Ward School gets ERO tick

Ward School, in Marlborough, has received a positive report from the Education Review Office – the first report since principal Willem Lampe took the helm in 2009.

Mr Lampe was both nervous and excited about his first review as a principal and wanted to have an outside view into how the school was run.

"I hoped everything I was doing, everything we [as staff] were doing, was correct. I've been in the job for a couple of years and was keen to find out if I was cutting it," he said.

He is, according to ERO.

The report says Mr Lampe, who took up his role in term one of 2009 after teaching at Renwick School and Bohally Intermediate, "leads school operations effectively and is committed to continuous improvement of outcomes for students".

The report, released to the school last week, also praises the strong family and community involvement in the school.

Mr Lampe said he was glad the ERO assessors recognised the community's integral role within the school.

Parts of the curriculum at the decile six school, which has 52 pupils, including arts, technology and health need to be developed, but the school already has a timeline for the work, the report says.

Mr Lampe said the school was also developing a stronger Maori aspect to pupils' learning after meeting with the settlement's Maori community late last year.

Instead of focusing on the language and culture for a few weeks during the term, it would be incorporated into everyday lessons and school life, he said.

The next review of the school is in three years and in the meantime Mr Lampe hopes to continue to improve the school, grow himself as a principal and leader and develop more community involvement in the school.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 12:00 18/05/2011

DEREK FLYNN/Marlborough Express

Top marks: Ward School and principal Willem Lampe have both been given a gold star by the Education Review Office.

Girls put to work for school

Blenheim businesses and homes which could use extra pairs of hands can next week tap into a resource only available one afternoon a year.

For four hours on May 25, Blenheim's workforce will grow by about 1000 as Marlborough Girls' College students put down their textbooks and do work for businesses and homes to fundraise for the school.

The school's work day is their biggest fundraiser of the year and in the past has paid for improvements to the college campus, including installing outdoor seating, tables and shade umbrellas.

Businesses and families are asked to pay $30 to students under 16, and $40 to those over 16 for help with their odd jobs.

Acting assistant principal Helen Simpson said more business and home owners were needed to employ the students.

Ms Simpson said the fundraiser was run by a student council whose members decided how to spend the money at the school.

The money was usually spent on things seen as an investment into the college and gave students the chance to leave their mark on the school, she said.

Business and home owners who need work done should contact Helen Simpson, ph 520 8448 ext 826 or email helen.simpson@mgc.school.nz.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 12:00 18/05/2011

BEN CURRAN/The Marlborough Express

On a mission: Claudia Crawford, 17, head of the Marlborough Girls' College school council, is helping to organise placements for her classmates for the school's annual workday on Wednesday next week.

Brass band brings gift of music SIMON WONG

From a classroom at Redwoodtown School in Blenheim yesterday came the sound of a few off musical notes, and a lot of laughter.

A small group of pupils from different year groups took part in a brass instrument lesson taught by Marlborough District Brass Band conductor Kevin Moseley as part of the school's new performing arts programme.

Principal Gary Hildyard said the school is running the programme for the first time and it opens up the world of music and drama to the pupils using the skills available in the community.

Members of the Blenheim Musical Theatre approached the school to start the programme, he said.

Pupils will do a rotation for the next two weeks, playing the ukulele, violin, recorder, and also singing, dancing, and acting as part of the programme in the hopes they will pick up a hobby for life or find a career path.

If they want to continue learning one of the instruments or performing arts, extra lessons will be provided throughout the year, Mr Hildyard said.

If it is successful, the programme will continue next year, he said.

Travis Kendall, 9, can't play an instrument yet, but hopes to get piano lessons and one day make a career from music.

"Music is ... I can't explain it, but I really like it," he said.

Mr Hildyard urged the class to pick up an instrument and keep learning one because he regretted turning down an opportunity to learn to play the piano as a child. "It was the silliest thing I've ever done," he told them.

- The Marlborough Express

Last updated 12:00 18/05/2011

BEN CURRAN

Clockwise form top left: Travis Kendall, 9, on the Trombone, Shanae Deacon, 12, on the Flugelhorn, Matthew Briggs, 10, on the Tenor Horn and Ashley Morgan-MacDonald, 12, on the Trombone.

Road closure pleases residents SIMON WONG

Residents of Ross Ln in Grovetown agree with the Marlborough District Council's decision to close direct access to the quiet lane from State Highway 1, saying the intersection is too dangerous.

Resident Ian Ruffell, whose step-son, Steven Evans was left a tetraplegic after the car he was in was hit by a freight train on the Ross Ln railway level crossing in September 2008, said the intersection had to go.

"It's too dangerous even coming from Picton [where it is not necessary to cross the centre line to enter Ross Ln], because of the volume of traffic", he said.

"There's going to be another smash one of these days."

Mr Evans' mother, Sheryl Ruffell, said the small changes to the intersection after the accident were good, but closing the State Highway 6 entrance was better.

Mrs Ruffell and her son moved to Blenheim after the accident, but were planning to build a wheelchair friendly house in Ross Ln.

During a long-term planning meeting on Friday, Marlborough district councillors agreed on a proposal to close the entry to Ross Ln from State Highway 1 and extend Knights Ln to connect with Aberharts Rd.

The proposal will still need to gain the necessary consents and is subject to available funding, and no details have been finalised.

Mr Ruffell said the only option was to close the intersection, and even a smooth gravel road which connected with Aberharts Rd would make access safer for residents of Ross and Knights lanes.

Bill and Glenda van Zoomeren, who have lived in Ross Ln for about four years, said drivers had poor visibility at the intersection and trains were an extra hazard.

