As you return from a well earned break I trust that you have had some opportunity to rest and reflect on how fortunate we are to be in a COVID free country. Unlike many other countries our schools are able to operate with some normality. There are issues stemming from the lockdown – well being, the progress of learners, the digital divide across our schools, and the challenge of supporting students in practical subjects who have missed out on access to specialist spaces.

We have learnt a great deal about ourselves and our communities during the first two terms of this year. Our challenge is now to absorb these lessons, both in preparation for a time in the future when other challenges like COVID-19 are managed, and to adapt some of the positives from the experience and incorporate them into improvements we make to the design of learning and pastoral systems.

The biggest challenge for schools in New Zealand is to ensure that we get all the students to return to school. To support that work it is important for all integrated schools to support the Ministry of Education’s request for roll data so that we can monitor the trend across the country. I support the Ministry’s work in engaging with every student and I encourage you to ensure that they have the roll data from your school on a regular basis.

The Education Review Office has done some good work in providing some data in a report called Learning in Lockdown. COVID-19: Learning in Lockdown

While there may be more data to gather, the basics of the report provide some good reflective material for Principals and senior leadership. It is interesting to note that teacher’s concern for their mental health was higher among younger teachers than those over 46 years.

Other interesting data shows reaction from students who found working home worked well for them. A particular finding was the success that Pacifica students reported in contrast to European and Maori.

The report helps us understand ourselves, and what might be able to be used in a normal situation as a way of engaging students. The material ERO has produced provides good reflections for a staff meeting, and a conversation about what we plan to do if we are faced with some other challenge that isolates us from our students.

Best wishes as you return to school in term 3. We are over the middle of winter and spring is close. Enjoy the privileged position we have.

Ngā mihi nui

 Paul Ferris

Chief Executive.

In April we were excited to launch our new Facebook page. With Facebook we can share the latest news and information, keep you up to date with upcoming events, and connect with school communities. 

Going forward we will increasingly utilise the immediacy of Facebook to share important material and showcase what is happening in school communities up and down the country. For this reason, we urge you to follow our Facebook page. We will continue to communicate by email and newsletter.

In June Associate Minister of Education Hon Tracey Martin announced that 40 new Curriculum Leads have been appointed to work directly with schools, kura, early learning services and kōhanga reo to support the teaching of mental health and healthy relationships and promote the wellbeing of learners. 

This is part of an integrated package of support across the education sector to support the wellbeing of learners, their families, whānau and the school community.    

The Curriculum leads will have an understanding of the curricula and health education.  They will also have experience and ability to work with Māori and Pacific students, those students with disabilities and learning support needs and those from lower socio-economic communities. 

They will take up their roles at the beginning of 2021. 

Further information can be found here   

One of the Ministry Of Education's priority is to continue keeping workers and the wider

community healthy and safe by preventing the spread of COVID-19 under Alert Level 1.
 
They expect everyone managing construction sites on behalf of the Ministry or schools to continue to apply the guidance provided in the document New Zealand COVID-19 Construction Protocols.
 
The development of the protocols has been led by SiteSafe, Civil Contractors New Zealand, and industry leaders. These organisations have collaborated with field experts from within industry to develop healthy and safe protocols for all who work in and around the construction sector while under COVID-19 alert levels. You can view the Protocols on the CHASNZ website.
 
School property advisors will work with project managers on school-led projects before they start to ensure they understand the requirements.

John’s Gospel has long been recognised for its distinctive spiritual vision, and profound exploration of the meaning of the incarnation.

In her new book “Cry of the Earth and the Cry of the Poor: Hearing Justice in John’s Gospel”, Kathleen Rushton RSM shows that the fourth Gospel also speaks directly to urgent issues of social and ecological justice. Kathleen Rushton’s work relates this most spiritual of Gospels to the pressing concerns of the world today  

Dr Kathleen Rushton is a member of Ngā Whaea Atawhai Sisters of Mercy, and a former Lecturer at Te Kupenga-Catholic Theological College Aotearoa New Zealand. She writes a monthly column of reflections on the Sunday Gospel readings for Tui Motu Interislands magazine.  

You can purchase a copy via Mighty Ape NZ here