Kōtui: School & Policy Updates - Term 4 Issue 2 2024 (NZCEO)

TĒNĀ KOUTOU KATOA: Editorial by Dr Kevin Shore, CEO

Kia ora koutou

I have been reminded of the importance of our families and those we live and work with in recent weeks. Our lives are enriched by those we love and care for as well as our colleagues and those we interact with daily. The sad passing of the former Minister of Education Nikki Kaye was another reminder that our lives have meaning beyond ourselves. Her life and the passion she had that drove her to make a positive contribution to improving education in New Zealand should be celebrated. While she has died young, in the words of a colleague and friend, hers was a full and complete life and I have had many messages from stakeholders in the sector who held her in high regard. May she rest in peace. 

The recent Hikoi that culminated in a final march to parliament in Wellington was a significant moment in history in Aotearoa. It was estimated that there were 40 to 50 thousand protestors in attendance, and it was an expression of the deep feelings in society that the issue has created. No doubt there have been many conversations in your school communities, workplace and at home on the Treaty Principles Bill. Given the fractures in society created over the period of COVID it is disappointing that this issue has arisen and created further division. 

As the Association of Proprietors of Integrated Schools (APIS) represents a diverse depth and breadth of proprietor opinions and views, the organisation has not made any political statements regarding the Treaty Principles Bill on behalf of the organisation. However, as this Bill passes through its submission process it is likely that NZCEO will make a submission in line with the views of our Bishops and individual proprietors across APIS should make a submission if they have views on this bill that they want the government to hear. In a democratic society it is important that we participate in these debates. 

Final EPMP Payment 

Proprietors will have received a small payment recently that represents the remaining unallocated EPMP funds once all qualifying projects were completed. APIS is grateful to the Ministry property staff who worked with us to find a fair and reasonable way to allocate these remaining funds. This payment represents a small payment by way of compensation for the administration work proprietors carried out in completing their EPMP projects. While for most this is a small payment nevertheless it was a generous gesture that APIS appreciated. 

APIS Meeting with Minister Stanford 

APIS has one further meeting with Minister Stanford this year. We are grateful to Minister Stanford for making herself available on 17 December so that we can follow up on a very productive conversation which we had at the beginning of September. Minister Stanford is also the Minister of Immigration and is the Lead Coordination Minister for the Government's Response to the Royal Commission's Report into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions. These are very busy and demanding roles and APIS is grateful that she continues to make herself available to us despite her workload. 

Issues that APIS wishes to continue discussing with the Minister include: 

• Policy two funding and other alternatives in support of growth aspirations in the sector 

• Proprietor involvement in network planning 

• Insurance for proprietors of state integrated schools 

• Ministry of Education reviews of funded transport for students who qualify 

Most of these issues were discussed back in September with the Minister and she has supported work looking at developing possible solutions and responses which has been pleasing. 

Appointment of AIS CEO 

APIS congratulates Nicola Geuze who has just been appointed as the new CEO for the Association of Integrated Schools (AIS). Nicola takes over this role officially from the incumbent Mark Larson on 1 January 2025 and we look forward to her contribution in supporting proprietors, school boards and staff of state integrated schools in Aotearoa. Nicola will bring her experiences as a lawyer, current board chair of a state integrated school and parent of students in state integrated schools to the table and the APIS Executive and staff at NZCEO wish her well in this important role. 

Finally 

The staff at APIS/NZCEO want to thank our stakeholders for your support in what has been another challenging but positive year for our sector. There have been many positives for our staff including attending the opening of two new secondary state integrated schools, facilitating the National Catholic Education Convention in June, attending and supporting the 2024 AIS Conference, facilitating school leadership programmes and having the opportunity to meet with proprietor boards, school boards, and the staff who make such a positive contribution to our schools. 

Thank you for the important work that you do, and our staff wish you every happiness and blessing over the summer break. 

