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- Tēnā Koutou Katoa
- Resignation of Deputy CEO
- Education News
- Joint Taskforce on Reducing Compliance and Administration Burden on Schools and Kura
- Toolkit Equips School Leavers for the World
- From Pope Francis
- A Word from One of Our Sponsors: ALSCO: 'Sustainability Update'
- Privacy and the display of a Medical Action Plans
- Dyslexia Awareness Week 7-13 October 2019
- Actura's FlipFun Activities and Workshops
- International SOS
- Congratulations to Students and Teachers
The long awaited summary of the Governments consultation on education, which began in 2018, has been released and we can see that while it is light on specifics there has been some significant shifts from the overt reforms recommended by the Haque Report. The new plan is more aspirational and focuses on five themes: Learners at the centre of education; Barrier-free access; Quality teaching and leadership, Future of learning and work, and World class inclusive public education.
Copies of the background to the paper entitled SHAPING A STRONGER EDUCATION SYSTEM WITH NEW ZEALANDERS AND CONSULTATION ON THE STATEMENT OF NATIONAL EDUCATION AND LEARNING PRIORITIES AND TERTIARY EDUCATION STRATEGY is found on this link
http://conversation.education.govt.nz.
Comments and responses can be made on
https://conversation.education.govt.nz/conversations/shaping-a-stronger-education-system-for-all/
Integrated schools should note that the details or timelines for the plan remain open ended at this point but we can assume that there is still an intention to look at a range of issues identified by APIS in the first response to the Haque Report.
The five areas of focus are all consistent with any good educational system and few would find cause to oppose those. A positive is the focus on developing a coherent system from early childhood to tertiary. As the plans and timelines emerge we will have much more material to respond to.
In this busy fourth term it would be important for Boards of Trustees and Proprietor Boards to spend some time looking at the general plan and sharing any concerns they have with this office.
Ngā mihi nui koutou
Paul Ferris
Chief Executive.
After a thorough recrutiment process, we were delighted to welcome Carol Coddington to the role of Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NZCEO and APIS at the beginning of 2019. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Carol’s plan to commute between Auckland and Wellington for work did not go as intended. This put unreasonable pressure on her and her family. After a serious attempt to make all these challenges come together and allow her time to settle in to the role, it became unsustainable.
Carol has won a position with the Education Review Office in Auckland which will allow her to continue to play a role in education and at the same time be more immediately available for her family. While we are disappointed that Carol’s time with us has been short, we thank her for her willingness to lead in this office and wish her every success in this new role.
Our prayers and good wishes to Carol who starts work in Auckland in early October.
ALL-OF-GOVERNMENT CONTRACT
All State and State-integrated schools are eligible to join All-of-Government (AoG) contracts. Over 800 schools are already using one or more contracts.
The contracts cover a number of goods and services, including:
• IT hardware
• Electricity
• Print services
• Office supplies
• Banking services
• Reticulated gas
• Rental vehicles
• Motor vehicles
AoG contracts are not mandatory and schools have the choice to pick and choose which contracts will deliver the best value. Joining costs nothing and you will not be locked in to the contract.
If you would like to join, visit the MOE website for more information or email: school.buying@education.govt.nz.
EDPAY ROLLOUT TO SCHOOLS
EdPay is being rolled out to schools in groups, and new features are added as they are built and tested. There are now 200 schools using EdPay, and its features include new hires, terminations and updating employees’ contact, role and financial details.
A new help feature ‘Eddy the Kererū’ has recently been added, which provides hover hints and tours of EdPay’s features. Over the remainder of term 3 and term 4 almost all schools will be offered access to EdPay, and additional features will be added.
EPL has been touring the country giving demonstrations and collecting feedback from groups of school administrators. Several adjustments to EdPay have been made on the advice of schools, and all feedback is welcomed. Schools using EdPay still have access to Novo forms, and to their dedicated payroll adviser. Most Novo forms will be phased out toward the end of term one 2020.
