equipment and paper.

There are a number of other

areas in which schools can look to become more sustainable, such as the recycling of uniforms, creating more green spaces around the school and introducing a composting system for green waste (food scraps, for example). If everyone plays their part, the school environment can contribute to a sustainable future for New Zealand.

Uniforms put everyone on an equal footing.

Schools also like the ability for uniforms to instil a sense of pride in the school as a community, pupils are proud to be associated with their school and wear uniforms and sports colours with pride.

It has been seen to be helpful in the wider community when the public see students either being helpful or perhaps enabling them to identify a student who may be straying from the straight and narrow.

Uniforms are usually cheaper to wear than ‘mufti’, being made of harder wearing fabrics, designed to be washed numerous times and not subject to the changing whims of fashion and demanding teens wanting to impress school friends by wearing the latest outfit to school.

On the flip side, schools who have a no-uniform policy believe that uniforms stifle individuality; an academic programme that encourages students to pursue individual thought is more important than what they wear.

Uniforms for these schools, along

with their students and parents, inhibit creativity and self expression, forcing them to conform. For example, there are many girls wearing skirts and dresses to school every day that never wear them outside school and feel exposed and uncomfortable having to walk, sit and behave differently because of what they wear.

Opponents insist that there is no credible evidence that school uniforms improve school discipline or promote higher academic achievement. One principal argument given is that some great students are terrible dressers. Dress does not necessarily improve learning.

And so the debate continues.

But in New Zealand, while the overwhelming majority of students are at schools where uniforms are mandatory, there are schools that have no uniforms, offering a choice for students and their parents.

It is worth noting however, that despite having no uniforms, they will still have restrictions on what is acceptable and this, some may say, is preparation for real life.

Sustainability In Schools

What is sustainability?

Useful websites For more information on sustainable practices in schools see: Enviroschools: www.enviroschools.org.nz Learning Today: Sustaining Tomorrow: www.skmconsulting.com/ about/Sustainability.htm Sustainability Trust: www.sustaintrust.org.nz

Uniformly debatable

O

NE OF THE perennial topics in schools and with parents is that of uniforms. What purpose do they serve in our schools, why are we largely a nation of uniforms wearers when being educated, and are there any downsides?

There are various theories on the topic and many centre on behaviour and individuality.

Some believe that children who wear a uniform to school take their ‘job’ more seriously, it is a different situation than just being at home or hanging out with friends and the uniform denotes the change from relaxing to working. This means they take a more serious attitude to their studies.

There are studies that show that schools with uniforms have fewer problems with discipline because there are no issues with gang colours or fighting over fashionable clothes, who is better dressed and more ‘stylish’.

However, non-uniform schools say that for some students, uniforms only aggravate their rebellious natures, and they refuse to conform by altering uniforms constantly, tightening, shortening, lengthening

and doing anything they can to make themselves stand out and not join the crowd. Teachers are then forced to constantly monitor the state of student uniforms.

Children can be teased or bullied because they have less fashionable clothes or don’t have the money to buy the latest trends.

Term 4 - 2009 school news

11

Environmentally-Friendly Products

admin & management

Y MAD DL

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E

NVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS SEEMS to be top of everybody’s mind at the moment and for good reason.

Using environmentally-friendly products can reportedly benefit schools in more ways than are imaginable. Going green can make a school a more sustainable and healthy place, and it promotes eco-friendly habits in students.

But how can we ensure environmentally-friendly products are clean, green and safe for both students and the environment?

Enviroschools recently reported: “In schools, children are more vulnerable

and at greater risk from toxic exposures because of their immature and rapidly developing physiology and their natural behavioural patterns. They live in their environments in ways adults do not; they play on floors, sprawl on desk and table surfaces, and engage in hand-to-mouth behaviour.

Furthermore, many schools are cleaned every day, leaving behind fresh residues of cleaning chemicals on surfaces with which children come into direct contact.”

Natural cleaning products, however, are less damaging to the environment and are safer for children than conventional cleaners.

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school news Term 4 - 2009

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“Ask about the environmental consequences, and whether the impact can be lessened.”

– Michael Hooper, communications advisor, ECNZ

“Use the Environmental Choice website as your fussy friend – the assessors and scientists behind its specification and certified products have asked very smart questions about health and sustainability that even teachers may be unaware of,” he says.

ECNZ licensed products are tested to be more benign, not just for the environment but also for the health and wellbeing of people who use them.

Hooper says the tests conducted

by ECNZ might be concerned with the limitation of fumes or chemicals that affect classroom air quality, the toxicity of surface coatings, or the allergenic levels of floor coverings and fabrics.

They may indicate the environmental impacts involving energy or waste, and products are always tested to ensure they are fit for purpose and actually do what is promised.

“Ultimately their production,

use and end-of-life disposal have been proven to be environmentally preferable so that future generations, as much as possible, will not inherit the rubbish of previous ones.”

There are a number of products currently used by schools that have earned the ECNZ seal of approval, such as Furnware, Ricoh and Resene.

“Furnware is a familiar name in school furniture and the Hastingsbased company has put enormous effort in partnership with schools, into developing clever classroom desk, chair and storage systems that can actually improve the learning environment and increase the attention span of students,” says Hooper.

When classrooms and other school buildings are relocated, insulated and painted, or when their floors are recovered, there are countless benefits from using products with the ECNZ seal, such as low levels of toxicity and

volatility. Additionally, some makers of carpets and hard surfaces for flooring also have take-back schemes. A school may benefit from either receiving recycled products that are ready for a second life, or their own worn-out old carpet tiles could be taken away and destined for a new charitable use.

Lastly, Hooper urges schools to check before committing to any product or service that is bought or engaged.

“Ask about the environmental consequences, and whether the impact can be lessened.

“Create a skeptics award – stimulate students to question the claims of everything the school uses, in environmental terms. They’ll probably take the attitude home, and there begins a bigger change for the better.”

by Leah Odgers

Environmentally-Friendly Products

David Blackwell from GreenEarth Solutions, a supplier of natural and eco-friendly cleaning detergents to schools, says eco-friendly cleaning products leave no harsh chemical fumes or residue. “Using eco- friendly cleaning products means students and teachers can breathe easy and not suffer skin reactions caused by harsh chemicals.

“The administration will also know that they are helping contribute to a healthy green building whilst also being pleased to find that eco-friendly cleaning products cost no more than the harsh chemical cleaners.”

However, it is important to ensure the eco-friendly products that are purchased actually are good for the environment.

Environmental Choice New Zealand (ECNZ) is the only New Zealand member of the Global Ecolabeling Network and endorses New Zealand-made products that meet strict environmental specifications.

ECNZ communications advisor, Michael Hooper, says numerous studies have shown that economic benefits often flow from environmentally-aware purchasing choices, which is helpful to schools that are trying to spend wisely. But he recommends schools always research before they buy.

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Term 4 - 2009 school news

13

Electronic Document Storage

admin & management

Keep the records spinning

W

ITH THE AUDITING of record-keeping procedures and policies in schools about to kick off in early 2010, now is the time schools should be thinking about how they manage the raft of electronic documents created every day.

Since the Public Records Act 2005 passed into law, schools have been required to create, maintain and then dispose of records according to the Ministry of Education and Archives New Zealand’s School Records Retention and Disposal Schedule, which gives clear instructions on how long to keep school records and what should happen to them when they are no longer needed.

As with any business, there are certain records that schools must keep to comply with existing legislation, such as tax information, financial records and education records. However, the Public

“The same information is stored in multiple areas, there is no sharing of the information and no way to collaborate.”

“

Records Act 2005 now requires schools to manage Board of Trustees information and retain additional school records for archival purposes.

But what constitutes a record?

A record is any document that proves the business processes of the school. This could be copies of documents pertaining to a student’s prior learning upon which admission decisions are made, employment contracts, financial documentation, minutes of management board meetings and business agreements,

such as computer contracts, for example. A record can be in hard or soft copy, and can include audio and video files. However, to ensure records are maintained appropriately, both the hard and soft copies should be stored under the same file naming conventions to ensure ease of retrieval and eliminate the possibility of essential information going missing.

Michele Marsburg, records management consultant with Records and Information

Management, says this is where electronic document storage (EDS) systems come into their own as it is often difficult to ensure documents have the same naming conventions and are managed under the same business rules without a tool such as an EDS. “Schools often have a number of records held across relatively disjointed electronic systems. There is no records management strategy and, where there is one, it is often implemented as an afterthought.

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14

school news Term 4 - 2009

admin & management Electronic Document Storage

Therefore, the same information is stored in multiple areas, there is no one version of the truth and no way to collaborate easily and safely.

“This can cause a lot of rework.

For example, a new teacher requires some resource material for a class so they go to the library, talk to other teachers, look in the schools’ system, but they can’t find what they’re looking for so they reinvent it. The information they require could be in the system but no one knows where to find it because the documents don’t follow the same naming conventions and don’t have metadata associated with them, which means they can’t find the information or share it which makes collaboration impossible.”

Implementing an EDS system can help schools reduce risk, create efficiencies and save both time and money.

Marsburg says it is difficult to identify the true cost of managing records, such as the duplication cost and the time spent looking for documentation. However, studies have revealed that the average worker spends more time looking for information than they do on annual leave.

“Document management is often a hidden cost, but it is a cost.

Schools need to remember that the longer information has been stored, the higher the cost to retrieve it if no metadata or contextual information such as classification or consistent naming exists.”

