Lighting New Fires: School & Policy Updates - Term 1 Issue 2 2023 (NZCEO)

TĒNĀ KOUTOU KATOA

Kia ora koutou

Flooding in the North Island

The new year has been a challenge for many of our North Island state integrated school communities. The Association of Proprietors of Integrated Schools (APIS) would like to acknowledge the ongoing efforts of our proprietors, school leaders and staff in working to support their communities through these very testing weather events. Communities in Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, the East Coast and Hawkes Bay have had to respond to the damage caused by a number of weather events including Cyclone Gabrielle.

I had the pleasure of visiting the majority of our state integrated schools in the Hawkes Bay in early March. My visits were unscheduled and, as a consequence, I was not always able to connect with the principal of each school but I appreciated the manaaki I received and the opportunity to be able to discuss the difficulties and challenges these communities were experiencing. Our school leaders and staff have once again risen to the challenge of adversity and APIS congratulates and thanks you for the work you continue to do in trying conditions. It was pleasing to see that after a very difficult first two weeks that the roading infrastructure in the Hawkes Bay was improving as travel for students and staff between home and school was a major trial.

APIS sends our best wishes to the proprietor, staff and students of Hukarere College who have lost their beautiful school as a result of the floods but it was pleasing to hear of their intention and commitment to rebuild and continue to offer a state integrated boarding school for Māori girls.

Political Advocacy

APIS and AIS were very pleased to start 2023 with another meeting with Education Minister Jan Tinetti. She was very gracious in wanting to ensure that we can directly communicate with her and discuss those issues that are important to state integrated education. Topics that were discussed included further discussions on the EQI and the impacts on our state integrated schools, particularly in South Auckland, concerns over the increasing costs of insurance and the impact on attendance dues, the inadequacy of the current budget for Policy Two funding and issues associated with Cyclone Gabrielle. These issues continue to cause stress in our system and APIS will continue to raise these and other emerging issues in our scheduled meetings with the Minister.

NZCEO

The New Zealand Catholic Education office, who act in a secretariat agreement on behalf of APIS, suffered the devasting loss in March of our long term chair, Geoff Ricketts. Geoff had been a board member since 2000 and the NZCEO Board Chair since 2004 holding this role for the last eighteen years. He was a very successful lawyer, businessman, philanthropist and voluntary board member and supporter for the church, education, and arts communities. He was awarded a Papal Knight in the Order of St Gregory by the Catholic Church and was a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Geoff was a man of great faith, an unassuming and humble man who believed in offering his gifts and talents to benefit the communities he was associated with. APIS passes on our sympathies to his wife Fran and his children and wider family. Geoff’s life of service was a wonderful example to those of us who were lucky to serve with him and be blessed by his talents.

EPMP

Proprietors continue to work with our EPMP team on building projects in their schools. In February 2023, over $3M of EPMP funds were transferred to proprietors for Policy One work as part of the EPMP project. It is pleasing to see the number of projects that have already been completed and APIS continues to be thankful to all the wonderful proprietor property managers who are helping progress this work. Rising building costs and access to contractors continues to challenge the progress of this work that must be completed by August 2024. The EPMP team here at APIS are very aware of the challenges but are confident that proprietors are confidently working to meet this deadline – well done to you all.

Final Comment

There seems to be much negativity in the press about life in Aotearoa in 2023. There is no doubt that our country is being subjected to all sorts of pressures that are impacting negatively on our lives. As a society, we have to be sensitive to the needs of those most affected and where possible support those individuals. However, there is still much to be thankful for and watching communities get together in support of each other through our recent weather events is an example of what is best about humanity. I hope that in the weeks and months ahead that there will be opportunities for us to appreciate and celebrate all the gifts that we enjoy in our country and the wonderful people who are part of our community.

Ngā manaakitanga

Kevin Shore, Chief Executive Officer

Update for boards and proprietors

Be on the lookout for summary information on your school from Ministry of Education.