Ngā mihi o te wā me te Tau Hou 

Kevin Shore, Chief Executive Officer 

Remembering Nikki Kaye

The Association of Proprietors of Integrated Schools (APIS) and the New Zealand Catholic Education Office (NZCEO) were saddened to hear of the passing of Nikki Kaye. Nikki held the role of Minister of Education through the period when Paul Ferris was CEO of APIS and NZCEO. Paul remembers Nikki as someone of integrity, vision and energy and who was supportive of the work of state integrated schools in New Zealand.

Nikki Kaye was the Minister of Education who completed negotiations and signed off on the 2017 Quantity Funding agreement providing for the government to pay 85% of the costs of new classrooms in situations where the government introduced education policies that required proprietors to build new facilities. One example of this was when new teacher student ratios were introduced requiring some schools to build more classrooms to operationalise this policy. This settlement also provided a compensation payment to proprietors for past policy changes where proprietors were not compensated. This was a significant agreement and one for which our sector was grateful to the government for, and in particular for the part that Nikki Kaye played in its successful conclusion.

APIS and NZCEO pass on our prayers and support to Nikki’s family. She has left us far too early, but her passion, enthusiasm and goodwill is something that we will always remember her for and we are grateful for her life and service in Aotearoa.

NZCEO Annual Report 2024 – we need you!

NZCEO were delighted to feature many of our wonderful Catholic schools in our 2023 Annual Report.

If you would like your school to feature in the annual report for 2024 please share a photo featuring your school by uploading it to our Dropbox account.  Photos need to be high resolution and have permission to publish in our report.  Photos available from school websites are always welcome. This report is for Catholic proprietors and shared with our schools and also features on the NZCEO website.

We look forward to seeing your pictures!

Save the Date: Catholic Schools Day 2025

 The next Catholic Schools Day will be celebrated on 28 May 2025. Our Catholic schools are the outward sign of a long commitment from both the Church and parents of Catholic children in “helping form Christ in the lives of others”. Catholic Schools Day provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and showcase our unique identity to both our communities and our wider nation. Further details about Catholic Schools Day 2025 will be available soon!

NZCEO Scholarship for Leadership in Catholic Education 2025

Each year the New Zealand Catholic Education Office (NZCEO) makes a significant financial contribution to supporting the development of Catholic teachers in leadership and the teaching of Religious Education. The Board of NZCEO has generously allocated a limited fund to provide scholarships for teachers and aspiring leaders and those in leadership positions to undertake tertiary qualifications – in the main at post graduate level in support of our future Catholic leaders given their need to undertake qualifications in Catholic Leadership or Catholic special character including Theology and Religious Education.

These scholarships will be available again for 2025.

Further information about the application process, and the application form, are below:

Applications should be sent to Rosalie Connors (Manager, Special Character) at NZCEO: email r.connors@nzceo.org.nz by 28 February 2025.

NZCEO Website Video Resources

The story of state integrated education; our journey, and where we are today 

NZCEO have developed a series of video resources to capture the history of the one hundred year battle to gain state support for what we now know as state integrated schools. The videos contain many very powerful stories that highlight that our current state integrated schools stand on the shoulders of the sacrifices made by those who started our journey as private schools.

The videos below are centred on capturing the following:

1. Historical timeline of events leading up to and beyond the Private Schools Conditional Integration Act (1975).
2. The History of Integration focusing on the key moments and the important decisions and issues that have led to where we are today.
3. Special Character and the role of the proprietor in maintaining and preserving special character.
4. Property in state integrated schools both before and after the PSCIA (1975).

Governance Video Resources for Catholic state integrated school boards

As stewards of faith-based education, the board has the unique challenge and responsibility to safeguard and preserve the Catholic special character of the school. These video resources are aimed at providing key information and advice to support the board to navigate the complexities of governance in a Catholic state integrated school.  The videos currently available are:

1. Introduction to governance in a Catholic state integrated school
2. The role of the proprietor appointee on a Catholic state integrated school board
3. Enrolment in a Catholic state integrated school
4. Catholic special character
5. Safeguarding and strengthening Catholic special character
6. The religious content of the school programme

The video resources have been developed to be watched as a whole board at a board meeting, pausing when and where required to enable the board to discuss the content. Some videos are longer (10-12 minutes) and some are shorter but they have been designed to encourage discussion as a board. Each video resource has a slide pack available for those who like to access information by reading and reviewing the content.