Marsburg recommends four steps for a record keeping programme: • Knowledge of the Ministry of Education’s retention and disposal schedule.

• Implementing a common classification structure, which gives context to the records, and aids retrieval.

• Creating policies and procedures around who can create new records, who can change them and who has access to the records.

• Training those who will be using the system in the first three steps so that all records are consistent and lawful.

Without change management, buy-in at a senior level, appropriate needs analysis and user acceptance, even the best system will fail.

However, cautions Marsburg, it is important to remember that an EDS is just a tool and is not a panacea for all record keeping issues.

Accessing records just got simpler As student populations grow, so do records.

But with increasing demands for instant information and the burden of complying with regulations such as the Public Records Act, administrators are striving to do more with less.

Ricoh’s Laserfiche Document Management solution will assist you in realising workflow efficiencies, productivity gains, and service quality improvements to departments, students and staff.

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Term 4 - 2009 school news

15

Mt Albert Grammar School

profiles

Guiding students the MAGS way

T

HE NEXT YEAR promises to be a busy one for Mount Albert Grammar School, a well-established high school located on the fringe of Auckland city.

A planned upgrade to its english, commerce and arts block and the construction of a $2.7 million second gymnasium are due to commence shortly and will bring much needed additional teaching areas to the school.

The school’s english, arts and commerce block is one of the many Auckland buildings at the centre of the leaky building scandal and, says school headmaster Dale Burden, will be recladded and reroofed during the upgrade. “This then gives us the opportunity to modernise the building’s interior and future-proof the wiring and technology in the block.

The classrooms will function as you expect modern classrooms to function in 2010.”

Modern, useful teaching spaces for

art, music, drama, dance, commerce and english will be constructed and there are also plans for an additional performance space adjacent to the teaching rooms.

The construction of a second gymnasium is also due to commence this term.

“The existing gymnasium is quite small for a school of our size as our roll has doubled since it was constructed,” says Burden.

“Currently a large part of our sports facilities are in separate buildings that don’t link together. The gymnasium project will ultimately link the new gymnasium with the existing gymnasium, the squash courts and the Mount Albert Aquatic Centre,” he says.

The second stage of the gymnasium project, to be built at a later date, will include two weights rooms, a PE staff room, two classrooms, and facilities for ICT, functions and associated administrative support.

There are many opportunities for students at Mt Albert Grammar School.

All change please These are just some of the many changes Mount Albert Grammar School has seen over its 87-year history. The school was established as a government boy’s high school in 1922, and is one of the few statefunded Schools that boast a boarding hostel on site.

Girls were first admitted to the school in 2000, and now make up a large part of the school community.

With a current roll of 2,300 students, girls now number almost 1,000.

Burden says boys and girls are taught in separate classes during years 9 and 10 and in mostly co-ed classes in years 11, 12 and 13.

“We decided to implement single-sex classes in the junior school because we recognised the different learning needs that boys and girls have at this age.

“The feedback from both students and parents is that single-sex classes in

the first couple of years at high school is ideal. They cite the lack of distraction by the opposite sex and the fact it makes the learning environment more comfortable as key to its success,” he says, “However, they are quick to point out the benefits of a co-ed senior school.”

Stargazing students Students at Mount Albert Grammar School have the opportunity to participate in a number of academic programmes that are not commonly available at secondary schools situated in the middle of a large city. It is one of the few New Zealand schools with it’s own farm on site, and one of only a handful with an observatory.

The school’s observatory opened earlier this year and is home to the Astronomy Club.

Through the club, students can take part in projects ranging from astrophotography to photometric

The cantilevered grandstand overlooking the top sportsfields.

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school news Term 4 - 2009

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profiles Mt Albert Grammar School

The original façade of the school in 1922.

searches for extrasolar planets and will work closely with astronomers from throughout New Zealand.

It is the most advanced astronomical observatory in any school in New Zealand, and operates with a computer controlled 12” Meade Advanced Ritchey Chrétien telescope imported from USA. This carries a research grade digital astronomical camera from the Santa Barbara Instrument Group (SBIG), which is used for advanced imaging and photometry, and there are two other telescopes available for use by students.

The main telescopes are housed in a fully rotating astronomy dome, constructed within the school’s horticulture block.

Adjacent to the horticulture block is the school’s farm.

Established in 1933, the farm occupies 10.8 hectares and is a complete working model farm.

The farm has a one-stand wool shed with full wool handling facilities, sufficient pens to hold 150 sheep overnight, a two-stand walkthrough milking shed with milking plant; and a unit for small animals. It is predominantly used to teach the National Certificate in Agriculture

The school as it stands today.

– Introductory Farming Skills, and give students hands-on, practical experience of farm management and work of the farming sector.

Academic excellence Excellence is continually promoted in traditional academic, sporting and cultural curriculums at Mount Albert Grammar School, and the school has a proud tradition of distinction in these areas.

“In 2008, senior students were awarded 42 scholarships, and our students continually strive to achieve results such as these and better,” says Burden.

The school had NCEA level three pass rates in the top five per cent in Auckland in 2008.

Students are encouraged to comply with the school’s six guiding principles, also known as the MAGS Way, of which a core principle is to aim for excellence. The values include respect yourself, respect property and environment, be honest, respect others and value education.

The success of these principles was noted in the 2007 ERO report, which stated the ‘students know the importance of reflecting the School values in their behaviour. The tone in the classrooms is respectful,

relationships are supportive and students and staff enjoy positive interactions’.

Burden says the MAGS Way underpins everything the school does. “They are the six paths for our students to follow and are well publicised with posters around the school. The key messages are also reiterated at assemblies,” he says.

Mount Albert Grammar School values sporting success, with coaching academies for juniors available in six sporting codes – netball, football, rugby, cricket, athletics and basketball. “MAGS

enjoys continued success in the Auckland Secondary School and national competitions in all codes,” he says.

Cultural achievements are also promoted, with strong participation in the school choir and annual competitions such as the Smokefree Rockquest and Stage Challenge.

Dance and drama are also popular at the school.

With it’s strong sense of history and current successes, Mount Albert Grammar School is set to provide a bright future for all its students.

Term 4 - 2009 school news

17

Exploring Auckland

external learning

Exploring the Hauraki Gulf

The view from Great Barrier Island.

A

UCKLAND’S HAURAKI GULF provides the perfect opportunity to get young, curious minds out of the classroom. There are a wide variety of external learning opportunities for students of all ages, from day trips to overnight and full-week getaways.

Many of the more than 50 islands of the Gulf are administered by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and are open to the public, although some are classed as sanctuaries for endangered species and do require a permit to land.

Students will have plenty of opportunity to study the effects of volcanic activity, conservation and ecological restoration on many of the islands.

18

school news Term 4 - 2009

facilities. A 45 minute walk in to the camp across a farm track or via the farm road, is a great introduction to the island for groups.

Rangitoto Auckland icon Rangitoto is the perfect destination for a day trip.

The island is fascinating from a geological perspective given its’ volcanic past and there are some 8 10 short and long walks around the island that take in the different types of lava flows, pohutukawa forests, and WWII bunkers and sites.

After a good lung and legstretching walk to the summit there are magnificent views of the Hauraki Gulf and its islands, the Waitemata Harbour and Auckland city itself.

Motutapu

Waiheke

Motutapu is a stunning island, adjacent and to the east of Rangitoto, with remnants of WWI military sites and early Maori occupation to explore.

It is home to the Motutapu Outdoor Education Camp, which is situated on the northern side of the island and is fully equipped to handle large groups with full catering provided onsite. The camp has a confidence course and can provide orienteering and seagoing

Waiheke Island has a number of interesting places to visit, such as the historic Stony Batter gun emplacements, walking tracks, a forest and bird reserve as well as offering many beach and foreshore areas to explore.

The Woolshed Museum and Whittakers Musical Museum are happy to open for groups and the island has its own Marae which will happily accommodate school groups.

external learning Exploring Auckland

Rangitoto Island as seen from Auckland.

The island is also home to many artists, from sculptors to painters, photographers to jewelers, and studio tours can be arranged by appointment with the artist.

Trips to Waiheke Island may be made on scheduled services or by vessel charter if required.

Department of Conservation: www.doc.govt.nz

Great Barrier

Motutapu Outdoor Education Camp: www.motutapucamp.org.nz

Great Barrier Island is a haven for wildlife. High points on the island provide nesting areas for the black petrel, and the estuary is home to a large population of brown teal ducks.

North island kaka can also be found here.

There are plenty of walks on the island, including those to the natural Kaitoke hot springs and to the grave site of sailors on the SS Wairarapa, one of New Zealand’s worst shipwrecks that killed 140 people in 1894.

The Glenfern Sanctuary at Port Fitzory is also well worth visiting for

Further information For more information on the islands, accommodation options and activities, check out the following sites:

Rangitoto Island: www.rangitoto.org

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Waiheke Island: www.waihekenz.com Orama Christian Camp: www.orama.org.nz Glenfern Sanctuary: www.glenfern.org.nz

its conservation efforts and pesteradication scheme.

Accomodation-wise, Orama Christian Camp is situated just south of Port Fitzroy and is well set up to cater for groups of up to 160 people.

Jean Goodbrand is SeaLink’s Marketing Manager.

She is a keen photographer, Waiheke Island resident and passionate advocate of the beautiful islands of the Hauraki Gulf.

Visit schoolnews.co.nz or Freephone 0800 685 846

Term 4 - 2009 school news

19

Classroom Art Supplies

teaching resources

Visual art teaching in the digital age

T

hink visual art teaching and you picture busy classrooms festooned with brightly coloured paintings and constructions, and piles of materials stacked around the room.

