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He pōkeke Uenuku i tū ai.
Against a dark cloud the rainbow stands out brightly.
Kia ora e te whānau,
You, the principals of New Zealand, are doing an outstanding job. You are providing stability and structure for students and families as Omicron hits its peak. The load is immense. You have kept your schools open and students have continued to be supported in their learning.
Mandate Changes coming:
The Government has signalled that vaccination mandates will soon be lifted. Implications for principals will vary, depending on context. It will be difficult if you are in the process of terminating the employment of unvaccinated teachers or staff.
More detailed information will be sent out through the MOE Bulletin when the time comes, but I would encourage you to seek advice from the NZPF Helpline, PASL, NZEI principal officers, PPTA or NZSTA if needed.
As a country, we have witnessed a range of reactions to mandatory vaccinations. How people will react when mandates are lifted is difficult to predict.
Education Post-Covid:
Over the last two years, school leaders have been challenged to shift from school-based learning to home-based learning or a hybrid of the two. You have had to rethink your priorities about resourcing, school organization, staffing and logistics on a daily basis. Some regular events, celebrations and routines have been maintained. Many have not.
Post-COVID, we have decisions to make about:
- What is needed now to support students whose learning has been disrupted for up to two years?
- What will the ‘new normal’ look like for staff, students and parents?
- What traditions, systems and routines will you reinstate?
- What will you change for the future?
Internationally, this conversation has begun. The pandemic has exposed inequities in schooling and in societies. In New Zealand schools, our capacity to support hybrid learning options; to provide access to devices; administration support for smaller schools; staffing to keep schools open; and ventilation in classrooms, are typical examples.
In the “Learning in a Covid World’ series of reports put out by ERO, recommendations for 2022 included
- Preparing for hybrid/blended learning. For example, through having a clear plan of how remote learning will be supported for some students when most students have returned to the classroom.
- Supporting learning catch up. For example, regularly using assessment tools to find out where students are at with their learning and developing differentiated and individualised teaching strategies to support students’ learning.
- Having a plan to support re-engagement both in the classroom and remotely. For example, through increasing meetings with whānau and using positive and consistent messaging about the value of good attendance.
- Supporting students’ wellbeing. For example, focusing on students’ connections and togetherness, focusing on ways to strengthen their tolerance, resilience, and self-regulation, as well as ways to cope with anxiety.
The Curriculum Refresh:
In 2004, Steve Maharey was Minister of Education. He championed personalized learning. The NZC was redesigned to be less prescriptive. A framework was developed through which students’ strengths, skills, talents and interests might flourish. His vision for NCEA was that students would move through the system, working at different levels in different subjects and doing assessments throughout the year - as happens today. At the time this was a bold step away from defined year levels and traditional exams.
Post-covid, we have an opportunity to review and rethink what it is to lead learning that is both focused, but more personalized, to strengthen learner agency. Within the Curriculum Refresh, there is a strong focus on identifying key learning concepts to be taught, while also personalizing learning so it is relevant, engaging and localized in content.A joint NZPF – MoE Roadshow, focused on supporting you as curriculum leaders in Mathematics, is being organized for Term 2. Workshops will be run in most regions and there will be multiple opportunities for you to join online sessions during Term 2 and 3. Proposed dates and venues will be sent to cluster presidents. To meet face-to-face in a workshop is one of the ‘old normals’ I am sure you will look forward to.
Resignation of Patrick Walsh
It is with regret that NZPF has accepted the resignation of Patrick Walsh from the Executive. Patrick has accepted a new position as principal of Sacred Heart College in Auckland that will begin in Term 2. We thank Patrick for his time with the Federation and for making himself available, as an advisor, to continue work on some key projects. We will miss Patrick’s contributions to our regular executive meetings and wish him all the best for the future.
As we farewell Patrick, we welcome Heidi Hayward to the NZPF Executive. She is the principal of Dunedin North Intermediate School. We look forward to meeting Heidi, as and when COVID permits.
Wondering of the Week:
To what extent do you think teaching and learning practices will change in your school post-covid?
Poll is closed
Results of last week’s poll:
Ngā manaakitanga
Cherie Taylor-Patel
cherie.taylor-patel@nzpf.ac.nz
Notice to PPCB Members
Please all check your email today for an urgent message from the PPCB team.
NZPF Conference - Early Bird Registrations
Registrations for the 2022 NZPF Conference are open. The conference will be held at the new Te Pae, Christchurch Convention and Exhibition Centre, on 14 - 16 September.
Register before the early bird deadline of 31 May to save up to $100 on your registration.
Visit the website to register now.
NZ Principal Magazine also Online
You and/or your team members can easily access the NZ Principal Magazines online, as an e-magazine or as a PDF. Additionally you can search for a previous issue, an article by title or by the author of the article. All magazines back to Term 1 2012 are available in this format. To view or search click here.
Principals' Legal Advice & Support Scheme
More than half of all NZPF members now subscribe to our wholly owned PASL – Principals’ Advice & Support Limited. For many years, the scheme was administered by the Dunedin office of Crombie Lockwood, a national insurance broker. After a longstanding arrangement, changes to the Financial Markets Regulations resulted in Crombie Lockwood being unable to continue to provide their banking and invoicing services to PASL. The Board of PASL therefore contracted Jacquie Kenton, jacquie@pasl.nz to be the sole administrator for the scheme. Jacquie worked as PASL administrator through Crombie Lockwood, so is well familiar with the scheme.
Subscribers to PASL will notice no substantial differences with this shift since all of the administration activities will continue uninterrupted. We thank Jacquie for her continuing service to the PASL scheme.
NZPF assures its business partners that, as members, you will contact them to have a conversation if you are purchasing products, services or solutions for your schools that a business partner supplies. Please support our partners as their assistance to NZPF means better membership services to you.
