President's Message
Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou ka ora ai te iwi
With your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive
Tena Koutou Katoa,
In the ever-evolving landscape of education, we, as Principals, find ourselves once again navigating a multitude of systemic changes that are impacting our schools' staffing, budgets, and daily operations. Balancing these challenges while ensuring the education of our ākonga remains our central focus and is a challenge that we all share. Amidst these complexities, it is essential to remind ourselves that these challenges are not just for others to solve; we all play a crucial part in developing the solution.
Our collective voices have never held more power than they do now. We stand united, drawing strength from one another's experiences and insights. NZPF is committed to fostering collaboration with our Regional Associations, National Associations and Sector Partners. Together, we can amplify our responses and ensure that the collective needs of our membership are met effectively.
At the heart of this collaboration is the recognition of the importance of strong representation and shared wisdom. As we face various issues, from curriculum changes to recruitment and retention challenges, our voice becomes the driving force behind innovative solutions.
The NZPF Executive is actively engaged, representing us at every table and working diligently to address issues head-on with meaningful solutions. We are also heading into an election and we have already begun meeting with Education spokespersons from every party to discuss our manifesto. We are advocating strongly for the things that you have told us matter.
Recently, we had the privilege of attending the Australian Principals Association Conference. It was striking to witness the similarities between our experiences and those of our Australian counterparts. They, too, grapple with well-being concerns, retention, recruitment, and the weight of curriculum and assessment demands. In a world of change and reviews, they, like us, are striving to elevate the status of our profession. From the Keynote Speakers, it became clear that this is not just something we share with Australia but rather with educators across the globe.
Among the inspiring messages we encountered, one concept by Simon Breakerspear resonated deeply: 'Strategic Pruning' – the art of unlocking progress through subtraction before addition. He states that it is our natural tendency to try to solve problems and lift desirable outcomes by adding. Simon s insights highlighted that the solution to challenges often lies in simplification, not complexity. This concept aligns perfectly with our efforts to streamline and innovate while holding steadfast to our core mission. We do, however, remain focussed on our shores, on our context but we learnt some valuable lessons from the International speakers. We also found common ground in the Australian President, Angela Falkenburgs call for unlearning racism and fostering cultural awareness. We added our voice to this by encouraging solidarity by engaging and collaborating with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
The Australian Principals Conference left us with enduring messages that transcend borders. You are never alone on this journey – your fellow principals stand beside you. Your voice matters, and collectively, we are making a significant difference in shaping the future of education.
As we continue to face challenges and changes, let's embrace the power of collaboration, shared wisdom, and strategic thinking. NZPF remains committed to advocating for you and strives to create an educational environment where the voices of all members are amplified and where their unique challenges are met with meaningful solutions.
The Executive has been working extremely hard over this last fortnight. Nga Pou e Wha, have all exerted significant effort in listening to your concerns, learning about what can be done and developing solutions for the Minister and Ministry. The following section outlines their ongoing endeavours.
Ngā Pou E Whā
To listen, to learn, to act.
Pou Tahi - Te Kaiarahitanga / Leadership
Tracy Fraser, Stephanie Thompson, Jason Miles, Leanne Otene
Induction - principals deserve better!
In ERO’s recently published ‘Everything Was New’ Preparing and Supporting New Principals there were 4 main areas identified for action. NZPF agrees with these and will be strongly advocating that the Ministry of Education works with us to progress them. We outline the first 2 areas below (2 more in a subsequent Pou tahi report).
Area 1: Establish accessible and sufficient pathways for aspiring leaders to become principals. Gaining experience in school leadership roles is critical for developing the skills needed for principalship. The Principal Eligibility Criteria (PEC) are soon to be implemented. For more aspiring principals to meet the criteria, more leadership opportunities need to be available for them to gain skills and experience. We need more current principals to identify and mentor aspiring principals for the future.
