School tries to pacify neighbours over controversial Poi E bell, with Seven Sharp's help

February 12, 2020

Some Titirangi residents find Titirangi Primary’s chimes “disturbing and loud”.

It's the little things that can divide a community and in Titirangi, West Auckland, it's the school bell.

The old one looked like something from a museum, but the replacement left a few noses out of joint.

Trying to break with tradition, Titirangi Primary School decided to mark the school times with Poi E.

"With Waitangi Day coming up, we thought it would be something different that the children would enjoy and make them feel happy," principal Julie Lynch told Seven Sharp.

And it worked.

"At first you could see them looking, and you could see them having a little dance along as they went back to class."

Poi E is a catchy tune, but feedback from emails and the local Facebook page said some neighbours weren't impressed.

"The main thing is it's disturbing and loud, just disturbing the peace I should say, and I prefer to go back to the traditional bell," one neighbour says.

It could have been a lot worse - Celine Dion, Achy Breaky Heart, I Just Can't Get You Outta My Head, or even Baby Shark.

"We don't want to upset our community - we're not here to be annoying," Ms Lynch says.

The problem is, Titirangi Primary is built on a hill and has four different levels, so it's hard to hear the bell at the best of times.

But Ms Lynch and her team tried to find a solution.

"Our first decision was to try native birds because that sums up our bush setting," she says.

"But unfortunately when we played it, the children are so used to hearing tūī they didn't realise it was the bell.

"It was very very difficult trying to make the right choice."

They eventually settled on some Beethoven - Fur Elise.

Seven Sharp thought they'd lend a hand, with Hilary Barry jumping in a voice message to record a message for the students.

"Hello children, it's Hilary here, time to go to class," became the new bell.

And it worked, with a bit of positive reinforcement.

The school even gave Hilary her own certificate in recognition of her "amazing bell voice".

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