The image has changed little for me in more than 30 years as a visual art educator. But how has 21st century technology changed the way visual art is taught, and has it replaced the traditional materials we associate with the art room?

Today’s technology has provided students with cheap mobile phones with increasingly sophisticated functions. Students can take photos and videos and change images.

On the computer they can create animations, play games and compose music. On community websites, such as Facebook and Bebo, they can create personal pages and communicate with their peers.

With digital technology forming such a large part of students’ lives outside school, how has it affected

“

“No longer do students have to rely on the often limited supply of art books in their school.”

their life in the visual art room inside school?

Using technology Mobile phones have been used in visual art projects as a means for students to collect information.

In London school students took images of the Thames marshes with their mobile phone cameras and emailed them back to the classroom.

These emailed images were used by students in their school as the starting point for a collaborative art work.

In Tokyo school children took

pictures of familiar sites in the city with their mobile phone cameras and these images were used to generate a large visual map. The resulting art work was displayed on a giant digital display in a public space in the city.

In many senior visual art departments across the country, the traditional darkroom is being replaced by digital cameras, software and digital printers. Senior design at NCEA level two and three now sees students developing their ideas using sophisticated computer design software. And with the increasing use

of the moving image as an art form, NZQA is investigating how to assess this new medium.

Senior visual art in New Zealand is taught using artists’ models, and the incorporation of digital technology into visual art teaching within schools seems to mirror the way contemporary visual artists embrace digital technologies in their work.

Increasingly artists are just as likely to use their laptop to generate ideas as they are a sketchbook, or exhibit their work on an LCD monitor rather than on a canvas.

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20

school news Term 4 - 2009

teaching resources

The old and the new Traditional materials such as paint, pastels, pencils, paper, ink, paper, card and clay are still present in New Zealand visual art rooms.

Despite the development of new technologies, the hands-on and tactile nature of traditional materials is still an important part of the creative process.

In fact, new technology has given teachers the opportunity to combine both the traditional and the new. For example, a mixed media piece can include a digital component, and

Classroom Art Supplies

The internet, too, has altered the way visual art is taught within schools.

No longer do students have to rely on the often limited supply of art books in their school. Now they can complete in-depth research of artists and their visual work online.

Twenty-ďŹ rst century technology has allowed teachers and students the opportunity to work with others throughout the world. I recently coordinated a project with a school in the UK and a school in New Zealand where students worked on the same project, sharing their visual ideas and work on a common website. The nine and ten-year-old students in New Zealand went on to develop an animation from the various artworks on the website.

moving images can be projected onto three dimensional forms to create a single sculptural work.

Throughout history visual artists have welcomed and incorporated new technologies into their work. The development of lenses during the Renaissance, for example, changed the way artists composed their work, and the invention of photography aďŹ&#x20AC;ected the way painters explored images. The advent of plastics increased the range of materials and processes used by both painters and sculptors, and the introduction of commercial printing processes, such as lithography or silkscreen, also found their way into artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; studios.

New technologies have always given artists vehicles through which they can express themselves. Visual art teaching is still about helping students to develop their creativity and to make sense of the world around them. Students express their creativity by using available materials, tools and processes. New technology hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t superseded traditional materials, tools and processes - it has added to them.

By Ian Bowell,senior lecturer: visual art School of Education Policy & Implementation, Victoria University of Wellington.

Supplier ProďŹ le | Jasco Pty

Reeves creatively leads the beginner or starter artist into creative expression REEVES LONG HERITAGE in art materials began in 1766. Over 240 years later Reeves still offers the artist a range of products combining excellent quality with value for money.

32 colours are available in the Reeves Fine Acrylic range including four dazzling metallic colours. The range has high pigment concentration, outstanding coverage and excellent brush stroke retention.

The most recent edition to the Reeves Acrylic range is an exciting selection of mediums to enable the artist to try different paint effects, adding visual and tactile textures to paintings. Reeves Acrylic Mediums are offered at economical prices

32 colours are available in the Reeves Fine Acrylic range including four dazzling metallics

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and are available from a number of art materials suppliers nationwide.

For more information on Reeves Acrylics and Acrylic Mediums or to ďŹ nd your closest Reeves stockist, please contact the New Zealand distributor, Jasco Pty (NZ) Ltd, on (09) 259 0124 or at info@jasco. co.nz.

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Term 4 - 2009 school news

21

Book Reviews

teaching resources

New books on the block Yates Young Gardener Growing Things to Eat

shivering, in search of a meal. He finds Sheep in a lonely barn.

Ben and Mark, Boys of the High Country

Wolf persuades Sheep to come with him on an adventure. Sheep isn’t afraid and believes he has finally found a friend. But can he escape Wolf’s hungry plan?

This charming tale is published for the first time in English and will captivate readers young and old. A bestseller at home in the Netherlands, Sheep with Boots has won a number of international awards.

From the author of All the Dear Little Animals, comes this delightful story that will enthrall young readers through to its (thankfully) happy conclusion.

Crikey! Talk about Kiwiana

Exam Stress? No Worries!

By Janice Marriott Published by HarperCollins RRP$24.99, Age: 5+

By Christine Fernyhough and John Bougen Published by Random House RRP$36.99, Age: 7+

Learn how to grow buried treasure, make a scarecrow, plant a living tepee and even make a greenhaired monster!

This beautifully photographed book follows the high-country life of two young brothers, Ben and Mark Smith, whose parents manage the 40,000-hectare Mount White Station in Canterbury, one of the South Island’s largest and most famous stations. It provides a remarkable insight into life on such a remote and challenging property.

Filled with amazing plant facts, puzzles and jokes, Yates Young Gardener teaches children what tools are needed and how to make seeds grow into fruit, flowers or vegetables.

Yates Young Gardener is written by children’s author Janice Marriott who shows how, with just a pinch of information and a pot of soil, children can learn to be part of the extraordinary life of the garden and enjoy eating some of the characters they create.

Sheep with Boots

By Su Dorland Published by Wrightbooks RRP$33.99, Age: 14+ Written by registered psychologist and accredited clinical transactional analyst Su Dorland, Exam Stress?

No Worries! provides background information on why many students suffer exam stress, and guidance on how to erase anxiety and achieve better exam results.

By Maritgen Matter and Jan Jutte Published by Gecko Press RRP$24.99, Age: 6+ It’s a cold, dark winter’s evening.

Wolf is hungry and goes out,

22

school news Term 4 - 2009

A little boy has just learnt to tell the time and knows that Dad comes to pick him up from school at 3 o’clock.

But when Dad doesn’t show up, his imagination goes into overdrive and he works out that his parents must have been run over by a truck.

He and his little brother are now all alone in the world.

Readers are introduced to Mount White’s farm animals, from the working dogs to the horses, sheep, cattle and deer, and to the big activities on the station such as mustering and shearing. We also meet Ben and Mark’s favourite animals and share their triumphs and tribulations at the local dog trials and on their first muster.

When We Were Alone in the World

Crikey! Talk about Kiwiana collects a truckload of Kiwiana and tells the stories behind the objects, events and people that have defined New Zealand popular culture.

From corker grub and glad rags to the wop-wops and the shakey isles, this is a visual feast of Kiwi delights.

Author Richard Wolfe has written five children’s books, beginning with Midnight at the Museum in 1997, which was a finalist in the NZ Post Children’s Book Awards.

Recommend your favourite books

A useful tool for students, parents and teachers, Exam Stress? No Worries! examines why students have different responses to exams and provides quick-fix techniques for immediate stress relief, as well as long-term solutions for dealing with anxiety.

It contains hints for mature students and international students, and comes with an audio CD to help promote relaxation whilst studying.

By Richard Wolfe Published by Random House RRP$24.99

Share your positive teaching experiences by submitting a short review on your favourite recently published books.

By Ulf Nilsson Illustrated by Eva Eriksson Published by Gecko Press RRP$18.99, Age: 7+

Send your recommendations and reviews by email to editor@schoolnews.co.nz

the classroom

D

O YOU REALISE that, as a teacher, one of your most important tools is your voice?

Think about it – without your voice, how would you teach? Yet the voice is the last thing many teachers think about preparing or taking care of until it’s not able to function properly.

Vocal abuse or misuse is more common than you might realise.

The tiny, delicate vocal folds (vocal cords) with which you produce sound are located on a horizontal plane within your larynx (voicebox).

They are the size of your thumbnail and vibrate hundreds of times per second to produce sound.

Try singing the first line of “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep” while you press your fingers lightly against your throat. Your vocals folds just vibrated together approximately 1000 times! And yet, because they have no nerve endings in them, it can be difficult to know if any damage is being done.

The first tell-tale signs that you might be using your voice incorrectly is a scratchy feeling in your throat. As the vocal folds begin to swell, you might try and clear your throat more and more, as you instinctively try to move the obstruction. Unfortunately, there is no obstruction and the folds become more and more irritated and swollen until your voice becomes hoarse and weak.

Eventually it is difficult to speak at all.

Over time, continual misuse of the voice can lead to damage of the vocal folds, such as nodules. Vocal nodules are callous formations on the edges of the folds and are more common than you might think. I have come across several cases in my singing teaching experience and most of them were in children.

I have heard of teachers who habitually lose their voices each week. They spend the weekend on voice rest trying to recover, only to repeat the same pattern the following week. It can be frustrating and demoralising to lose the very instrument with which you are trying to convey your wealth of knowledge.

