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1449 days ago

Have you recently decorated a home with Resene paints? If so, you could be a winner.

Resene

Resene and Your Home & Garden are on the lookout for the most stunning interior or exterior colour scheme created with Resene paints to be featured in Your Home & Garden magazine.

Monthly winners win $250 of Resene paint vouchers and the grand winner $5000 cash!

What we are looking for:
Clever interior colours
Inventive paint projects
Exciting exterior paint
Entries are now open!

How to enter:
Email photos and a 200-word or more description of your space to yhg@bauermedia.co.nz with your last name and ‘Resene Colour Home’ in the subject line. Please include your name, home address, email address, daytime phone number, the names of the Resene colours used, and details of when your space was painted. Please credit anyone who assisted you in choosing your colours. The five finalists will each appear in Your Home and Garden, starting from the December issue. Every finalist will receive a $250 Resene voucher and a feature in the magazine, with the winner taking out the Resene Colour Home Awards and $5000 cash. An extended story on the winning home will feature in the June 2021 issue.

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1 day ago

Head for bed

Resene

Short on space? Why not make a slatted headboard finished in Resene Colorwood Whitewash and incorporate shelves that can be moved into position as a side table between the slats.

Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.
Find out more

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1 day ago

Education changes: Area schools ‘copping it from all directions’

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

A North Canterbury principal says area schools are ‘‘copping it from all directions’’ with Government changes to education.

Amuri Area School principal Matt Barlow has written to Education Minister Erica Stanford to ask whether the pace of change can be slowed down.

Area schools cover all year levels from new entrants to year 13, tend to be smaller and are based in rural areas, meaning they face pressures to implement curriculum changes across the board.

‘‘Schools like Rangiora High School don’t have to worry about year 1 to 3 literacy and numeracy, and primary schools don’t have to worry about changes to NCEA.

‘‘We are a bit of an afterthought. Area schools are like an airport and principals are like air traffic controllers, with planes coming from all directions.’’

While some rural school rolls are falling, Amuri Area School is managing a growing roll.

The roll has jumped from 335 to 380 students since the start of 2023, which includes its largest roll of year 7s (50) and year 13s (22).

Barlow said the school is working with the Ministry of Education to design a new building for science, technology and arts classes.
No budget or timeframe has been decided.

Amuri Area School is in Culverden, on the way to Hanmer Springs, and the relative isolation adds to the challenges.

The relief teacher pool is limited, meaning Barlow and his two deputy principals have had to step into the classroom several times this year.

Roger Hornblow became principal at Cheviot Area School in term four last year, having been a long serving primary school principal.

‘‘Area schools are very complex and I don’t think it is appreciated by everybody.

‘‘We are dealing with the NCEA changes and the year 0 to 8 changes. It is really complex.

‘‘But that is part and parcel of the beast and we need to make sure we do it in a way which give students the best outcomes.’’

It means professional development is constant, and Hornblow is pleased with how his staff are stepping up.

He would like to see ‘‘a unified education policy’’ which did not change every time there is a change of Government.

The New Zealand Education Institute Te Riu Roa and the New Zealand Principals' Federation also called on the Government last week to slow down the implementation of new structured math and English curriculum.

New NCEA literacy and numeracy online tests have also come under fire from secondary school principals around the country.

Education Minister Erica Stanford said extra support is being provided to area schools in North Canterbury, with curriculum advisors visiting schools, assisting with teacher only days and providing webinars.

The schools also have the support of the ministry's area school leadership advisor Stephen Beck, who is taking a year out from his role as principal at Hurunui College.

"Support will be ongoing as the local team looks to ensure our rural area schools have the assistance they require to implement and embed these changes."

But she said introducing structured literacy and numeracy will take time, especially for schools teaching it for the first time.

"Embedding a curriculum refresh, running professional development and responding to our sector feedback are things we will work on together over the coming years."

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

2 days ago

Ryman's award winning lifestyle

The Team from Ryman Healthcare

Our residents and their families have spoken loud and clear: Ryman is their top choice in retirement living.

We’re proud to be recognised by Canstar Blue for having the Most Satisfied Customers, which complements our tenth win of Reader’s Digest’s Most Trusted Brand.

As we celebrate 40 years since opening our first village, these recognitions reinforce Ryman’s commitment to exceptional care and excellence in retirement living.

Click find out more for more information.
Find out more

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