In their time living in the lane, the couple have seen two major car accidents, including the one involving Mr Evans, and another in which a car was pushed onto the railway tracks after a collision with another car.

A neighbourhood group was set up after the September 2008 crash and met district councillor Francis Maher and Marlborough Roads manager Frank Porter to discuss the future of the intersection.

At the time, Mr Porter said the district council and the New Zealand Transport Agency would look at opening the lanes into Aberharts Rd, about 700 metres south towards Blenheim. He could not give a timeframe and said the project could cost up to $1 million.

However, resident Catherine Kydd, who has lived in the lane for about nine years, said drivers deserved more blame for accidents than the intersection itself.

Drivers needed to be more aware and not try to beat traffic, she said. Many drivers waited on the rail crossing to turn onto State Highway 1 instead of behind the crossing as they were meant to, she said. Extending Knights Ln would be just as dangerous, because cars needed to pull out past the Give Way markings on Aberharts Rd to see onto the highway. Barrier arms and repainting the road would make it safer.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 17:00 17/05/2011

BEN CURRAN/The Marlborough Express

INTERSECTION WOES: Bill and Glenda van Zoomeren, residents of Ross Ln, Grovetown, say the intersection with State Highway 1 is dangerous and agree with the Marlborough District Council's plan to close direct access to the lane.

Region unveiled on ambitious website

A new section of a New Zealand online encyclopedia which delves into everything Marlborough is now open allowing Marlburians, the rest of the country and the world to explore its stories and history.

The Marlborough section of the Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand was launched last night at the Marlborough Convention Centre and traces the history and development of the region from when it was first settled by Maori until today.

The region is the last in the South Island to be launched on the site while the East Coast and the King Country are still to be completed in the North Island.

Wellington historian and writer Malcolm McKinnon spent about six months writing and researching, but most of the work was capturing the images of the region.

His research included talking to the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce, the Marlborough Museum and even his relatives to get an overall picture of the region.

The resource would be invaluable for students as well as other New Zealanders as he had discovered things about the country he had never known, he said.

A seasoned historian, Dr McKinnon was struck by the region's colonial history including whaling and the exchanges between Maori and Pakeha.

The launch last night was about thanking Marlborough for their help and "letting us come and tell them about themselves", he said.

The encyclopedia was launched by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage in 2005 and is an ongoing project on its people and culture.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 17:00 13/05/2011

Gazza #1 10:41 am May 14 2011

Check out the Blenkinsopp Cannon. It's now Puhuriwhenua. My how history changes. Us white fellas must have annoyed someone with it eh bros!!

Approval to close Ross Lane entry

The entry to Ross Ln from State Highway 1 will be closed, and Knights Ln will be extended to connect with Aberharts Rd under a proposal which Marlborough District Councillors approved at a planning meeting on Friday.

Councillors met for the third of four meetings to discuss proposals in the southern Marlborough urban growth and development strategy, which attracted 300 submissions last year.

The meeting's plan for the long-term future growth of Marlborough for about the next 20 years and approved proposals still need to gain the necessary consents and are subject to available funding.

The specific details of any proposals are still to be finalised.

Mayor Alistair Sowman said the option could mean a two-lane road could be built south from Ross Ln to Aberharts Rd.

Ross Ln needed to be closed to traffic because if another accident were to happen at the intersection with State Highway 1 the council "would look very stupid", he said.

Grovetown youth Steven Evans was seriously injured when the car he was a passenger in was hit by a train on the line crossing Ross Ln in September 2008. The line is just three metres from the intersection with State Highway 1.

Councillor David Dew argued it would be cheaper to extend Knights Ln to connect with Fell St or Vickerman St.

However, chairman Peter Jerram said the council would need to acquire land to build the road for either of those options.

Cr Dew said the Public Works Act, which allows local authorities to obtain any land for public work including roads, could be used to acquire some of the privately owned land.

The cost of the road would be shared between the New Zealand Transport Agency and the Marlborough District Council.

Councillors also agreed at the meeting not to close Fell St at the SH1 intersection.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 17:00 16/05/2011

Change planned: The State Highway 1 entry to Ross Ln will be closed and Knights Ln will be extended to connect with Aberharts Rd

Jury to decide on spotlighting

The jury considering the case of a man on trial for interfering with a helicopter doing frost fighting at a vineyard near Seddon was to continue deliberating in the Blenheim District Court this morning.

The jury retired last night after deliberating for two hours following the closing addresses by crown prosecutor Hugh Boyd-Wilson and defence lawyers Tony Bamford and Andrew McCormick. Cyril Michael Schonberger, 48, of Seddon, faces three charges of interfering with an aircraft with reckless disregard for safety after allegedly shining his car headlights and a spotlight and throwing a stone at a helicopter working at the Hard Case Vineyard early on October 11, 2009.

In closing, Mr Boyd-Wilson said the case centred on whether Schonberger knew his actions would endanger the pilot. The risks involved with shining a light towards people in the dark was common sense. An example was driving at night and the blinding effects of an oncoming car with its lights on high beam.

Mr Boyd-Wilson said Schonberger's explanation of getting the registration number of the Robinson R22 to make a complaint to the Civil Aviation Authority was just an excuse to make him sound reasonable, because there were other ways to get the number.

Mr Bamford said pilot Christopher Boyce was extremely safety conscious and had an "understandable paranoia" that the lights would affect him. He said Mr Boyce did not say in evidence that the lights dazzled him, only that they were a hazard.

Schonberger was merely trying to get the attention of the pilot to say he was watching and to collect evidence to make a complaint to the Civil Aviation Authority.

Schonberger lived near the vineyard and was upset by helicopters flying over his property.

- The Marlborough Express

Last updated 14:50 12/05/2011