President's Message
He aroha whakatō, he aroha ka puta mai.
If kindness is sown, then kindness is what you shall receive.
Kia ora e te whānau
Since my last Principal Matters newsletter, I have attended several events and meetings, which have involved you as members, as well as external advisories and sector groups.
NZPF Gold Business Partners Meeting
Each year NZPF holds a special meeting of our gold level business partners. Many have been partners with us for over twenty years. Our gold partners include Furnware, Scholastic, Photolife, ASB, OfficeMax, CrestClean, Mitre 10, and CSG or Konica Minolta (as some of you will know them). These partners will be well known to you as several of them also sponsor your associations in the regions, allowing you to provide PLD and networking opportunities for your principals.
We look to these partners as a consultation group to think about how we can mutually support each other. We all want the same outcome which is that the young people in our schools receive the best education we can offer through providing the best equipment and services options we can give them. We also want you as leaders to have the best PLD opportunities that we as an organization can offer you. Our business partners help us achieve both of these goals.
NZPF is proud to be associated with our very loyal and supportive gold partners.
Tautai o le Moana
I have reported to you before on the Pasifika plans for school cultural change, initiated by Minister Jenny Salesa, the New Zealand Pasifika Principals’ Association and the Ministry. We realise, from our experience with the Māori Achievement Collaboratives (MACs), that our Pasifika learners will have a much greater chance of succeeding in their learning if schools can demonstrate empathy with Pasifika cultures and languages. We want our Pasifika young people to feel pride in their culture and to know their culture is valued.
Work has been progressing through what is now the Tautai o le Moana. I am honored to have been a member of the Advisory team since its inception and proud of the progress being made. Next week this important project will be launched at a two-day residential fono in Wellington. I extend my best wishes to all those principals from Auckland and Wellington who will be involved.
Connecting with the Regions
This week I had the pleasure of attending the Rotorua Principals’ Association (RPA) and visiting several Rotorua schools. Meeting with colleagues and NZPF members is the most important part of my role as President of NZPF. I hear directly about the successes you are having and what obstacles are making it difficult for you to lead your schools. Hearing your experiences gives me the evidence I need to be a more effective advocate for you as I attend the many reference and advisory group meetings here in Wellington.
My thanks to RPA for hosting me and for warmly welcoming me back to my home town, where I began my teaching career working in the Te Reo Māori akomanga at Rotorua Intermediate School. Ngā mihi e te whānau, ngā tumuaki o Te Arawa.
Meeting with Opposition Party Education Spokesperson, Nikki Kaye
Earlier in the week I met with Nikki Kaye, the National Party education spokesperson. Nikki has invited me to the launch of the Party’s education discussion document which will be in Wellington next week. I look forward to hearing what direction the National Party has for the future of education in New Zealand.
Ngā manaakitanga
Whetu Cormick
whetu@nzpf.ac.nz