SMALL & ISOLATED SCHOOLS PROGRAMME
The Ministry Of Education has introduced Small & Isolated Schools Programme, a response to sector feedback that small and isolated schools are more challenged to carry out asset maintenance and improve the quality of their internal environments. The programme is going to target all small or isolated schools – approximately 550 schools.
Detailed planning is now underway to deliver four internal interventions. This planning includes:
• Product tenders and contracts (LEDs, Acoustic Panels, Thermal Blankets and RCDs) • Freight and Shipping tender and contract (product delivery to schools)
• Project Managers (and Installers) tenders and contracts
• Finalisation of approach and ordering of schools in the programme
More information shoud be made available later this year once the planning has been completed. On ground physical delivery of improvements will be in 2020/2021.
Kevin Shore, Principal of St Peter's College, Palmerston North has represented NZCEO and APIS on this important working party.
The working party has released its workplan which gives details of some good actions to manage workload.
To view the current diagram click here, for the letter about the process click here.
School Leavers will get the core skills and knowledge they need to help launch their post-school lives, with the School Leavers’ Toolkit, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says.
“We need to make sure all our young people can leave school with the skills they need to get on in life and avoid common pitfalls that can easily trip them up. It shouldn’t be left to chance,” Chris Hipkins said.
“The Toolkit will provide easy to find – and understand – advice and information on how to set up a bank account, and learn about compound interest and debt.
The Studyit website for secondary students has also been refreshed.
https://sltk-resources.tki.org.nz
https://school-leavers-toolkit.education.govt.nz/
Pope Francis visited Mozambique recently and he spoke to young people at an inter-faith gathering. His address contains much food for reflection, for example:
“Let me leave you with one last thought: God loves you, and this is something on which all our religious traditions are agreed.
For him, you have worth; you are not insignificant. You are important to him, for you are the work of his hands. That is why he is concerned about you and looks to you with affection.
Trust the memory of God… His memory is a heart filled with tender compassion, one that finds joy in ‘deleting’ from us every trace of evil. He does not keep track of your failings and he always helps you learn something even from your mistakes. Because he loves you.
Try to keep still for a moment and let yourself feel his love. Try to silence all the noise within, and rest for a second in his loving embrace. This love of God is simple, silent and discreet: it does not overpower us or force itself on us; it is not strident or flashy. It is “a love that is free and freeing, a love that heals and raises up.
The love of the Lord has to do more with raising up than knocking down, with reconciling than forbidding, with offering new changes than condemning, with the future than the past”.
One of our Sponsors, Alsco released their Sustainability Review in 2018. They now want to share stories of their sustainability journey,
Team planting days are part of Alsco’s ongoing commitment to waterway restoration through a partnership with environmental initiative, Million Metres. As Million Metres’ Foundation Partner, Alsco is contributing to the goal of restoring a million metres of New Zealand’s waterways. Alsco provides corporate sponsorship, donations to stream projects, and staff engagement in planting days.
"The Million Metres & Alsco 2019 Planting Days series has achieved some great results for New Zealand’s waterways. In total, 266 volunteers have got stuck in and planted 3,292 native plants along 1,130 metres of waterways. Importantly, volunteers have also had the opportunity to learn more about how to take care of our waterways and see first hand how they can make a difference."
To read more about Alsco's sustabaility update click here.
FROM THE PRIVACY COMMISSIONER
Case note: Parents complain school mishandled their child’s sensitive medical data
Two parents complained to the Privacy Commision after a primary school displayed their child’s Medical Action Plan (MAP) in the school staffroom.
MAPs are developed by schools to ensure staff know how to respond to children who may require urgent medical attention. The child had high needs and the MAP included sensitive medical information regarding their toileting.
DYSLEXIA AWARENESS WEEK 7 - 13 OCTOBER 2019
Dyslexia is defined as "a range of persistent difficulties with aspects of reading, writing and spelling" (Ministry of Education).
It is often accompanied by strengths in creativity and big-picture thinking and difficulties with organisation and short term memory.
It is estimated one in ten New Zealanders have dyslexia.
The Ministry of Education Wellbeing in Education website has a Guide to Dyslexia and Learning.