We have been working in collaboration with the Ministry of Education to ensure that the information they hold for state integrated schools is accurate.   The Ministry thought it would be helpful for you to have a summary of the Integration Agreement and subsequent Supplementary Agreements for your school.  As you are aware an Integration Agreement is a legally binding document between the Proprietor of the school and the Crown, and it lists the responsibility and roles of each party. A Supplementary Agreement is then drafted for changes to the original Integration Agreement (for example, maximum roll increase). All state integrated schools must operate within their specifications of the Integration Agreement and the following Supplementary Agreement(s). 

The summary sheets will include information such as

• School Name
• Previous Name
• School Number
• Address
• Proprietor
• Previous Proprietor
• School Type
• Date of Integration Agreement
• Current Maximum Roll
• Current Maximum Non Preference
• Maximum Attendance Dues
• Tagged Staff Positions
• Day/Boarder Ratio (if applicable)
• Supplements to the Deed of Agreement
• Site plan updates

Although the Ministry have reviewed these summary sheets across the original documents and their databases to ensure the accuracy of the information, there may be potential errors. It is important you review the summary sheets and if you find incorrect information, or if you have any queries, please contact the Ministry.  The summary sheets will be sent out in the coming weeks. 

Eyes that see…heart that reach out: The disciple’s Journey in teaching and learning.

Over the last few years St Peter’s College in Palmerston North has been embracing the concept of the disciple’s journey from Encounter of Christ, an increased Growth and Knowledge of Him and His Church, to a life of Christian witness as a framework on which to base teaching and learning in and outside the classroom.

The process began slowly within the Religious Education department where we spent some time exploring and identifying what the disciples’ journey meant for us as teachers and our students as learners and people of faith. We examined how  the journey impacted us at St Peter’s and what our roles within it are. This is an ongoing journey for us and a time of rich learning about how faith and life and faith and culture are integrated.

We inquired into how each stage of the journey was ‘seen’ across not only the Religious Education department but the whole school. Our dialogue indicated the following:

Encounter with Christ– how do our students and staff ‘encounter Christ’ in our college?

• Karakia in the classroom
• Start of the year whole school prayer unit
• Tuakana/teina prayer activities
• Year level and staff retreats
• School masses
• Student led Friday lunchtime class liturgies
• Liturgical season liturgies - Lent, Advent, the Assumption class liturgies
• Marcellin Champagnat liturgies
• St Peter’s College class Catholic special character induction sessions for Years 7-9
• Singing in assemblies led by the SPC chapel band
• ROCK - our PB4L school programme
• Our pastoral care system.

Growth in Knowledge – how do our students grow in their knowledge of our faith?

• Religious Education curriculum
• The integration of Catholic special Character in other subjects
• Through assemblies
• Retreats
• Guest speakers like St Vincent de Paul and Catholic special character events like the O’Shea Shield.

Christian Witness  - how do our students integrate, connect with, and make real, the encounter experience and knowledge of our faith, in their own lives at school and in our wider community?

• Putting our school karakia into action by having - “Eyes that see the needs of others and hearts that reach out to fill those needs”.
• Student involvement in our social justice activities: survive a slum, Keys to the Kingdom fundraising ventures
• Caritas appeal
• Young Vinnies collections - cans, winter clothing, toys.
• Responding to natural disasters - Tongan Appeal and Cyclone Gabrielle fundraising activities,
• Creating videos about Catholic special character events and sharing them with our wider community on the school Facebook page - St Patrick’s day video, Marcellin Champagnat video, Catholic special Character committee video, appeal videos.
• Attending Sunday Mass in their own parish
• Involvement in the St Peter’s College chapel band both at school and in the parishes, liturgies, retreats and leadership opportunities.

In Religious Education we have taken a direct approach to linking the disciples’ journey to teaching and learning. Over the past few years, it has become more embedded in the way that we prepare our lessons.  This has resulted in most teachers developing lesson plans under the headings of Encounter, Knowledge, and Witness.

For those adopting this structure students are advised, via laminated cards on the white board, how they could encounter Christ during their time in the class (usually through karakia and waiata), the new or re-enforced knowledge that they will gain and finally a question is posted on how they will go about applying faith to their life-being a witness to Christ. This generally involves a question on how karakia, waiata and the learning activities impacts on their own life-how they have connected at a personal level with the day’s lesson.

