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Living the good life - Theresa Hansell

posted 22 Oct 2011 16:57 by Stephanie Anich   [ updated 22 Oct 2011 17:04 ]

Some students look forward to leaving school.

But Theresa Hansell loved it so much she sent her own children there and spent the last 35 years on the staff.

The Ponsonby resident retired last term from Richmond Road School after spending almost every day there since 1976.

Mrs Hansell, 77, felt she had "done her dash" in May and left the school that she first attended as a five-year-old.

She says the school has given her lifelong friends and memories she will have forever.

"We had many dear teachers who were so caring. I really did love my school days, they were the happiest I had," she says.

Mrs Hansell left in year 8 and attended Auckland Girls Grammar with the hope of pursuing teaching, but the arrival of her first child put her plans on hold.

All five of her children attended the school and when she enrolled her youngest son the principal offered her a job.

ERA ENDS: Theresa Hansell attended Richmond Road School in 1938, sent her five children there and spent the last 35 years there as a staff member.  JASON OXENHAM

"In 1976 the school opened an inner-city language unit and I was asked to teach there, helping children from the Pacific Islands and Asia learn the New Zealand way of life."

When the unit closed Mrs Hansell worked at the school as a teacher aide and then in the office doing administration work.

She recalls how close-knit the staff were – throwing parties and attending shows and even venturing overseas together.

"We did a lot together in those days and everyone looked after one another. We went to Hawaii, Rarotonga and Samoa. It was great.

"We would say, `Next pay we will need to book fares for somewhere else' and off we would go again."

Mrs Hansell still keeps in touch with former staff members and even with friends from her own schooldays.

"There is a group of about five or six of us who still meet up for lunches."

Mrs Hansell's love for teaching and helping others has seen three of her children become teachers – one a principal – and has given her a life filled with adventure and happy memories.

" I just really have had a good life. I have five children who have been here for my husband and me, and we have just done everything together," she says.

















CLASS OF 44: Richmond Road School's standard 4 class pictured in 1944, when Mrs Hansell was 10.

Auckland City Harbour News - 27/07/11.

A'oga Fa'a Samoa support Manu Samoa

posted 5 Sep 2011 20:26 by Stephanie Anich   [ updated 5 Sep 2011 22:34 ]

www.samoaobserver.ws    

Aigaletaule’ale’ā F. Tauafiafi In Auckland

Jane Taouma, Principal for A’oga Fa’a Samoa unit.


Over 50 pre-schoolers in central Auckland have pledged allegiance to the Manu Samoa. That’s the the truth according to A’oga Fa’aSamoa’s Principal, Jane Taouma.

“I think we’re supposed to support the England team,” says Taouma. “But we are A’oga Fa’a Samoa so we support Manu Samoa,” she says proudly. 

The early childhood unit is the feeder school for Richmond Road Primary school, famous as the school attended by Hollywood star, Samoan, Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnston. According to Jane the children had a field day making the flags.

“They drew and laminated the flags all by themselves then had a lot of fun making the string and hanging them along there [fence].” 
With the world cup only a week away there’s excitement in the air. And Manu Samoa touched down yesterday.

“They’re all getting really excited about the rugby games about to happen,” says Jane. 
“Their parents of course are enthusiasts so that gets passed down to the children.”

But just to make sure the stringed Samoa flags lining the fence were genuine, all 50 pre-schoolers were eager to perform their version of the Siva Tau.
Out they marched with serious intent. 

A’oga Fa’a Samoa pre-schoolers and their Samoa-flag decorated fence.

And that included the teachers, caregivers, plus the gardener and cook. With purpose the little warriors and warrioresses stood oozing menace portraying defiant bastion as the last line of defence to their laminated Samoan flags display in the background. 

In unison, their little feet stomped. With their best effort at facial intimidation, their Siva Tau rendition to the Manu Samoa melody echoed around ‘The Rock’s’ former school.



A’oga FaaSamoa lenei ua o mai Leai seisi A’oga latalata mai E le faatafa ma soso ese

Leaga o lenei A’oga e uiga ese A’oga FaaSamoa, A’oga FaaSamoa

A’oga FaaSamoa e faataua gagana Samoa, hi! Readers can view the video clip on www.youtube/users/samoaobserver 

As proud as Samoans were of the Manu’s victory over the Wallabies last month, Jane Taouma and her staff could not have been prouder of their charges on Wednesday.

“Go the Manu Samoa” cried the pre-schoolers after their fierce A’oga FaaSamoa war-cry.
Jane Taouma is married to Papalii Peter Taouma and one Kiwi proud of her Samoan connections.

“I taught in Samoa for ten years,” she says proudly. “Five of my children grew up there [she has seven] and I still have one daughter over there teaching and I’m going over next week, or week after to visit her.”
And guess who Jane will cheer for at the world cup.

“When Samoa plays I’ll be cheering for Samoa,” she made a fist. 
When asked about her thoughts as the Webb Ellis trophy boards the plane for Apia after 23 October.

“Well, you’ll be celebrating for a long time. I mean who knows, anything’s possible. That’s the thing with this tournament, anyone can win on the day.” 
As for the impromptu stranger turning up in their midst on Wednesday.
“We’re really glad you saw our flags and popped in,” smiled Jane. 

A’oga Fa’a Samoa is an immersion Samoan early childhood centre. It takes in pre-schoolers with Samoan heritage and with its established link with Mua i Malae, the Samoan Bilingual Unit in Richmond Road Primary School, it becomes the feeder centre for the ‘Rocks’ school of two-years during his childhood days.