Below is a video from Made by Dyslexia about dyslexic strengths. An inspiring vidoeo to show teachers and students.
Actura’s FlipFun Activities and Workshops
Learning How to Apply the “A” in STEAM Robotics Learning
Through Actura’s FlipFun Activities and Workshops creativity in students can be unleashed while learning about robotics. The three-hour sessions are designed to pique interest with hands-on “fun” creative robotics activities with FlipRobot. The sessions have clear curriculum framework outcomes and focus on problem-based learning. Students and educators alike can learn about robotics and STEAM through various themed activities.
Topics in the FlipFun Activities and Workshops include:
Mars Rover Challenge
- Remote and program control rover to traverse through Martian terrain.
- Program control rover to stay on projected route and avoid hitting obstacles by applying ultrasonic sensors.
- Uses a real-world problem scenario to inspire student’s creativity.
Discover Autonomous Driving
Students explore autonomous driving, practising controlling vehicles to drive safely within lanes by applying infrared sensors. They monitor the vehicle to avoid collisions at intersections and reach destinations safely. They learn about Smart Cities and applications with robotics.
Robotic Dog Training
Robotic Dog Training enables students to program via a joystick to walk a puppy around and bark. They train their puppy by applying ultrasonic sensors to move forward or backward.
About Actura
Actura offers a range of options for schools for FlipFun Activities and Workshops including formats – FlipFun Challenges, FlipFun Max and FlipFun Your Way. Learning how to apply the “A” in STEAM Robotics Learning is the key to these sessions, each can be tailored to individual school’s needs. Actura, as the leading robotics STEAM education solution provider seeks to use fun & creative robotics activities to spark interest in STEAM education. Students and educators alike can master critical skills such as computational thinking, exploratory learning, presentation and oral communication skills and collaboration, initiative and entrepreneurship through these immersive, engaging FlipFun Activities and Workshops.
For more information visit the website:
To Access the FlipCloud Online Resource Portal, Curriculum and Video Links at liberty:
https://cloud.fliprobot.com/nz/course/dancing-robot/
https://cloud.fliprobot.com/nz/course/little-drummer/
https://cloud.fliprobot.com/nz/course/robotic-arm/
https://cloud.fliprobot.com/nz/course/bionic-quadruped-robot-2/
For any feedback on the curriculum, or if you have any questions please contact
jen.jones@actura.co.nz
On 5 June 2015, Sabah, Malaysia was struck by an earthquake with a moment magnitude of 6.0. The earthquake lasted 30 seconds but was fatal for 18 people climbing Mount Kinabalu. Find out how International SOS supported an affected education client on an overseas excursion and brought their staff and students home safely within 84 hours:
Increasingly, schools are expected to provide an enriching well-rounded experience for their students. This includes providing extra-curricular opportunities for overseas travel and exploration that allows them to experience the value of other cultures first hand.
But in providing these services, you will want to ensure the well-being of your students and peace-of-mind for parents is guaranteed. Identifying and managing risk is the only way to ensure a safe and successful trip for your students and staff, whether they are staying close to home or heading overseas.
For over 30 years, International SOS has helped schools around the globe deliver truly inclusive education by providing advice and support as they take students and staff away from the classroom to gain the broadest possible education.
When the safety of your students and staff is in your hands, second best isn’t enough; we need to protect tomorrow’s future. That’s why 53 education institutions across Australia and New Zealand trust us with 34,000 students and staff.
Further information about how International SOS supports schools like yours can be found here at internationalsos.com.au/education/schools or by contacting Rebecca Skegg, NZ Education Manager at International SOS on 0272 8080 52 or Rebecca.skegg@internationalsos.com
St Peter's Catholic School, Cambridge, claimed their fourth AA Girls title in five years with a 78-76 victory against Waikato neighbours Hamilton Girls' High School at the 2019 Schick Secondary Schools National Championships
St Kevin's College, Oamaru won the Schick Secondary Schools National Basketball Premier A competition with a win over Dunstan High School 68-50. The A competition is for schools with smaller rolls.