Examples of witness questions used, directly related to topic themes, are:

• What is an important value that you live your life by?
• How can you further develop your conscience?
• How could you use this decision-making process in your life?
• What action can you do today that shows one of the Catholic Social Teachings in action?
• How has our lesson today impacted on you? What might you do differently now?
• What connections have you made with our lesson today?

One teacher uses the end of the lesson time to go around the students and one by one asking them to share their answer to the witness question. This can be very enlightening, and it allows time to connect with every student in the class. It also gives a good sense of what their next steps for the following lesson are.

Answering the Witness questions in Religious Education allows students time for deeper thinking and reflection on their own faith lives. In terms of the effect on students we see them stepping up all the time in 'witness situations'. These situations include random acts of kindness, students helping staff out at the last minute, being creative in sharing our Catholic special character during covid times via videos etc. These events, plus the many listed earlier under Christian Witness have meant they understood and participated in encounter and knowledge activities.

Dialogue on the disciple’s journey has become embedded across the whole school. The Director of Religious Studies and myself, the Head of Department, Religious Education, share and revisit the disciple’s journey with our staff at the start of each year when we give our Catholic special character input on the teacher only days. We present the school theme for the year based on our school values and a Catholic Social Teaching. This allows for a strong Encounter experience for the staff.

Staff can now  identify the different activities they do that also reflect the disciple’s journey. Some examples are: the way that students participate in school Pōwhiri, Hato Peteratanga, sports exchanges, using and putting the fair play code into action on the sports field and tuakana/teina activities like Peer Support.

Our Principal Margaret Leamy has also taken onboard this journey with one example being the structure of the Catholic special character section of her monthly board report. This happens under the headings Encounter, Knowledge and Witness. The DRS, Margaret and myself, then add the various activities we have been involved in that month under each heading.

Embedding the disciple’s journey - Encounter, Knowledge, and Witness into the many aspects of school life is an ongoing journey. The power of this hikoi are the very special ‘God-moments’ that happen along the way. Seeing the students visually and verbally connect in a way they hadn’t done before is very inspiring and moving. Sometimes they are big moments but often they are small ones. One thing that is certain though is that they are moments of impact, moments of connection, moments of faith in Christ.

Lorraine Wilson

HoD Religious Education, St Peter’s College, Palmerston North

Save the Date: 2023 NZCEO and Te Kupenga Online Symposium Series

NZCEO in association with Te Kupenga – Catholic Leadership Institute, are again in 2023 hosting an online symposium series. There will be three sessions each focusing on one of the theological Te Rama Aroha: The Light of Love Cross Themes  in the new Religious Education curriculum Tō Tātou Whakapono: Our Faith. These sessions will take the same format as the 2021 and 2022 symposium starting with prayer followed by 40 minutes of speaker input with the next 20-minutes in breakout rooms and concluding with a general Q & A session.

The following are tentative descriptions and solid dates which we are inviting you to set in your calendar. More details on the speakers and themes will come closer to the time.

If you wish to register for these sessions please contact jerry@nzceo.org.nz

Session One: 31 May 3:30-5:00pm   Wisdom   Rev. Dr. Merv Duffy

Whakaaronui Wisdom is seeing with the eyes of God. In Scripture and the Tradition of the Church it is often referred to as a gift from God. It is also reflected, particularly in the Religious Education context, as the knowledge, understanding, Tradition and teaching of two thousand years of being Church.

Session Two: 2 August 3:30-5:00pm   Justice   Rev. Dr. Gerard Aynsley

Tika Justice is the sacred principle that each person receives that which they deserve by right of their God-given human dignity. It is always understood in relationship to God, ourselves and all creation. It encompasses the generous aroha and mercy of God. Tika is essential to our faith and requires us to act.

Session Three: 22 November 3:30-5:00pm   Prayer   Mr. Murray Adams  

Īnoi Prayer is part of every aspect of living a Christian life. It is a critical area of personal and communal spirituality and Pope Francis tells us it “is both a challenge and an adventure”. In prayer we listen to God, discern God’s will and give voice to our heart’s desires. We enter into relationship with God.

We hope, you, your staff and board are able to join us for this formation opportunity.