Campaign to make Samoan an official language

posted 23 Jun 2011 19:05 by Stephanie Anich

      Growing pains for Samoan bilingual units

      posted 23 Jun 2011 18:57 by Stephanie Anich


      RESOURCES
      JASON OXENHAM
      RESOURCE THREAT: Richmond Rd Primary School’s Samoan bilingual unit head teacher Suzie-Jo Rasmussen is concerned about the Education Ministry decision to pause the production of its reading resources.

      CARLY TAWHIAO

      The plug looks set to be pulled on funding Pacific language literacy in December – but not without opposition.

      Central Auckland Samoan bilingual units are frustrated and disappointed by the Education Ministry's decision to put the publication of its Tupu and Folauga series on hold as it looks for ways to lift English literacy among Pasifika students.

      Head teacher Suzie-Jo Rasmussen from Richmond Road Primary School's Samoan bilingual unit Mua I Malae says the decision is discriminating.

      Her closet-sized resource room provides plenty of space to store vital reading material.

      Material is provided by the ministry and also by the parent support network Matua Atinae which helps the unit's 75 pupils by cutting and pasting Samoan translations over English books.

      "Tupu means to grow. But it's not going to grow, it's going to be killed.

      "The ministry's attitude shows they don't value our kids' culture and they prefer to teach English while children lose their mother tongue."

      Kowhai Intermediate parent Joanne Okesene's concerns prompted her to lay a complaint to the Human Rights Commission.

      "All Pacific Islanders need to be aware that this is happening. Our eldest grandchild is about to start school in the bilingual programme at Richmond and his language and cultural rights will be seriously eroded by this decision.

      "There are plenty of studies that show children successful in their heritage language can translate that knowledge to English and so can be successful with both.

      "They don't have to be successful in English at the expense of the other language," she says.

      Auckland University's faculty of education senior lecturer John McCaffery agrees.

      He is one of a team that has been conducting research into the benefits of bilingual education for the ministry.

      "Bilingualism and literacy in Pacific languages is identified in the ministry's own website as a major contributor to academic success of Pasifika students in New Zealand schools. The apparent unawareness of ministry officials of their own research and policy astounds us and makes New Zealand look like something out of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers. This appears to be little more than institutional racism and a Pacific Human Rights violation of major proportions."

      Ministry acting group manager for curriculum teaching and learning Howard Baldwin says te reo Maori and English are the only fully funded languages under current policy.

      There are no plans to change the level of funding provided to the 33 New Zealand schools that have Pacific bilingual units but he says Pasifika students' English literacy levels need lifting.

      "The ministry is reviewing the Tupu and Folauga series while it investigates how curriculum support materials can best accelerate the achievement of Pasifika students in English literacy," he says.

      Mr Baldwin says the ministry will continue to provide guidelines, resources and professional development for teachers to support Pasifika languages as further support is designed under the Pasifika Education Plan.

      - Auckland City Harbour News

      TRAVELWISE ‘SILVER’ AWARD

      posted 30 Apr 2011 17:40 by Stephanie Anich

      Victor (R4) receiving our ‘Silver’ TravelWise Award from His Worship the Mayor, at The Civic, because we have increased the percentage of children who come to school in a sustainable way.

      RUGBY WORLD CUP SCHOOL’S PROGRAMME LAUNCH

      posted 30 Apr 2011 17:38 by Stephanie Anich   [ updated 5 May 2011 15:39 ]

      Just over a week ago (April 2011) Ruma 3 & 10 did a great job of welcoming His Worship the Mayor, Len Brown, Buck Shelford, Reuben Wiki, the Ruggerland Mascot as well as other RWC officials to Richmond Road School.  The school received activity packs in Te Reo Maori, and the English versions will be arriving shortly.  After the welcome the children participated in a game of Rippa Rugby with Reuben. 

      Quiz Night & Auction 2010

      posted 13 Aug 2010 22:08 by website admin   [ updated 11 Jan 2011 20:46 by Stephanie Anich ]

      School travel plans celebrate six years

      posted 13 Aug 2010 22:08 by website admin   [ updated 21 Jan 2011 20:32 by Stephanie Anich ]

      From City Scene, published on 2 May 2010.




      Travelling safe: Children from Avondale Primary School - the city's first school to have a travel plan six years ago - celebrate with Richmond Road School children and guests last week.

      After six years of school travel plans in Auckland city, the council and Auckland Regional Transport Authority launched the travel plan for Richmond Road School last week.

      Mayor of Auckland city, Hon. John Banks and the council's road safety spokesperson, Councillor John Lister, joined children, guests and other dignitaries at Richmond Road School, the 70th school in the city to benefit from travel planning.

      The number of Auckland children hit by cars and then hospitalised has drastically reduced. In both 2007 and 2008, eight children were hospitalised after being hit by vehicles, compared to a yearly average of 24 from 2000 to 2003.

      Between 2005 and 2008, injuries from pedestrian and cycling incidents for five-to-13-year-olds fell by 48 per cent at 10 schools evaluated in Auckland city.

      "School travel plans offer a toolkit of potential improvements, including 40km/h speed zones, walking school buses and infrastructure upgrades, which are custom fitted for each school's situation," says Mr Lister.

      Local History

      posted 13 Aug 2010 22:07 by website admin

      Ponsonby News
      June 2009

      Pick-up parents fined for traffic chaos

      posted 13 Aug 2010 22:06 by website admin

      New Zealand Herald
      By Elizabeth Binning
      4:00 AM Monday May 3, 2010

      Read More

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