Area 2: Ensure there are sufficient, accessible, and evidence-based development opportunities for aspiring principals. The Ministry of Education must establish (in collaboration with the profession) a core programme of development for aspiring principals. The core programme must be visible, have culturally appropriate offerings for Māori, and be accessible for all aspiring principals across Aotearoa. The Ministry of Education must also work with school Boards (and the profession) to provide a clear and rigorous induction programme for all incoming principals.
The NZPF Leadership Pou, alongside NZRSLA (NZ Rural Schools Leadership Association), is seeking practical ways to help smaller, rural, and isolated schools to attend important PLD and meetings. We would like some more guidance to help us in this mahi. If you are a principal in this position OR a principal who might be interested in releasing one of your SLT (or perhaps yourself) to help, please fill in the survey which will be posted on the NZPF Principal's Facebook page, and the NZRSLA network.
Pou Rua - Te Marautanga / Curriculum
Heidi Hayward, Karen Brisco, Jen Rodgers and Blair Dravitski
Update to our work:
Our Pou members are meeting with the Ministry’s curriculum lead team in Wellington, later this month, where we will be discussing the upcoming Teacher Only Days (13-24 November). At the meeting, we anticipate being able to review the materials the Ministry has prepared for schools.
One action to promote:
Make sure you have set your Teacher Only Day within the dates (13-24 November); that the date of the Teacher Only Day is recorded in the minutes of your Board meeting; and advise your community as soon as possible after the date is set. Remember you do not need to replace this day by having your school open for an extra day.
Pou Toru - Students / Ākonga / Inclusive Education
Shane Buckner, John Bangma, Phil Palfrey and Gavin Beere
RTLB
Many of you will already have heard there could be a reduction in the number of RTLB across the motu. As background to this, it is important to note that RTLB Staffing, just like our school FTE allocation, is generated according to the school population. This is only based on Year 1-10 numbers, which the RTLB work with.
Our school population is reducing nationwide. The number of students in Years 1-10 has declined across the country and, as many schools already know, this has affected our school rolls. It has also affected the number of RTLB. RTLB are staffed at a ratio of 1:663. Initial data would indicate many clusters could lose a position, but 1 July roll data will confirm the actual numbers and the impact. When a reduction is confirmed, the cluster needs to work through what happens next.
Unfortunately, RTLB are NOT staffed on a needs basis and it would seem unlikely this will change, despite our wishes. Just like our school staffing, it is purely a numbers game.
For clarity: it is a cut in the number of RTLB staff but NOT a cut to the service itself.
Pou Wha - Te Tikanga Ture/ Policy/ Systems
Hayley Read, Julie Hepburn, Cherie Taylor-Patel
Civil Defence
With Civil Defence support, we are creating a resource that all schools can use when facing a weather or natural disaster related emergency. Our work includes examining what we already have in place and how it can be integrated alongside what we have learned from recent weather events.
If you have any ideas regarding this mahi, then we would love to hear from you! Send your thoughts through to office@nzpf.ac.nz.
In Class Support
In Class support funding needs to be increased. The NZPF President, Leanne Otene has written to the Secretary for Education, Iona Holsted, asking for a review of the In Class Support provision for all schools:
'I write to draw your attention to the way In-Class Support (ICS) for students with continuing high learning needs will be funded in future. I understand it is intended that applications for ICS will be based on previous successful applications rather than on current need. This will inevitably create winners and losers which is inequitable and unfair. The incidence of high learning needs is fluid in schools and funding needs to match that fluidity. I am asking that this policy - to base future funding on past successful applications - be reviewed'.
Currently, the allocation of funds sits with the local regional office, regardless of the nature of the student base and subsequent need. As we know it is extremely underfunded and tamariki continue to miss out on any support for their learning. For every successful application, 1.6 students miss out. This figure is derived from actual applications submitted regionally.
Restraint Training
Reminder - if you have established any new fixed term appointments (e.g maternity position) make sure that the appointees have undertaken the Module 1 training on the content of the guidelines, issued under section 101 of the Act.
Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou ka ora ai te iwi
With your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive
Ngā mihi,
Leanne
NZPF President