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Kia ora e te whānau
Have you noticed that organisations within a system tend to suffer from inbuilt inertia? The status quo is maintained because organisations that exist to influence the system ultimately end up becoming the system. Real change is hard to achieve because solving problems threatens the very existence of the organisation tasked to address those problems.
No organisation wants to cannibalise itself!
Imagine if the National Suicide Prevention Office was disbanded because the rate of suicide plummeted; imagine if the Bullying Prevention Advisory Group (BPAG) was cancelled because bullying disappeared from our schools; imagine we no longer needed an Office of the Children’s Commissioner because the country had achieved social, educational and economic equity and every health and wellbeing decision was truly child-centred; or imagine if Kāhui Ako were unnecessary because we clustered naturally out of a professional enthusiasm to network together.
It takes significant investment to maintain system organisations when funds would be better targeted at supporting solutions that make an immediate and tangible impact on the wellbeing of young people and the work of teachers.
It is common to see government and organisations investing in more working parties, and more combined cross-sector initiatives and more expert advice.
What isn’t so common is a commitment to action.
Our youth desperately need us to ‘step up’.
Over the past five months, NZPF has raised issues and suggested ‘shovel ready’ initiatives to address the wellbeing of young people, higher rates of success in school and quality teaching and learning. They include:
- Student counsellors in schools south of Year 9
- Funding expansion of Te Tupu- Managed Moves, a programme that seeks to protect young people from suspension and exclusion
- Alternative provision for violent students who are having a significant impact on the safety of teachers and students in our schools
- Streamlined pathways for young people to access residential schooling
- The reorientation of preservice teacher education to include a much greater focus on practice-based training
- The revitalisation of the Arts through professional learning and arts advisory services
- A complete refocus for ERO away from a punitive accountability approach, to a powerful improvement model
- The development of the ESA in genuine partnership with principals
We know that the COVID-19 crisis has diluted the energy and focus across these domains and so we wait. But we cannot wait for long while the violence in class and suicide rates continue to climb, young people are excluded from school for lack of alternatives, enrolment in residential schools remains impossible to navigate, bullying and mental health issues grow exponentially, our teachers can’t teach the Arts and university ITE programmes are not practice-based.
Action is needed sooner not later.
Of course, we accept that the funding pot is finite. While we argue that funding for our ‘shovel ready’ initiatives cannot wait, our responsibility as practice-based professionals is to constantly assess the resources we are given and advise government as to their value. Resources, strategies, programmes, and approaches that have low value should be downsized in favour of those that have the greatest impact on the learning and welfare of young people.
Do we judge, for example, the millions spent on Kāhui Ako to have given more value for money than if the money had been spent on learning support for young people with significant and serious challenges with behaviour, learning and often both?
Our responsibility is to have the brave discussions that will help government understand what we need to build positive futures for young people. Nothing should be sacred in such a discussion - everything is on the table. That is how a thinking profession works.
So, let’s talk. Invite me to your local association or principal group so that I can hear your ideas or email me your thoughts.
Exercise your voice. Change is possible. Government and the Ministry of Education need your expert advice.
Ngā manaakitanga
Perry Rush
perry@nzpf.ac.nz
Trans-Tasman APPA/NZPF Conference Postponed
Due to the uncertainty for both countries surrounding large gatherings and travel, the organising committee has made the difficult decision to postpone this event.
The new dates for the Trans-Tasman Conference will be 20 to 23 July 2021. All delegates and exhibitors have been sent correspondence with details of the change.
For more information and to register for the 2021 Trans-Tasman Conference, click here.
Nominations for NZPF Election 2020
Nominations are now open for NZPF President and Vice President for 2021.
Click here to download a nomination form.
Nominations close on 5 August and the electoral roll closes on 25 August. Your subscription payment must be received by this date in order to be eligible for voting.
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.
Non-Teaching Staff Collective Agreements
This is an urgent reminder that you need to offer and have your non-teaching staff accept a new IEA by Friday 29 May for them to qualify for back pay from the end of 2019. Those staff that sign up after 29 May will receive the new rates from the date of signing only and will not receive any back pay.
You have been fully funded for these increases, including back pay. Please be aware that this back pay will be clawed back if a new IEA for non-teaching staff is not signed.
Returning to the classroom
Increased risk of Child Protection issues
Among the many challenges that remote learning has created for teachers, is the difficultly of being able to check on the wellbeing of their students. These times of increased stress increases the risk of Family Harm incidents occurring. Child Matters team have developed resources to support teachers to know what to be aware of as they and their students return to the classroom. Please click here
Self-Care for Teachers
It is important that teachers are supported as they navigate this new teaching environment and the extra pressures it brings. Child Matters have developed free resources to support teaches to be aware of the need for self-care, and how to be aware of professional dangerousness. More information may be found here
Other Support Available
The team at Child Matters are working hard to continue to offer schools services as they face these new challenges. Free support on offer includes:
- Free Consultation Service – We will continue to offer a full consultation service free of charge and you can access this by contacting our National Services Manager Megan West on 022 547 7505
- Resources available - We know the need for at risk children is increased during this time, so we are a working daily to develop resources that are relevant to this new work environment. Please click here
- Continuing Education – On-line options for Child Protection training will be available shortly.
Please keep an eye out on our Facebook Page for regular updates on all of the above.
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.
