Tēnā koe

Today is the second day of Spring, and with it comes bouncing new life and fresh green trees. We hope it also comes with fresh green traffic lights marking the end of our covid restrictions. Covid numbers are in decline along with general winter illness. Let’s hope Spring also marks an end to your very trying relief and teacher shortages.   

Many principals have been in touch with the MOE resourcing team, to find out how to apply for relief funding.  I acknowledge the MOE Workforce Team for their responsiveness to our advocacy for relief staff funding and their follow up work to sort out coding details.

To the principals who attended the online MOE Leadership ZOOM sessions last week, Thank you.  You shared your insights about what leadership strategies worked well during the pandemic and what supports would be useful for the future.

You navigated the technology, including the Miro board, and gave the MOE facilitators invaluable information for future planning.

This was an opportunity for principals to share their PPK or ‘personal, practical knowledge’ to inform and influence decision-making at a national level.  NZPF has continuously advocated for change processes ‘for the sector’ to be done ‘with the sector’.  We need to evolve new collaborative ways of working so this becomes the ‘kawa’ going forward, so principals’ voices and views are heard and actioned.

 
Curriculum change steps – ‘Treading water?’

Whenever conversations occur about the ‘Curriculum Refresh’ we hear about the timeline and workload.  Underlying the kōrero is a level of anxiety about what is coming, when it is coming and what to do when it comes.  The latest revised ‘Curriculum Refresh’ timeline shows that Literacy and Numeracy curriculum documents and resources will be in schools in Term 2, 2023.  

While people feel like they are ‘treading water’, waiting for the official refresh to begin, there are things that can be done between now and Term 2, 2023. 
 
         a) There is a ‘Readiness Self-Assessment Tool’ that will be available to school leaders on September 20 that will help schools review where they currently are at with curriculum planning, pedagogy, delivery and evaluation.

         b) Support for developing a localized curriculum can be found online at
 Aotearoa NZ’s Histories – Getting Started This link includes video clips, content cards to support collaborative planning and access to the Resources Library, which offers teaching guidance, teaching resources and leadership guidance.

         c)  The Curriculum Mathematics Road Show ZOOM hui resources are avaliable so you can review mathematics teaching and learning in your school.  Please email office@nzpf.ac.nz to request the reasrouces. 

         d)  For schools in Tauranga, Gisborne, New Plymouth, Timaru, Invercargill, Kerikeri and West Auckland, there is a NZPF-MOE Mathematics Road Show coming to your town.  Please email office@nzpf.ac.nz to register
 
The best tip of all would be to take time to meet with colleagues to discuss different ways to plan and lead the ‘Curriculum Refresh’.  We have implemented new curricula before and experienced principals have much to offer.

Between mid-September and mid-November invitations for ‘Early Adopter Schools’ to trial some of the ‘Curriculum Refresh’ tools and resources in English and Mathematics, the Te Mātaiaho framework and the implementation pack, will be shared with the sector.  The MOE curriculum teams need feedback from schools to make sure that what comes to the sector in 2023 is the best it can be.  If interested, please register at   nationalcurriculum.refresh@education.govt.nz

NZPF is advocating for ‘Curriculum Teacher Only Days’ for the ‘Curriculum Refresh’ programme for the next three years, as of right, rather than negotiating this time through the collective bargaining process, as has been suggested.  Principals have also recommended that exemplars, sample templates and supporting curriculum resources be developed by the curriculum team.

This is important work and will potentially influence teaching and learning for decades to come but, at every level, we need to ‘Start where we are, use what we have and do what we can’.

Board of Trustee Elections – shaping what comes next

Board elections in 2022 have attracted more media attention than at any other time, largely due to a drive from the ‘Voices For Freedom- VFF’(a group that has been particularly vocal in the anti-vaccination, anti-mandate and anti-government lobby), to infiltrate not just school Boards of Trustees but also Local Body elections. Whilst Minister Tinetti is investigating the legislation that applies to those standing for school Boards of Trustees, there is no definitive ruling on this issue just yet.

That said, many of you will end up with new Board of Trustees members. As you are aware building relationships, especially with your Board Chair, is critical to the good governance of your school, as is having a clear shared vision and plan for working together.

Last week I asked if you would be interested in attending a hui of Board Chairs and Principals if it was offered. 75% of principals indicated that they would.

In response to that feedback, I can now report that NZSTA and NZPF will be co-hosting a ‘Board Chairpersons and Principals Hui’ early in 2023.  We will get details to you as soon as possible, so you can book this in your diary for next year.

Well-being ‘Tip for the Time’:

Finally, I leave you with a ‘Well-being Tip for the Time’.  Sustained stress has created levels of trauma across our communities.  While principals strive to look after their students, staff and whanau, they often don’t prioritize themselves.  Below is the first of a series of ‘Tips for this Time’ based on ‘Trauma-informed Education’ for your personal kete - to be well and stay well as the taonga of your community.