SCHOOL OF THE WEEK: Tauranga Primary

Driving down Fifth Ave toward Tauranga Primary School, I'm taken back in time.
Even though the school is surrounded by beauty parlours and car yards, the cottage-like exterior of the buildings - pale yellow with white trim and grey-blue roof - remind me of the past. The feel of Tauranga Primary is instantly inviting.
Walking on to the school grounds, the first thing I noticed was the split property. Year One and Two classrooms are located on the Greerton side of Fifth Ave and Year Three to Six is located on Tauranga City side.
"It's always been this way," said principal Jenny McNicol.
"The schools are pretty involved with each other but they're still separate."
Because of that, students are taught the importance of road safety. "The junior students have to cross the road every day to put their lunch orders in so there's a big focus on awareness and safety," said Mrs McNicol.
"Cameron Rd is just out the front as well so we do focus quite heavily on that."
Mrs McNicol has been the principal of Tauranga Primary School for 15 years. Looking out from her office, the view is picturesque. The sun is shining and smiles are pasted on the faces of the children playing on the sports field.
Standing in the centre of the courtyard, the bell tower stands tall and proud. The roof may have changed three times but the bell remains the same.
Since the school opened in 1904, many things have changed. New buildings reflect the traditional, which Mrs McNicol said was celebrated at the school.
Tauranga Primary School was the first school in the Western Bay and attracted students from Katikati to Te Puke and everywhere in between.
The decile-seven school roll currently boasts more than 470 students, from Year One to Six, and about 40 staff.
"We like to think of our school as a very traditional school with a high-technology heart. We're very proud of tradition," Mrs McNicol said.
Keeping up at the forefront of technology was something Mrs McNicol was also passionate about. The school has a strong focus on IT and is the lead school for a new initiative, ICTPD, a professional development project for teachers, working alongside Tauranga Intermediate and Green Park Schools. Mrs McNicol said that would give teachers better training with IT.
At the moment, the school has several computers on wheels (Cows), which are transferable between classes but Mrs McNicol said she was looking forward to completion of the school's new computer suite.
"It's going to be really great. We're going to have fully blended classrooms, with at least five [computers] in each classroom," Mrs McNicol said.
"IT is used every part of the day and having this technology available is very important. Our kids are digital kids and the learning medium for them has to be appropriate to their own growing up."
Another of the school's new initiative is the use of KnowledgeNET - an intranet system where parents can access information regarding their child's classes. The project was implemented earlier this year and already the response has been "really good".
The school is boasting more new technology - the MIMIO electronic whiteboard that allows students to turn any workboard into a projection on a whiteboard.
As well as those technological advances, Mrs McNicol said the school curriculum was changing, which was a learning curve for the teachers as well as the students.
"It's all about learning and there so much out there," she said.
"It's just in time learning, not just in case learning."
To fund all those initiatives, Mrs McNicol said the school had been "very lucky" to receive TECT grants.
"These type of things are wonderful for schools.
"People talk about a free education, but we're always looking for funding. It's something we're always looking for, from elsewhere." Mrs McNicol said the school prided itself on providing a range opportunities for the students - academic, sporting and cultural. "We've got a lot to offer. We're producing promising leaders and providing them the skills to be promising leaders in the future," she said.
Her favourite part of the job was "sharing the successes of the students".
She said it was "such a great thing" knowing you had made a positive in a child's education.
"This school is really special because we have great staff who really care for the kids. It's a great place to work. I love it."
TAURANGA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Where: Fifth Ave.
Staff: About 40.
Pupils: About 470.
Decile: 7.
Principal: Jenny McNicol.
School mission statement: To provide the spark that kindles the flame of life-long learning.
Website: www.tauranga.school.nz