Voice Coaching

Tools of the trade

Classroom Soundfield System

Warming up your voice The basic problem many teacher’s have is constriction.

Constriction is a natural reaction of the muscles in the vocal system to any number of situations. The walls in the larynx collapse on top of the vocal folds to varying degrees, causing rubbing as the folds try to vibrate.

Physical causes of constriction include tiredness, trying to voice loudly or softly without the correct technique, too hot, too cold, running out of breath, bad smells(!) and even whispering. It can even be caused by emotions, such as nervousness, anxiety, anger, frustration, fear – anything that causes the “choked-up” feeling.

So the desired state that you need to be aiming for is an “open throat” or “release of constriction”.

Yawning or laughing are both great ways of opening up the larynx.

Vocal warm-ups (especially in the shower because of the moisture) will get your voice ready for action.

Try siren-ing up and down on an “ng” sound and humming. Both are great warm-ups for the voice and also strengthen the voice and increase your range. If you struggle to “siren” smoothly, this could be an indicator of damage.

Another simple test to see if your vocal folds are healthy is to hiss for as long as you can while counting in your head. Then try the same thing while saying “zzzzzzz” on a low pitch. The two exercises should be roughly the same in duration.

If you are concerned about your voice at all it is worth having a voice professional check it for you.

An otolaryngologist (ENT), will be able to check your physiology and a good singing teacher or speech therapist will be able to teach you how to use your voice correctly.

By Lisa Abbott Diploma of Teaching, LTCL – Performance Singing, Member of NEWZATS.

New pendant microphone!

IDEAL FOR USE IN ADJACENT CLASSROOMS What are the benefits?

• Improves academic performance • Children hear the teacher clearly • Lower stress in the classroom • Two wireless mics can operate simultaneously • Additional speakers can be connected if required • Line in for additional sound devices • Comes with bracket & screws for installation • Loud and clear sound

Complete systems start from only $1149 + GST

CALL US TO ARRANGE A NO OBLIGATION TRIAL!

68 Walls Road, Penrose, Auckland Ph 0800 433 927 or 09 571 0551 Email jon@edwardsnz.co.nz

www.edwardsnz.co.nz Term 4 - 2009 school news

23

Classroom Furniture

the classroom

Choosing the right chairs

E

RGONOMICS. WE HEAR this word constantly and many of us have come to the point where we have been flooded with information – some useful, some just words used to fill a page – and are too scared to make a decision in case we are going to mar our children for the rest of their lives.

In reality it is a very simple process … get the chair right and the rest will follow.

Children need to be accommodated in an upright posture when reading, using a computer or doing lab work; in a forward posture when drawing; and more reclined when listening to instructions from the front of the classroom.

The best school chair is one that encourages alternating sitting and body posture. Many student chairs provide good support for specific ‘correct’ postures. However, students perform diverse tasks, with each task having different postural requirements. Healthy students are anything but static and the idea that there is a single correct posture – even for a student performing a particular task – is not only untrue, but it is potentially harmful.

Good sitting is not contained within the narrow confines of one presumed correct posture but encompasses the range of movements that students use to comfortably and efficiently perform their diverse activities.

A chair provides the support necessary to allow decreased muscular effort when watching, listening or working, and provides the stability necessary for performing fine motor tasks.

When combined with an appropriate desk or work surface, a chair also provides the student with optimal physical and visual access to their work.

When selecting a chair make sure there is sufficient clearance behind the buttocks to ensure the backrest provides appropriate lumbar support with the student in a variety of postures. A wraparound shape of a backrest provides lateral support without compromising chest expansion when facing forwards, as well as providing a degree of lumbar support when the student is facing in other directions.

24

school news Term 4 - 2009

Ergonomic chairs are in use at Snells Beach Primary School

“

“Once you have the chair sorted it is then easy to team it up with the a desk or table at the correct height so that the student is sitting at a comfortable, healthy work station.”

Another requirement for selecting optimal seating is choosing the height that is appropriate for the child. This is achieved by measuring the student’s popliteal height, which is best described as the distance from the underside of the foot of the student’s normal footwear to the underside of the thighs at the point of flexion of the knee joint.

The contour of the backrest should correctly support the trunk and spine, and the seat pan should provide the child with a comfortable platform for sitting in a variety of positions and postures while still maintaining good pressure distribution and blood circulation.

Once you have the chair sorted it is then easy to team it up with the a desk or table at the correct height so that the student is sitting at a comfortable, healthy work station.

When a desk is too low, the child is forced to work with a bent back that strains the spine and supporting muscles. A desk that is too high causes the shoulders to be raised and creates muscle tightness and pain.

When sitting at the desk, the arms should be bent at 90 degrees.

The desk top is correct when the

tips of the elbows are one or two centimetres below the horizontal desk top.

We are most fortunate in New Zealand that a lot of the furniture available to our schools comes in many heights and shapes to suit the diverse range of student bodies that we have here.

When purchasing furniture schools need to go to a company that offers choice, flexibility of design, and an understanding that one size does not fit all.

Julie Carter and Dorothy Pearce are both owners and directors of Auckland company Distinction Furniture. They have been passionate suppliers of education furniture for 17 years and are Auckland’s largest supplier.

the classroom Classroom Furniture

Supplier Profile | Distinction Furniture

A Darn Good Yarn 11 YEARS AGO two birds who worked together decided they loved New Zealand schools and education so much they started their own company so they could offer schools – QUALITY, SERVICE, PROFESSIONAL ADVICE AND SMILES. They called themselves Education Furniture Specialists (EFS) and off they went.

Domiciled in a small back bedroom – without computers, phones and cars – they set about achieving their dream of being the best supplier to schools ever. Off to a factory in a 1979 Diesel Bedford Van, parking 500 meters away – so they weren’t seen in it – they proceeded to build their range.

Some people said EFS stood for Evil Female Society, they were wrong, and others said what would these two women know about business, they were right;

but they knew school furniture and the expectations of their learned purchasers.

They changed their name to Distinction in 2001 as the name reflected them as people and the company’s ethics.

Distinction stands for what they supply and how they do it … producers of goods and service at an excellent standard.

They worked all hours, during the day running around with samples and selling to schools and at night placing orders and doing all the paperwork.

They were tired and happy and getting busier and needed some more room. Off to the BIGGER back bedroom they went, joined by a second-hand, very noisy photocopier and a helper three and a half days a week. Growing and growing they soon needed another helper and the spacious back bedroom was like a closet – the two of them, two full time

Diana 021 701 720

Dorothy 021 674 766

James 021 321 350

Auckland South, East and Bay of Plenty

Waikato

Auckland North Shore, West, Central & Northland

helpers and the photocopier – so off to Parnell to a big space with a couple more helpers.

They now are in Eden Terrace in Auckland – and not planning on moving in the near future – with a big showroom and plenty of room for them and all their helpers.

Along the way there have been many laughs with helicopters, Chinese massage ladies, dastardly villains lurking in the bush, bright blue wigs, midnight snacks in Brisbane and heaps of conference funnies …

Oh – and they managed to put together the largest range of quality education furniture and a long serving dedicated team to boot.

The girls have always wanted to offer to schools the

Julie 021 687 416

best furniture and they have managed to continue to do that to this day.

There will be more to this story as Distinction continues to grow and serve New Zealand schools with innovative product, high quality goods, long time and interested team members and of course Distinction Jelly Beans.

Julie Carter and Dorothy Pearce, the two owners of Distinction, thank New Zealand schools for choosing Distinction as their preferred supplier and take this opportunity to also thank the Distinction team for embracing the company’s ethos and making it their own.

This is not the end of this yarn but the continuation of a great story …

The PANTOFLEX chair joins the Distinction range and this chair is the crème de la crème of student chairs. It is endorsed and recommended by the Chiropractors Association of Australia as a chair for children’s spinal health which is enhanced by the superior seated posture provided by this chair.

The PANTOFLEX was the selected student chair in the new schools that opened in 2009 Albany Senior High and Snells Beach and is the selected chair for the new school, Remarkables Primary, in Queenstown opening 2010.

It has no moving parts to break, high tensile steel frame, and ergonomically designed shell to allow students to sit on it THREE different ways. Simply, this is a chair that has been built for the punishment it’s not supposed to take, and, it’s up to the task hence the Lifetime guarantee it carries.

distinction

Showroom and Office: 8 Couldry Street Eden Terrace, Auckland Ph 09 523 4092, Fax 09 523 4093

www.distinction.net.nz

Term 4 - 2009 school news

25

Catering & Catering Equipment

food & beverage

Catering for all types

S

AUSAGE ROLLS, MEAT pies, donuts and apple fritters used to be standard fare in school canteens. These foods were easy to heat up, cheap to buy and popular with students.

These days, however, nutrition needs to be top of mind for those providing meals in school canteens and boarding hostels and the traditional standard fare is no longer a welcome sight. Schools are now also demanding more wholesome foods for special events and trips, such as camps and school formals.

Childhood obesity is on the rise, as is Type 2 diabetes. And with the Ministry of Health's 2002 National Children's Survey showing that just over half of the ďŹ ve â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 14-year-olds surveyed bought at least some of their food from the school canteen and with ďŹ ve per cent of children buying most of their food there, it is becoming increasingly important to provide economical, healthy options for students.

The recent scrapping of clause ďŹ ve of the National Administration Guidelines, which required schools to make only healthy options available to students, has brought fears that schools will turn their back on the promotion of healthy eating and will herald a return to the traditional canteen fare of sausage rolls and chips.