2024 New Zealand Catholic Education Convention 

The National Catholic Education Convention was held at the TSB Arena in Wellington from Wednesday 19 June through to Friday 21 June this year. Due to the pandemic, this was our first convention for six years and the response was indicative of a sector who wanted to come together in fellowship after such a long period where we could not gather.  

Videos of the four keynote addresses by our local and international speakers are available on the NZCEO website at the link below, along with speaker biographies, and PowerPoint presentations.

Teaching tomorrow: Redefining education in the age of AI

By Natasha Baulis, Maxim Institute

This paper is part of Maxim Institute’s series on Artificial Intelligence (AI), exploring AI’s impact on education with a focus on New Zealand. It delves into how AI is being used, its future potential, and the risks involved in integrating AI into education. Key findings include:

AI in Education: Current and Future Applications
Narrow AI has the potential to revolutionise education by providing personalised learning experiences, easing teacher workloads, and helping identify student talents. However, while AI offers numerous benefits, it is essential to approach its integration with caution, as it cannot fully replicate human cognitive processes.

Impact of Generative AI
The introduction of generative AI tools like ChatGPT has sparked concerns about academic integrity. Reports indicate that 60% of students use AI for schoolwork. However, most students use these tools to supplement their efforts rather than to replace their work entirely.

Challenges in the New Zealand Education System
Despite substantial investment, New Zealand’s education outcomes continue to decline due to issues such as undertrained teachers, lack of adequate support, and structural inefficiencies. The system particularly struggles to address the needs of students from low socio-economic backgrounds and minority ethnic communities, highlighting a significant gap in educational equity.

To read the Policy Paper, and learn more about the Maxim Institute, follow the links below:

The Maxim Institute has also recently held a webinar, AI & Education, which is available to watch below. Join host Tim Wilson and Dr Paul Henderson live on YouTube as they discuss the potential of Artificial Intelligence to reshape New Zealand’s education landscape. In this discussion, you’ll discover:

• How AI might personalise learning paths for each student
• Lessons New Zealand can learn from AI adoption in South Korea, Singapore, and Australia
• Essential policies needed to ensure AI in classrooms remains safe, equitable, and human-centred

From the latest Nathaniel Report

Dilexit nos: Getting to the Heart of the Matter with Pope Francis 

Dr Greg Marcar (PhD) is a Content Developer at the Nathaniel Centre for Bioethics and a Research Affliate at the Centre for Theology and Public Issues (CTPI), University of Otago. 

On the 24th of October 2024, Pope Francis gifted the world with a new encyclical, Dilexit nos. The encyclical highlights the transformative power of the love found in the heart of Jesus Christ as a means for overcoming an unhealthy individualism in a world dominated by hectic pace and bombarded by technology. 

To continue reading follow the link below:

About the Nathaniel Centre

The Te Kupenga Nathaniel Centre for Bioethics was established by the NZ Catholic Bishops in 1999 and its key functions include:

• developing educational opportunities in bioethics
• acting as an advisory and resource centre for individuals, and professional, educational and community groups
• carrying out research into bioethical issues
• carrying out research and action to support the Church’s pastoral response to bioethical issues taking into account the needs of different cultures and groups in society

New CEO of the Association of Integrated Schools (AIS) New Zealand

From Shaun Brooker, Chair, AIS NZ

It is with great pleasure that I announce that the executive has concluded the recruitment process to fill the CEO vacancy that Mark Larson left as he enters a well-deserved retirement. The executive received four very good applications from candidates who all brought strengths to the CEO role and would have each been very capable of stepping into this role, albeit as people who have not had the experience that Mark had over the past decade-plus of working as CEO of AIS NZ.

The executive is excited to announce that Nicola Geuze will take up the role of CEO of AIS NZ as of 1 January 2025. Nicola is a very capable person and comes to AIS NZ with experience in the integrated sector as board chair of an integrated school for many years; she is a parent of students who attend integrated education and has been a part of the journey of setting up a new integrated school in Wellington. Nicola has a background as a lawyer and is an articulate and capable communicator. A short bio about Nicola is included in this communication. We look forward to you meeting her as she begins this important journey.

