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Pai tū, pai hinga, nā wai, nā oti.
Good at standing, good at falling, the work is eventually finished.
We’re almost there! The final school event is looming, the last tasks are almost off the desk and the final bell is closing in. What a year it has been and what a lot has been achieved.
Day one, term one, we knew we were in for stormy times. Already we were planning for a ‘Red Light Setting’ pandemic response. Still reeling from the residue of vaccination mandates, we now faced relentless ‘change-management’ as COVID continued to evolve through the Omicron stage.
As Omicron peaked then receded, we faced the challenge of reengaging students in their learning, assessing where they were at and planning a way forward to compensate for the lost learning time. It was a time of constant review, and reprioritizing learning goals. Individually and collectively schools grappled with the questions - ‘What is most important to teach?’ and ‘What is the right next step for each ākonga’?
Then came the next set of questions – ‘Which teachers are here today?’, ‘Which students are here today?’ and ‘What else do we need to manage today?’
What was NZPF doing during this time?
Alongside the national executive, it has been my privilege to advocate for you on many issues, at national, regional and local levels. As well as the ongoing changes of COVID, the introduction of the Local Histories Curriculum, the ‘Curriculum Refresh’ review, the appointment of new leadership advisors, the introduction of the ‘Professional Growth Cycle’ appraisal process and shifting from deciles to EQI, have all been on our radar.
I thank you for your feedback which has strengthened our collective advocacy to influence MOE decision-making throughout the year.
At an organisation level, NZPF progressed all four Annual Plan workstreams this year – Leadership, Curriculum, Student Advocacy and Legal / Policy / Constitution work. One of the many highlights of the year was the annual NZPF Conference in the ‘mighty’ Canterbury. Other highlights include the NZPF Mathematics Curriculum Road Show, MOOT 2022, advancing systems thinking in leadership PLD and Curriculum Refresh support.
We strongly advocated throughout for additonal relief staffing, sick pay provision and guaranteed ‘Teacher-Only Days’ for 2023 and achieved positive outcomes on all fronts.
The 40th NZPF Anniversary Event was another highlight at which past presidents and life members gathered to share cherished memories. We also acknowledged those whose ‘shoulders we stand on’, including John Fleming (past president, 1993 - 1995), and life members, Ian Payne and Ken Morris, all of whom passed away this year.
In 2022, the Federation continued to support the newly established PPCB Union to strengthen current and future collective bargaining. Primary and secondary unions are presently negotiating the collective agreement and we hope for a positive outcome in the New Year.
The harbour is in sight ...
As I conclude my term as NZPF President, I thank you for your support this year. It has been a privilege to serve the profession in this role and, as Immediate Past President next year, I look forward to progressing projects already underway and supporting incoming President, Leanne Otene. My special thanks to Jason Miles (Vice President), Julie Hepburn, Karen Brisco and Gavin Beere for their steadfast support throughout the year. I also acknowledge our national office team, Liz Hawes, Sadie O’Rourke and Nina Netherclift for the work they do, to support us all.
So, we are nearly there. The finish line is in sight. We have all given our best and done what we could for the communities we serve.
Kia kaha to you all. You are taonga. All the best for the festive season. Have a wonderful holiday break. Hapaitia te ara tika pumau ai te rangatiratanga mo ngā uri whakatipu.
Wondering of the Week:
Results of last Week's poll:
To what extent was your week a series of disruptions, and ‘doing what was needed in the minute’ to support others?
Cherie Taylor-Patel
cherie.taylor-patel@nzpf.ac.nz
NZPF 2023 Conference - Early Bird Registrations
The NZPF 2023 Conference website is now open for earlybird registrations. The conference will be held in Queenstown from 11-13 September 2023.
Visit the website to register now. Earlybird registration closes on 31 May 2023.
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.
Transform your staff areas to support teacher wellbeing
Quiet, calming, and inviting spaces are proven to boost student well-being in classrooms. So why not incorporate the same practices for staff areas?
Our stylish Fold Chair, available in soft Elton range fabrics with a brushed finish, will help transform your staff room or common area into a modern space for relaxing and reenergising.
International Confederation of Principals (ICP)
ICP will be holding their conference at the Century City Convention Centre, in Cape Town South Africa, 2 -4 May 2023.
The conference is for Aspiring School Leaders, local and international school Principals, Vice Principals, Heads of Department and Educators.
Save the Date now!
Education Sector Login (ESL)
If you are having problems trying to login to Hapori Matatū through the MoE Education Sector login, to complete endorsements in support of teachers renewing their practising certificates, we understand. We're working closely with the Ministry to ensure this issue is fixed as soon as possible.
If any Principals need urgent help we have a work around, please contact the Registration Manager, Mose Pio by email at: mose.pio@teachingcouncil.nz or 04 497 42705.
We apologise for the inconvenience and will continue to keep you updated.
Bringing Dental Treatment to Schools
The shortfall in oral health treatments in New Zealand has been well publicised over recent months.
Dental Planet wants to change that, by significantly improving the reach of adolescent dental care.
Director Ian Wright comments, “We have been finding students who haven’t had a dental check-up for more than 5 years. We don’t believe this is good enough.”
Dental Planet today has contracts with Te Whata Ora – Health NZ to provide free government-funded dental care to secondary school students in the Auckland, Waitemata, Northland and Waikato regions but is working on growing organically throughout the country.
Dental Planet’s mobile dental team provides oral health services at the school to eliminate barriers such as transportation, distance, and inconvenient appointment times thus improving the number of adolescents accessing dental care. Its growing fleet ranges from single-chair dental mobile vehicles to larger double-chair dental units.
Dental Planet has recently developed a new and exciting collaborative school’s package which incorporates such benefits as oral health education and a careers experience program. If you would like to learn more about Dental Planet’s activities, contact Ian on iwright@dentalplanet.co.nz
Water Skills to survive this summer
We need your help to ensure that tamariki are learning and practicing the right things to help them survive when they get into trouble in the water.
Research confirms that while ‘learn to swim’ lessons are great for getting tamariki into the water, they aren’t consistently focused on the knowledge and skills needed to survive when something goes wrong in the real world. Water Skills for Life is a response to this issue. It is not a ‘learn to swim’ programme. It provides structured ’learn to survive’ content that can easily be incorporated into any existing learn to swim or water-based programme targeting primary and intermediate aged tamariki.
Please ensure that the Water Skills for Life content is a foundational part of any water-based programme delivered by your staff or contractors.
For more information go to www.waterskills.org or contact Esther Hone.
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.