Many schools are now turning to outside catering companies to plan, prepare and serve nutritious, healthy and enjoyable food to students, whether in the school canteen or on a trip.

Catering companies will often

Big Group Catering

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

â&#x20AC;&#x153;These days, however, nutrition needs to be top of mind for those providing meals in school canteens and boarding hostels.â&#x20AC;?

prepare, cook and serve food on site, depending on the facilities available at the school. Sometimes, however, food is prepared oďŹ&#x20AC; site in culinary centres or large commercial contract kitchens, and this can be a drawcard for schools wanting to reduce their overheads, although in some cases the food wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;just cookedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; feel that food prepared on the premises has.

When searching for a catering company to provide food for students, schools should look for one that follows the Food and Beverage ClassiďŹ cation System

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school news Term 4 - 2009

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(FBCS), launched by the Ministry of Health in 2007, which identiďŹ es and promotes healthy food and drink options for children and adolescents.

The FBCS divides foods into three categories, those that can be consumed every day, such as sandwiches, vegetable-based soups, yoghurt, fruit and water; those that can be consumed sometimes, including pizza, muďŹ&#x192;ns and fruit juice; and those that should only occasionally be eaten, such as pies, sausage rolls, chocolate bars and ďŹ zzy drinks.

Menus should be reviewed regularly to ensure the most is made of food that is fresh and in season, and to ensure that the food served appeals to the students who are buying it. Using fresh, in season ingredients can also bring the cost per meal down to a manageable level.

The catering ďŹ rm should also

have a good understanding of the nutritional requirements of children and adolescents, as these diďŹ&#x20AC;er signiďŹ cantly from those of an adult. For example, children and adolescents require at least three servings of calcium per day to ensure strong bone development.

The range of diets can be as diverse as the students at the school, with students requiring vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free and gluten-free foods. The catering company should be able to provide meals that appeal to all diets and should be able to adapt menus for those with allergies to nuts and other foods.

For many schools, external caterers provide a cost eďŹ&#x20AC;ective option to ensure students are eating good quality, nutritious food during the school day. The problem now is convincing students they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to eat meat pies and donuts every day!

food & beverage Water

Choosing the right technology

“ C

“In rural schools, the filtration systems used can vary from those required by schools on treated water supply.”

HOOSING THE RIGHT technology to deliver water to your school involves a little more than just turning on the tap. And, with a number of options on the market today, finding the correct product to suit your school can be critical to the health and wellbeing of staff and students.

The Arctica Pure water machine is one of the latest water technologies to hit the school scene. The machine is environmentally-friendly and fills reusable bottles with purified, chilled water, and is virtually contamination free.

But, despite innovative products like this now on the market, Julie Cleaver from Pure Water Products believes the filtration of primary water in schools is still extremely important and will vary depending on the origin of the water supply.

“If the water is from a treated municipal supply (ie town or city water), the filtration options will look at removing chlorine, tastes and odours, any chemical from the water and reducing heavy metals.

“The range of options schools can choose from to do this are varied depending on the school’s filtration requirements. For example, we would recommend that all classrooms with running tap water have an under bench or countertop filter fitted. This would allow student more access to filtered water and the ability to fill water bottles from them. In addition, there is also the option of installing under bench chiller units, giving access to filtered chilled water,” she says.

In rural schools, the filtration systems used can vary from those

required by schools on treated water supply. Cleaver says this is because, in rural situations, the water is likely to come from rainwater or bore water.

“In rain water, Giardia and Cryptosporidium are of concern and can be a risk to the children and to staff health. Filtration technology removes these risks and it’s also designed to remove any dirt and sediment that can come from rainwater,” she says.

Bore water can also have problems varying from high levels of iron, manganese and nitrates, through to water hardness and the need for pH balancing.

“The technology to address bore water problems is to install high flow tanks that contain media to overcome any water quality issues.

Again (like tanks), these filtration systems should be installed on the main water line ensuring the whole school has access to filtered water.”

David Cranwell from Spring Water Coolers believes there’s a huge variance in the quality of products being sold and installed in New Zealand.

“As far as schools are concerned I would suggest drinking fountains for outside, inline water coolers for inside (if there is a mains source nearby to connect it to), and an under bench chiller and filter unit if there are space constrictions.

“At the end of the day though, water is water, it all comes from the natural weather system of rain and evaporation. There are no great mysteries, just filter it, drink it, and enjoy life.”

Term 4 - 2009 school news

27

Water

food & beverage

Keeping kids hydrated

O

ur bodies need water to work properly so it is vital that children drink more water while they are at school.

According to scientific research our bodies are made up of 55 – 75 percent water. Maintaining hydration is essential for most of our body’s chemical reaction.

For example, like a car radiator, water helps to maintain our body temperature.

We lose water every day via urine, faeces, our skin and our breath. Normally water loss is equivalent to water gain, so our body fluid volume remains constant.

“

“Water accounts for a larger proportion of children’s bodies, which increases their risk of dehydration.”

Dietitian Julia Lyon, says a loss of as little as three per cent body water in children can result in dehydration, with the associated symptoms of confusion, nausea, headaches and constipation, to name a few.

“Water accounts for a larger

ARE YOUR STUDENTS DRINKING HEALTHY WATER? Specialists in water filtration providing: • Under Bench Filters & Chillers • Class and Staffroom Water • Water Coolers & Fountains Filtration • Rural School Solutions for • Specialist Advice Roof/Tank & Bore Water • Waikato Based Installations Phone: 0800 746 744 or 07 834 0696 Email: info@purewater.co.nz 320 Barton St, HAMILTON

Courier Nationwide • www.purewater.co.nz 28

school news Term 4 - 2009

– Julia Lyon, dietician. proportion of children’s bodies, which increases their risk of dehydration.

Young children are especially at risk as they rely on caregivers to access drinks and are less likely to recognise thirst.”

A recent UK study reported a positive association between

water consumption and cognitive performance in children. The study found those with higher levels of water consumption performed significantly better on visual attention tasks such as spot the difference and letter cancellation.

Drinking Fountains, Water Coolers & Filter Systems Import direct provider of safe, durable, cost effective filtered water solutions. 100% Kiwi Co.

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Image courtesy of Playhouse Childcare Centre

food & beverage

• • While, in New Zealand, a systematic review commissioned

by Agencies for Nutritional Action in 2005 reported a significant positive association between the consumption of sugary drinks and childhood obesity.

“Fizzy drinks, sports drinks and fruit juices contain around 10-15 teaspoons of sugar per 600ml.

These beverages contribute

unnecessary energy to the diet and also promote tooth decay,” says Lyon.

“While some of these beverages contained added nutrients such as vitamin C, these benefits are outweighed by the negatives.

Sports drinks, often promoted for their ingredients, which increase the speed of hydration, are only necessary for elite athletes. Water is

•

•

Reminding students to drink.

Implementing school policies banning the consumption of sugary beverages within the school grounds.

Ensuring water fountains are readily accessible within the school grounds.

Incorporating messages on the benefits of drinking water into the class/school environment.

Kidney health The Kidney Health New Zealand’s National Just Water Week promotes

the importance of drinking water as an alternative to other fluids. A popular annual initiative already taken up by a number of schools throughout the country, it encourages children to drink more water through education and fundraising activities.

Kidney Health New Zealand education officer, Carmel Greganford, says the campaign’s main aim is to raise awareness of the high sugar content of many drinks sold in school canteens and generally consumed by children.

“Type 2 Diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate, and the rising numbers of obese people is contributing to this, so anything we can do to try and prevent these conditions is important.

“Water is not a cure all for every disease but it has an impact. Water has the power to make one feel healthy revived and balanced,” she says.

“Today we have all these concerns about everything we should and shouldn’t be eating, but here in New Zealand we have a free, easily accessible supply of a substance that can only help keep us healthy.”

by Leah Odgers

Water

by far the best choice for hydration.”

A recent trend amongst teenagers is carrying around bottled water.

Lyon says teenagers often favour bottled water for its convenience and taste. Unlike tap water, bottled water has often had chlorine removed, but this comes with a price tag.

“Bottle water is extremely overpriced for what you get. Tap and filtered water is far more cost effective and kinder on the environment. Children should be encouraged to recycle bottles by refilling them with water from taps,” she says.

Teachers can also encourage students to drink more water by:

Supplier Profile | International Water Vending Limited

Water for today’s schools SAFE WATER HAS become a big issue around the world and regular reports of contamination have caused many people to buy bottled water. New Zealand is no exception to this trend, and school water supplies can sometimes be unreliable given the state of the old pipes, dirty fountains and an uncertain water supply.

Arctica water purification and vending machines are very simply connected to a municipal water supply which is then purified by a choice or combination of pre-filtration, high pressure reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light sterilisation.

The self-serve vending machines can fill from 200ml to 20 litres. The students can have a choice of chilled water, or a small shot of flavour if the school desires.

“We often find that in 90 per cent of schools, the staff room has some sort of water filter or dispenser to provide clean water to the staff, but what about the kids?” says Anton Jones owner of Arctica Pure Water.

Watch the kids at these

machines – they just love using them. Give them a choice to use a fountain or this machine and you’ll be amazed at the results. Jones says “surely anything that will encourage kids to drink more water must be a good thing”.

For a limited time, the Arctica Cool Deluxe machines are being offered to schools with rolls of more than 400 students, free of charge.* They also offer cost effective renting options.

We will agree on a profit share arrangement with the school from the machine, and bottles sold.