Nicola is currently the presiding member of the Maranatha Christian School Board of Trustees, where she has served for over six years. She has a background in law and several years of experience working in government, including involvement in Crown property and Treaty negotiations. Nicola brings a broad range of expertise to her new role. As a parent of three children attending a state-integrated school, Nicola deeply values the special character of these schools and is strongly committed to supporting them. She recognizes the significant contribution the Association of Integrated Schools NZ has made in strengthening state-integrated schools over the years. Nicola is excited to join an organisation that has provided such meaningful support to its members and is looking forward to building on the strong foundation laid by Mark Larson.

Te Kupenga Catholic Theological College

Caritas updates

Caritas Resources For 2025 Available Now

Schools will be receiving a resource pack in the coming days containing posters and information about the latest Caritas resources for 2025. These materials are designed to help teachers incorporate meaningful justice initiatives into their planning for the new year. From engaging Lent activities to inspiring Caritas Justice Chats, there are a range of invaluable and free resources available online to support your teaching.

Restoring Hope

The theme of the Caritas resources for Lent 2025 is RESTORING HOPE: YOUR COMPASSION IN ACTION / KIA PUAWAI TE TŪMANAKO. This transformative journey aligns with Pope Francis's Jubilee Year theme, "Pilgrims of Hope,” inviting us to actively embody love, compassion, and hope in our daily lives.

Each week, students will explore Gospel stories alongside inspiring narratives from Caritas partners in countries like Tonga, Fiji, Gaza, and Ukraine, illustrating how compassion can restore hope in challenging times.

Resources are available online and include a comprehensive Teacher Guide, Lesson Slides for Y1-4, Y5-8, Y9-13, Gospel Illustrations, Stations of the Cross Liturgies for junior and senior levels, an Action Plan, and a host of relevant Caritas videos.

These materials align seamlessly with the New Zealand Catholic Religious Education Curriculum, Tō Tātou Whakapono - Our Faith, and feature a dedicated "Curriculum Connections" section with Achievement Objective 9. This ensures that our Lenten journey enriches both spiritual growth and educational outcomes.

CHOOSING YOUR CHALLENGE IN 2025

Schools, once again have a great opportunity to get involved in something practical and fun to promote justice by participating in the Caritas Challenge 2025. Every dollar raised will become $4 through matched funding! Schools can choose their challenge and register anytime next year. Posters are included in the Caritas pack, and the promo video is online and ready to inspire action.

CARITAS JUSTICE CHATS

Bookings are now open for next year’s Caritas Justice Chats, taking place throughout March. These sessions give student leaders the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and share ideas on how to bring justice and positive change to their communities and others in need. A mix of days and times are available for both primary and secondary leaders.

MESSAGE OF THANKS FROM THE CARITAS EDUCATION TEAM

This year, we’ve loved engaging with students and teachers across Aotearoa. We have been blown away by the support given from Catholic schools to Caritas’ ongoing mission to create a world free of poverty and injustice. A positive spirit of solidarity has been kept alive through events like YCC Day, Social Justice Week and the Caritas Challenge.

We value the hard work and dedication of teachers across New Zealand in bringing justice to the forefront of learning and life. Please get in touch at education@caritas.org.nz if you want to discuss any of our future initiatives or if you need to order more resources.

We wish you a blessed Christmas and a relaxing summer break.

Michael and Justine

Securing your school during the holidays

Before classrooms across New Zealand wrap up the school year and the focus shifts from reading and math to Santa and togs, administrators have one final task ahead to prepare for the school holidays: securing the building. The school holidays present security challenges in education settings not typically experienced during the school terms, such as a lack of occupancy, the presence of contracted maintenance workers, and the increased risk of vandalism. Now is the perfect time to plan for the extended summer break and ensure the building where your students and faculty gather to learn and make memories is ready to welcome them back in the new school year. Use this checklist to make sure your school is prepared.

Read more about how Gallagher’s school solutions can help secure your school over the summer holidays by clicking below