Caritas update

As we journey through Lent, we wanted to acknowledge and thank all our Catholic schools who have stood in solidarity and responded to those affected by emergency situations around the world. Both here in New Zealand and abroad. Whether it has been through prayer, fundraising or other practical actions.   

Holy Week is coming!

Just a reminder that Caritas has created a detailed Stations of the Cross liturgy that could be used before and during Holy Week. There are two versions – for both primary and secondary levels.

As we reflect on what Jesus encountered on his way to the cross, this year’s liturgy encourages us to look around the world at the challenges faced by many and to see how different Caritas organisations are helping to bring light into the world.

Conquering the Challenge for Fiji

Schools are encouraged to take on the Caritas Challenge to make a lifetime of change for communities in Fiji. Resources are available online and schools can register today to get their free pack with helpful resources. Check out the promo video if you haven’t seen it yet.

YCC Day

We’re excited about YCC Day at the end of next term. We’d love all Catholic schools to take part so that we can help Oecusse School and their 800+ students in Timor-Leste regain access to their toilets! For more information about YCC Day visit our website. It’s super easy and fun!

Students and Stewardship

The KAITIAKI2SHARE competition is a great way for students of all ages to use their creativity to connect with the Catholic social teaching principle of stewardship.

The options are endless… poetry, art, music, writing, video creation…  we’d love to hear unique, creative and thoughtful ideas around how we can care for all of God's creation. The theme is: ACT TODAY FOR A BETTER TOMORROW.

Entries close on Tuesday 13 June 2023 so there is plenty of time!

Get in Touch

We’d love to hear what schools have been doing to make our world a better place. Also for any resource orders or queries contact the team at michaels@caritas.org.nz or justine@caritas.org.nz   

For more education related information check out the website at www.caritas.org.nz/schools

Study opportunities with Te Kupenga Catholic Theological College

Update on the course Safeguarding in the Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand (SCCANZ): Statement from the National Office of Professional Standards

The National Office of Professional Standards (NOPS) is currently doing a review of the Safeguarding Course with the intention of producing an updated version of the course to be made available no earlier than June 2023.   NOPS has partnered with the Te Kupenga – Catholic Theological College in delivering the course for the whole of New Zealand.  We will inform the public once the review is finalised and when the new version would be available for enrolment. 

To learn more or to register, go to www.tekupenga.ac.nz/safeguarding 

EPMP Project - Modern Learning Spaces at Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Sumner

EPMP funds have allowed Our Lady of the Sea School to modernise two of their learning spaces. New acoustics, lighting, heating and autex were well overdue and now the spaces are fit for purpose and have led to clear improvements in the 'learning experience' of tamariki. A tremendous asset not only to the aesthetic of the school, but also the teaching and learning.

Privacy Week 2023

Privacy Week 2023 will be celebrated from 8 - 14 May. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner marks Privacy Week each year to promote privacy awareness, inform people of their rights under the Privacy Act, and help educate agencies about their responsibilities. This year, the theme is Privacy Rights in the Digital Age. A range of workshops and forums will be held during the week, further information will be made available here.

Message from a key sponsor: Teamturf at St Marks Catholic School, Pakuranga

In February Teamturf installed a new sports turf under an outdoor canopy at St Marks Catholic School, Pakuranga.  The turf used at this installation was our Elite Coolplus in blue, with green surrounds.

Phil Lewis, Teamturfs’ Managing Director also handed over a bag of sports balls to Assistant Principal, Trish Hodgson, who was very grateful to receive these for the students. All state integrated schools who confirm a job with us will also receive a bag of netballs/basketballs.

Elite Coolplus is an 18mm texturised monofilament surface designed for the ultimate sports performance at the highest level. Designed to provide a soft surface with proven ‘dry play’ performance for hockey and superior underfoot traction for netball and basketball. Certified to FIH, ITF and World Netball international Standards. Includes the exclusive COOLplus technology, designed to lower the rising temperature of artificial grass by up to 20% compared to other grasses without COOLplus.

If you would like more information about what Teamturf can offer you can view our website by clicking here or email the team at info@teamturf.co.nz.