Arctica Pure Water purification machines offer some fantastic benefits to schools and create a win/ win situation for everybody involved.

Environmentalists will also find the idea appealing because of the reuse of plastic bottles and containers.

Call Arctica now so they can talk to you about the above deal, various fundraising opportunities and machine options. * Some conditions do apply

Term 4 - 2009 school news

29

Sun Safety

health & safety

Slip, slop, slap and wrap

S

UMMER IS COMING and children are itching to run outside in the warmth of the sun.

However, with research showing that skin cancer is now amongst the most common cancers found in New Zealand and that people are more likely to be exposed to high levels of solar ultraviolet radiation as children, schools need to be more conscious of protecting their students from the dangers of sunburn.

One way schools can ensure they protect students is to join the Cancer Society’s SunSmart Schools Accreditation Programme, which sets out 12 minimum criteria for schools to ensure they are protecting their students from the sun. Criteria include ensuring students wear broad-brimmed hats, increasing the amount of environmental shade, role modelling by teachers, curriculum content and rescheduling outdoor activities to

30

school news Term 4 - 2009

times when solar ultraviolet radiation levels are less high.

A baseline study, conducted when the programme launched in 2005, found that not one school out of 242 surveyed met all 12 programme criteria. Just four per cent met 10 or 11 of the criteria with most – 69 per cent – meeting seven or less.

Dr Tony Reeder, director of the Cancer Society Social and Behavioural Research Unit at the Dunedin School of Medicine says the criteria schools tended to have the most problems with was wearing suitably sun protective hats and other clothing. “Despite it being a key component of adequate protection, only 44 per cent of schools required pupils to wear suitable hats. For some schools it was important that children were out playing and they didn’t want to put conditions on that. But it is important for schools to be sun

Children are at school during the peak sunburn times of 12 to 2pm.

health & safety Sun Safety

“

“Schools have a responsibility to protect them at school, educate about risk and provide a good example to the wider community.”

– Dr Tony Reeder, director Cancer Society Social and Behavioural Research Unit, Dunedin School of Medicine

smart. “Children are at school for the majority of daylight hours, including the peak sunburn time of 12 to 2pm. Schools have a responsibility to protect them at school, educate about risk and provide a good example to the wider community,” he says.

Schools primarily need to be concerned about sun protection in terms one and four when damaging ultraviolet light is at its most intense.

With media attention focused on the issue of skin cancer and the damage caused by exposure to the sun, schools now appear to be taking the SunSmart message much more seriously. The programme now has more than 300 schools around the country accredited and meeting all 12 of the SunSmart criteria, and the research unit will carry out a further survey of 500 schools in term one 2010 to check how well students are being protected.

EW

Become a SunSmart school The 12 minimum criteria schools must meet to gain the Cancer Society’s SunSmart Schools Accreditation include: •

•

•

Implementing a sun protection policy during terms 1 and 4, when ultraviolet radiation levels are most intense.

All staff, students and parents / caregivers are informed of the sun protection policy and its intended practices.

All students are required to wear a broad brimmed (minimum 7.5cm brim), legionnaire or bucket hat (minimum 6cm brim, deep crown) when outside.

•

Students not wearing a hat are required to play in allocated shade areas.

•

The use of broad spectrum (SPF 30+) sunscreen is encouraged.

•

The use of sun protective clothing is encouraged (e.g. sleeves and collars).

•

Staff are encouraged to act as role models by practising SunSmart behaviours.

•

SunSmart education programmes are included in the curriculum at all levels every year.

•

The sun protection policy is reflected in the planning of all outdoor events (eg

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Outdoor activities are rescheduled, whenever possible, to minimise time outdoors between 11am and 4pm.

•

The school has sufficient shade or is working towards increasing the number of trees and shade structures so as to provide adequate shade in the school grounds.

•

The Board of Trustees and principal review the sun protection policy regularly, including making suggestions or improvements at least once every three years.

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0800 144 155 Term 4 - 2009 school news

31

Encouraging exercise

health & safety

Encouraging students to exercise

A

COMMON PROBLEM facing many schools is the rate at which students drop out of sports participation as they get older.

Teenage girls, overweight students, those from ethnic minorities and disabled students, in particular, tend to give up playing organised sports, such as netball, cricket and hockey, in large numbers when they reach high school. A recent Sport Canterbury study, for instance revealed that 14 per cent of girls reduced their activity levels between the ages of 14 and 18.

Studies looking at the reasons behind the disinterest in sports have found reasons ranging from not wanting to exercise in front of other people and being embarrassed by the way they look in sports attire to the belief that sport isn’t fun and they are no good at it.

This decrease in physical activity, combined with the rising level of obesity amongst New Zealand’s

“

“Competition is good, but it has to be achievable and available to students at every level.” – David Wilson, Concept2

children and teenagers, has prompted the government to pump $82 million into sports participation.

The Kiwisport initiative will provide $24 million to primary schools, $21 million to secondary schools and $37 million to a regional fund to be administered by Regional Sports Trusts over the next four years.

At the launch of the Kiwisport initiative in August, Prime Minister John Key said schools are a vital catchment area in which young New Zealanders can be introduced to organised sport.

INDOOR ROWING

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school news Term 4 - 2009

“Sport has undeniable benefits in terms of physical fitness, teamwork, and leadership. Getting more kiwi kids involved at school level can lead to a lifetime of involvement in organised sport.”

But, with certain groups of students not willing to tackle traditional school sports, what alternatives can schools provide to encourage these students to take part in physical activity?

Indoor action Forms of physical activity that don’t seem like exercise are finding increasing favour with students that find it difficult or lack the enthusiasm for traditional schools sports.

Dancing, tai chi, Pilates and indoor rock climbing are proving popular with students. The noncompetitive nature of these activities is encouraging greater participation and students of all abilities are able to have a go.

Indoor rowing is another sport that allows students of all abilities to participate.

David Wilson of indoor rowing equipment distributor, Concept2, says the core groups that schools

and sports clubs find hard to reach, such as girls and overweight teenagers, shy away from organised sports where competition is encouraged.

“Competition is good, but it has to be achievable and available to students at every level. Indoor rowing levels out the playing field by enabling competitions over a set time, so no-one finishes last.

“In many instances it provides a place for the larger students to shine as they have the body weight to out row their more active peers, which helps build their self-confidence and can then lead in to further exercise.”

According to Wilson, indoor rowing also works well in special need schools which cater for children with physical, learning and behavioural difficulties as it allows them to take part in exactly the same activity as their peers in mainstream schools.

With sports like climbing, dancing and indoor rowing being offered as alternatives to traditional sports it is likely that schools will start to see an increase in participation levels, particularly amongst the hard to reach groups.

sports & recreation Fitting out a gymnasium

Fitting out a gymnasium

C

ONGRATULATIONS – YOU’RE GETTING a new gymnasium.

For a school to have reached this point of ‘go ahead’, a thorough process will have been followed in order to determine just what type of facility best suits your schools’ needs.

Not that many years ago there was a generally accepted standard format for a school gymnasium.

Typically, the building would be just a bit bigger than the netball or basketball court. Occasionally it would have a spectator area but would also be set up with wall bars, horizontal bars, climbing ropes, box horses and the like, for the traditional PE style gymnasium.

In reality, a school gymnasium can be tailored to whatever you need it to be. All of the traditional PE equipment is still available along with posts and nets for netball, volleyball, basketball and badminton, along with scoreboards,

“

“The best form of maintenance is preventative maintenance.”

divider curtains, climbing walls, bleacher seats and much more.

For a primary or intermediate school, the new building may be a dedicated gymnasium away from the school hall or, alternatively, it may need to function in that capacity too and be used for assemblies and school performances, and may have a stage.

In a secondary school the building may be a new gymnasium to complement the existing gymnasium which was built when

the school opened. In which case, it will probably still need to be multi use, but focused on sports.

Making a choice A reputable equipment supplier should be involved at an early stage during the design process. This is not to discuss products in detail, rather the general concept of how the equipment and proposed layout will integrate into the overall building design.

Suppliers have the advantage of having been involved with a great many gymnasiums, which provides

the ability to draw on experience to make practical and well proven recommendations.

Equally important, though, is for staff to visit other new facilities to look at the choices other schools have made – this may give you some additional ideas or reinforce your own views, either way it is a very worthwhile exercise.

Once you have a clearer indication of what is required, an equipment supplier is often happy to advise on the necessary supports, brackets, attachment points and power requirements, along with recommendations about floor sockets and fitments, and the necessary thickenings in the concrete slab under the sports floor.

In most cases you will be working with an architect who will lead you through this process but they will need this information in order to finalise their design.

34 X

Supplier Profile | Gymleader New Zealand Limited

Looking for help with gymnasium equipment?

GYMLEADER NEW ZEALAND Limited is one of this country’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of specialised sports and fitness equipment.

Established more than 45 years ago as Gymnastic Equipment Limited they originally specialised in making Gymnastic apparatus under the Gymleader brand.

Over the years the product range has been expanded and the company now manufactures over 242 product lines for 24 different sports codes.

Most schools, recreation centres and gymnasiums have at least one item of Gymleader equipment which is why the company offers a comprehensive maintenance program to service and repair equipment to ensure that it is always in good condition and safe to use.

Gymleader can supply single

pieces of equipment but also specialises in completing full fit-outs for sports facilities.

This service extends right from consultation and advice at the design stage through to the installation and commissioning of the equipment. Clients are able to select from the wide range of standard equipment or have items custom designed and manufactured to suit their specific needs.

With a great many projects now completed, Gymleader has the ability to draw on this experience and utilise the knowledge and ideas gained over the years to present practical, well proven, real life solutions for the modern gymnasium or sports facility.

Gymleader Sports Equipment – proudly New Zealand manufactured – perhaps they can help you too.

Term 4 - 2009 school news

33

Fitting out a gymnasium

sports & recreation

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school news Term 4 - 2009

There will always be decisions to be made right through the construction process, however, the more detail that can be agreed and detailed into the documents prior to the start of construction, the smoother and simpler the process will become.

Equipment maintenance Other than perhaps a little maintenance, generally, the equipment installed in a school gymnasium maybe 30 years ago will still be serviceable – and there is no reason why the equipment in your new facility shouldn’t provide long term service too.

However, because this is a good thing and is often exactly what schools need, it does tend to create apathy towards regular maintenance of the equipment.

The best form of maintenance is preventative maintenance.

Regular checks and adjustments can help to avoid the occurrence of unscheduled breakdowns or failures. It is not uncommon, when we are working at a school, to find equipment worth hundreds or thousands of dollars out of action for the sake of a few dollars needed to

correct or replace a small component or part.

Worse is when equipment reaches the point of needing significant work to rectify it, all because a small problem was ignored.

So, preventative maintenance not only goes a long way towards ensuring that the equipment is in a safe and serviceable condition, it also helps to control unexpected expenditure.

For schools an annual inspection of all sports equipment should be implemented. Each piece of equipment should be fully detailed, along with its condition and any maintenance recommendations.

This report can then form part of the school’s ongoing health and safety procedure, and demonstrates the commitment in that area. The report can also be used as a tool to monitor any maintenance trends and to assist with setting budgets for coming years.

There is a lot to consider when planning a new school gymnasium, but it will be worth it when the students are using the facilities and participating in physical activity.

By Mark Davies, managing director, Gymleader New Zealand.

property

T

O UNDERSTAND WHAT motivates taggers to deface public spaces we need to take a broad, objective look at the psychology behind the action.

Armed with this insight – where tagging is most likely to occur and why – principals and boards of trustees can prevent property damage and recover quickly when it does occur, thereby reducing the possibility of further attacks.

While graffiti advocates perceive graffiti as art or as a method of reclaiming public space, the rest of us regard it as expensive vandalism requiring immediate repair of the damaged property.

The act of graffiti can be viewed as a ‘quality of life’ issue and its presence contributes to a general sense of social decline, a heightened fear of crime and devaluation of assets.

There are many reasons for graffiti in schools and many of the people caught defacing property with graffiti are teenagers. In fact, most pure vandalism, which includes graffiti, tends to be committed by young people.

Taggers need their friends to know what they are capable of achieving at many levels. Creativity, danger of being caught, bravado, cavalier attitude and the difficulty in accessing the structure, all play a part in helping taggers to establish themselves in a hierarchy that is part of the graffiti subculture.

They rebel against authority and see their moniker as a way to publicly announce this attitude, whilst receiving kudos from their peers for the method of delivery.

Defacing government and public property is a particularly effective way to get back at the establishment.

Rather than tackle confrontational issues in a personal manner, graffiti vandals vent their anger and

frustrations on an inanimate object that cannot defend itself against attack. It is a vicarious form of assault that leaves the attacker feeling empowered and satisfied … for the short term.

Graffiti-free schools Responding quickly to graffiti is a key element of prevention. Quick and consistent clean-up will deter vandals from returning.

The reason for this reduction is because of a shift in the vandals’ environment.

A clean, graffiti-free school sends out a message that vandalism is not appropriate in this environment and young people are likely to respond to that message.

There are schools in New Zealand that have very few problems with graffiti. One Auckland secondary school, which has a huge graffiti problem on its main campus, has absolutely no graffiti problem with the Ethnic Studies Unit. This, according to the facilities manager, is due to a zerotolerance approach and mana for the building from the pupils who attend the unit.

By virtue of their role as a public space, schools need to be accessible to the community, thus leaving them open to graffiti vandalism. Schools are vulnerable at anytime, but particularly so at weekends and holidays when there are few authoritarian figures and witnesses around, and the boredom of free time calls for more exciting pursuits.

Schools commonly face two sorts of attack: • Random tagging and glass etching.

• Planned break ins that lead to willful damage. At the high end of this scale is arson.

Graffiti attacks at primary schools

are, generally, not caused by current students. The perpetrators tend to be ex-pupils bearing a grudge or a highly developed sense of anti-establishment and a desire to be noticed by erstwhile students.

The signature in the exercise book may still be recognisable at a stylised tag. Indeed, exercise book tagging may be the start of a career in tagging.

Dealing with the problem Schools need to consider how to best deal with this ubiquitous problem.

As a principal or board of trustees member, it is useful to evaluate the most cost-effective, productive course of action.

There are many possible solutions, each with varying degrees of effectiveness and cost including: • Access denial.

• Vegetation screening.

• Lighting.

• Security.

• Glass-etching and security films.

• Graffiti protection coatings.

One thing is for certain, the faster a tag is removed, the less exposure

and gratification for the tagger. Rapid removal response times will result in the tagger feeling he/she is wasting their time. They will eventually give up on a particular site and move on to another location where no countermeasures are in place.

International research on the effects of graffiti upon staff and students within the education system shows huge gains in morale when a site becomes and stays graffiti free. It is liberating and extremely satisfying to take back control of one’s own environment and encourages students to engage fully in pride of place behaviours.

Graffiti Protection

Psychology of a graffiti artist

Steve Harris is the managing director of Graffiti Solutions Ltd. He has 12 years’ experience in heading up New Zealand’s premier graffiti control company and is regularly requested to speak at graffiti control forums.

Exercise book tagging may be the start of a career in tagging.

The Graffiti-Guard Clean Wall Guarantee A 12 month service contract, under which we will remove all graffiti vandalism from agreed areas for a fixed annual payment.

• No limits to the number of call outs • No excess charges • Optional Add Ons• Glass Scratch Removal • Anti Graffiti Coatings • “Contractor Grade” Graffiti Guard Graffiti Removal products

MAKING OUR CLIENTS LOOK GOOD SINCE 1972 Don’t forget to ask for Obligation FREE quotes on General Exterior Painting & Cleaning including Long Term Painting Maintenance Contracts.

GRAFFITI GUARD SERVICES LTD graffiti@xtra.co.nz • www.graffiti-guard.co.nz

Term 4 - 2009 school news

35

Sports Field Maintenance

property

Unlocking the secrets of sports field maintenance

S

CHOOLS FACE THE unenviable challenge of trying to fund the different training requirements of their students.

Inevitably sports fields, despite being a major educational facility, are at the bottom of the ‘food chain’ when it comes to receiving funding.

Consequently sports fields at many schools fail to meet expectations at sometime during the year and the same problems often reoccur from one year to the next.

Although economic reasons are often cited for the fields’ substandard performance there are other considerations, namely: • Poorly defined or unrealistic expectations.

• Lack of an appropriate asset management plan to support expectations.

• Lack of appropriate maintenance plans.

• The reactive maintenance approach that is often adopted (aside from mowing and weed

•

control).

Inappropriate prioritisation of resources.

Specialist, independent sports turf consultants help schools obtain better playing surfaces for their maintenance dollars by providing clear and independent advice, with the added benefit of improved playing conditions, which assist pupils to build better playing skills and add to the enjoyment of sport.

The provision of quality sports fields requires a number of considerations to be worked through.

Defining expectations The expectation for each field should be clearly defined. This provides the basis for identifying capital and maintenance requirements and thus establishing appropriate budgets.

Equally it enables schools to quickly determine the appropriateness (or otherwise) of a

given expectation.

• Is closure due to wet weather acceptable?

• What is the maximum number of day’s closure that is acceptable?

• How much play (use) must we accommodate?

• What level of play are we accommodating – senior representative play vs. junior or casual use?

Asset management plan The next step is developing an appropriate asset management plan for this expectation.

A feasibility study will need to be conducted to confirm the limiting factors and options available for moving forwards.

The most appropriate grass for the school’s situation will need to be identified, along with the maintenance requirements and costs for the different grassing options. For example, temperate grasses, such as ryegrass or

browntop, are used on fields in most parts of New Zealand. However, new options such as Kikuyu are now the grass of choice for Auckland and further north given its better performance and typically lower maintenance costs than traditional grassing options.

It is also necessary to identify the capital improvement options that best meet the school’s expectations and the ramifications of each option. Potential options for improving the availability of the fields for play during winter include: • Additional, appropriate maintenance – e.g. vertidraining.

• Improving levels to prevent ponding.

• Subsurface drainage.

• Sand technology.

• Artificial surfaces.

Each of these options provides differing levels of service and financial impact for the school.

Supplier Profile | Tiger Turf Limited

Get more from your sports ground and less from your maintenance team New Zealand made, synthetic TigerTurf is a proven cost saver for schools around the country.

A TigerTurf multi-use sports ground significantly increases the usefulness of your recreational areas, encouraging pupil participation in your sports programmes whilst decreasing your ongoing maintenance costs.

No more closed or covered sports grounds due to bad weather, no more cancellations or re-scheduling, no more re-planting, fertilising, irrigation or mowing.

Our ongoing, specialist “Astrocare” maintenance programme means that your TigerTurf is kept in tip top shape and your own maintenance team can focus on more important jobs.

P 0800 804 134 | E info@tigerturf.co.nz

www.tigerturf.co.nz

36

school news Term 4 - 2009

Get more from your sports ground MAINTAINING SPORTS FIELDS is a continuous process all schools must undertake resulting in ongoing maintenance costs.

Schools generally have three options for sports surfaces – natural grass, asphalt or concrete and synthetic turf. Although the upfront cost of a natural grass surface can be considerably less than a synthetic sports ground, once funding is secured and the new synthetic surface built, schools report huge savings on ongoing maintenance along with many other benefits.

Although manufactured from synthetic yarn, surfaces also have a significant “green” side. There is no need to mow them, no fertilisers or insecticides getting into the waterways. There is no need to cover synthetic surfaces when it rains or water them when it’s dry, significantly reducing the need for (and cost of) water. A synthetic surface simply requires collection of litter and leaves, grooming and moss control.

Other benefits of a synthetic solution is its versatility with many activities being played on the one surface, use not restricted by poor weather, enhancing skill development and reducing injuries on surfaces that perform well for many years.

There are genuine limitations to maintaining a quality natural turf.

Synthetic sports surfaces create highly productive, cost effective areas and increase enjoyment for staff and pupils.

For more information contact TigerTurf on 0800 804 134 or visit www.tigerturf.co.nz

property A basic, regular maintenance programme is more cost-effective than letting the fields run down and spending several thousand dollars to resurface them – not to mention the additional costs required for cleaning classrooms thanks to muddy feet/bodies.

Although each field is unique it is important to be realistic. The greater your expectations, or the more a field is used, the greater the maintenance requirements will be.

Priorities for maintenance activities should be based on the amount of use a field receives and/ or the importance of each field.

Generally, high use fields require greater inputs than lower use fields.

Too often, the maintenance of fields is made unnecessarily complicated or expensive. The key is to prioritise resources and place the emphasis on those options that will provide the best return for your maintenance dollar.

For many schools, the maintenance priority list would consist of: • Mowing – appropriate equipment that will not damage the field (e.g. tyre marks from cleated tyres), mowing frequency and height are the

•

•

•

most important requirements.

Usage control – where modern sand or synthetic surfaces are not an option, closure of the field(s) when they are excessively wet or soft will provide major benefits for the school, both in better playing quality for the remainder of the year and significant savings due to reduced renovation.

Nitrogen fertilization – too often fertiliser programmes are unnecessarily complicated and expensive. Strategic nitrogen fertiliser applications during autumn/early winter should be the first priority and will provide a stronger plant through winter, when retaining grass cover is paramount.

Weed control – for schools, weed control is critical (particularly for clover and Onehunga weed) to avoid the health (bee stings) and nuisance problems that they create.

Sports Field Maintenance

Maintenance plan

Damage caused by overuse during training

Following these steps can help create sports field that will hold up to constant use throughout the year.

By Baz Woodcock, sales and marketing manager, NZ Sports Turf Institute.

Saint Kentigern College sand carpet/couch playing field.

Supplier Profile | Turf Equipment

School grounds mowing and collection solutions!

TURF EQUIPMENT NZ LTD has long been a solutions provider for golf clubs, schools and councils throughout New Zealand.

Turf Equipment is proud to be New Zealand’s distributor of Gianni Ferrari, TYM and Lastec which offers our customers a variety of solutions.

Gianni Ferrari provide the most innovative grass collection mower in the market place from nippy zero turn options for the flat surfaces

to 4WD models for the more demanding of contours.

TYM is a Korean tractor that provides the end user with a robust but simple unit that is flexible in use to provide a wide range of services to the operator. When coupled with our American manufactured Lastec tow behind rotary mowing units, TYM & Lastec provide a low cost, high quality solution for wide area mowing with cutting widths ranging from 2.5m – 3.65m.

Wide area mowers and turf maintenance machines www.turfequipment.co.nz 0800 887 337

Turf Equipment can also provide new and used replacement gang mowers and also has a range of parts to support most brands of mowing equipment on the market Turf Equipment are committed to finding the right solution for its customers and would be only happy to advise in your mowing solutions.

Term 4 - 2009 school news

37

Preparing Pools For Summer

property

Managing a school pool

S

CHOOL SWIMMING POOLS are valued educational and community assets, which need to be managed appropriately and used responsibly.

There are a number of pieces of legislation and standards with which schools are required to comply for the operation and management of a school swimming pool.

Combined, these ensure a safe and secure environment for pool users, as the school swimming pool is perhaps one of the most potentially dangerous sites within a school.

To ensure pools are ready to go for safe summer swimming, it is important to ensure the water in the pool meets Water Quality Standard NZS 5826:2000.

The purpose of this standard is to maintain the chemical and microbiological levels to a safe level for use and enjoyment, as well as ensuring the degradation of the pool and plant equipment is minimised.

Because this standard provides a means of safeguarding the health of those using school swimming pools, it has been made a requirement of the Ministry of Education’s Health and Safety Code of Practice.

38

school news Term 4 - 2009

“

“In the context of a school swimming pool, this requirement means schools must ensure any staff with the responsibility for managing the pool or using the pool are adequately trained.”

Therefore, it is mandatory for New Zealand state and state integrated schools to comply with the standard.

The current standard is being reviewed with a proposed move to a more risk management based approach that should lessen compliance costs for school pools. The review is scheduled for completion in mid 2010.

Schools need to check on the safety and security of the fencing surrounding the school pool. The Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987, for example, requires any swimming or spa pool deeper than 400mm to be fenced. The Act clearly details the specifications for the construction of a pool fence, including information on height, ground clearance, materials, gates

and doors, and the operation of gates and doors.

The Act also details the compliance in accordance with the Building Act 1991 and the Building Code.

The Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 also applies to schools and is an important consideration when preparing school pools for summer use.

Under the act, Boards of Trustees are required to take all practicable steps to provide and maintain a safe working environment, provide and maintain facilities for the safety and health of employees at work, and to ensure actions at work do not result in harm to other people, including members of the public.

Specific reference is made to the

adequate training and supervision of staff that use any kind of plant or substance. In the context of a school swimming pool, this requirement means schools must ensure any staff with the responsibility for managing the pool or using the pool are adequately trained.

Outside of school hours, the Boards of Trustees are not directly responsible nor liable for any harm to pool users providing the pool and surrounds are safe [as is normally required] when the pool is available to the public. Supervision and control of pool users outside of school hours is not the responsibility of the Boards of Trustees, however, it is recommended your school policy on supervision be clearly specified to pool users.

property

Boards of Trustees are legally obliged to ensure the safety of all people who use school facilities, including the pool. Boards of Trustees must ensure they reduce the chances of people drowning or injuring themselves while using the pool.

It is recommended that Boards of Trustees establish policies for the use of the school swimming pool, both during school hours and outside of school hours. Access to school pools outside of school hours is often a concern for Boards of Trustees, however, through the development of a sound policy addressing obligations and expected behaviours of pool users, this use can be better managed and the risks minimised.

Swimming pool policy Boards are required to publicise a policy detailing the use of the swimming pool. This policy should be available to all pool users, including the public, who use the pool with the permission of the Board.

The content of the policy should include rules of the pool, use of equipment and location of amenities

Preparing Pools For Summer

Ensuring pool safety

and the following safety provisions: • No person is to swim alone.

• Children under eight years are not permitted in the swimming pool area unless supervised by a person at least 16 years old.

• During any session when the pool is in use, there shall be at least one person designated as the swimming pool supervisor who will supervise the pool at all times. The number of additional supervisors required will be determined by the number of swimmers.

• The pool gate shall be securely closed at all times.

• Behaviour that could be considered dangerous, such as running, pushing, holding under and screaming, is prohibited.

• A list with an emergency telephone number and the location of the first aid kit.

Further information with regard the safe operation and management of school swimming pools can be sourced from the following website www.poolsafe.org.nz.

by Chris Robinson, marketing, Water Safety New Zealand.

Supplier Profile | Pool Smart

Nothing beats experience and expertise.

POOL SMART IS a Christchurch based business owned by Vern & Julie McNicol, specializing in the commercial and domestic aquatic markets. With over 18-years experience, Vern is well placed to provide quality and cost effective service and advice you can trust.

A large part of Pool Smart’s business is with schools in the greater Canterbury region. Some current school projects are: • Installation of a 75kw heat pump for an outdoor 23 metre pool.

• Installation of an 80m² solar system for an outdoor pool.

• Alteration of existing pool covers and supply of new pool covers and reel systems.

• Sandblasting and painting of a 25 metre outdoor pool.

• Replacement of a large filtration and disinfection system for a 25 metre pool.

• Installation of skimmer boxes

Specializing in the commercial and domestic markets into an older learner’s pool.

• Various work on a 25 metre and separate 12 metre learner’s pools including crack repairs, filter repairs, pump replacement and skimmer box installation etc.

• Detection of leaks in an outdoor pool and subsequent repairs as required.

Pool Smart also supplies water testing equipment and chemicals, pool hardware, cleaning equipment, as well as provide staff training etc from informal training through to one and two day NZQA water quality courses, which are run on behalf of Watermark Training & Consultancy Ltd.

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lll#eddahbVgi#Xd#co Term 4 - 2009 school news

39

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Polypropylene carpets for outdoor use

Traffic Control, Speed Humps etc.

Call us on 0800 806 287 fax 04 569 5202 or email sales@arrowmats.co.nz for any queries or quotes Remember...

You’ll never buy better!

www.arrowmats.co.nz