Lighting New Fires: School & Policy Updates - August 2022 (NZCEO)

TĒNĀ KOUTOU KATOA

Kia tau te rangimārie ki a koutou

There has been significant media interest in, and a focus on, some of our state integrated schools in recent weeks. This focus is a result of a general societal shift away from a Christian understanding of marriage and concerns expressed by some individuals in the media that some of our state integrated schools may not be providing the pastoral support for LGBTQi+ students demanded of school boards by section 127 of the Education Act. As with any issue things can get emotive very quickly and the facts as presented in the media can get somewhat distorted.

A recent media article that the CEO read suggested that the Associate Minister of Education, Jan Tinetti, had asked the Ministry of Education and the Education Review Office to investigate the policies and practices of all special character schools. This may have caused some disquiet amongst our proprietors and school boards, so I wanted to ensure all state integrated school stakeholders that this is not the case. APIS have a very positive and constructive relationship with the Secretary of Education and our national Ministry of Education Office. I can assure our stakeholders that if there was to be such an investigation initiated that APIS would receive prior notification and be able to discuss this with the Minister and Ministry of Education.

That is not to say that APIS is ignoring the issue and we will, and have continued to, meet with the Minister and the Ministry. As Minister Hipkins stated very clearly recently, state integrated schools are state schools with a special character as described in their integration agreement. The challenge is protecting our ability to teach and educate students within our belief system while discussing and negotiating our way through the responsibilities asked of school boards as state integrated schools and in particular those outlined in Section 127 of the Education Act. APIS will continue to work to protect the interests of our proprietors and attempt to act in a constructive and pragmatic manner in finding solutions when these issues arise.

APIS wants to acknowledge the support of our proprietors and school boards for each other and our organisation. It is a privilege to work for such a cohesive and supportive body given the diversity of beliefs that are characteristic of our proprietors.

Term 3 in Schools

It is disappointing to hear that many schools are starting term three under so much pressure with the continuing impact of staff illness and student absence. The cumulative impact of leading and managing schools during the last three years has required a huge amount of resilience and the ability to find the positives in the situation. Our schools continue to do a stunning job of managing everything that has been thrown at them and they are making every effort to limit the negative learning impacts for our tamariki.

It is a concern to hear that schools cannot find relief teachers and that staff are having to give up noncontacts to maintain a school programme – and that exhaustion is an issue even after the holidays given that many staff contracted illness over this period. One quote was that relief teachers are as scarce as unicorns, so it is a very difficult time for our teaching staff and I am sure they would enjoy some love and recognition from our communities. While it is obviously very difficult finding relief teachers one positive to note is that the Ministry of Education has extended relief teacher funding (and also for non-teaching staff illness) to include terms three and four of 2022.

Concern has been raised by our secondary principals over the impact of student absence on their ability to be successful with NCEA. Many students have left school to work so that they can support their families in what are tough financial times. Other students have lost their motivation to stay at school as absence and interruptions have resulted in them losing confidence in their ability to achieve an NCEA qualification. APIS is very hopeful that NZQA and the Ministry of Education will move quickly in coming up with some strategies in support of students undertaking NCEA (such as learning recognition credits used in previous years) as many are desperately in need of a boost to their self-confidence.

Thank you to all of our state integrated school communities for your continuing support of our students and whānau at a time of great stress and challenge. Your efforts are appreciated.

Essential Property Maintenance Package (EPMP)

Please refer to Karen Raitt’s report on the progress of the EPMP. We are now only four weeks away from the key date of 31^st August when all pre-approval applications must be submitted by proprietors to APIS and the EPMP team. Please support Karen Raitt and Jenny Gordon who are working tirelessly to ensure that all state integrated school proprietors can access the funds that were allocated to them. APIS recognises the challenges that proprietors have had to overcome in working to this testing timeline and we hope that the outcomes you will achieve for your school communities will be fully appreciated.

Mr Gifford vs Secretary of Education

Just as we were about to finalise this newsletter APIS received news that the High Court has delivered its judgment in the judicial review proceeding commenced by Mr Guy Gifford. In essence the Judge has found against Mr Gifford and for the respondents, including NZCEO (representing all state integrated schools). The question before the court was:

Are there any limitations on the ability of the proprietor of a State-integrated school (a) to fundraise? and (b) to dispose of funds?

His Honour determined that:

• The only limitations on the ability of a proprietor of a State-integrated school to fundraise or dispose of funds are those expressly set out in the Act or in the Proprietor’s Trust Deed or other governing document or documents.

• Proprietors are able to fundraise for purposes other than the acquisition and maintenance of land and buildings and are able to transfer funds to school boards.

Therefore, to summarise these findings proprietors are legally able to fundraise for any number of reasons including for special character and are not limited to fundraising for just land and buildings as argued by Mr Gifford. The other key finding is that proprietors can donate (dispose of) their funds to a school board (but not Attendance Dues or Policy One funds) which the school board can use at their discretion as long as it is spent in a way that is directed toward the fulfilment of the school board’s function.

This decision sets legal precedent in this area and proprietors of state integrated schools can feel confident in the current guidelines as outlined by the Ministry of Education

Ngā manaakitanga

Kevin Shore

Chief Executive Officer

Essential Property Maintenance Package (EPMP) 30 Days to go…

Proprietors have 30 days to claim their Essential Property Maintenance Package (EPMP) funding - the deadline for applications is 30 August.  What does this mean?

As of 30 June, there is approximately $20.5M unclaimed EPMP funding.  To access the EPMP funds the proprietor is required to submit a pre-approval application stipulating a specific property maintenance (policy one) project that the funds will be spent on.

Proprietors and/or principals are urged to contact the EPMP office if they have not made an application for their funding.  We can assist you with the process and ensure you do not lose access to your schools eligible funds.

KEY POINTS TO NOTE:

• Pre-approval applications are simple to complete.  An outline of the proposed project and an estimate of costs is required plus sign off by proprietor and board.
• Projects do not have to be completed by August 2022, but pre-approval applications must be in by 30 August 2022.
• Visit the EPMP website for more information and guidelines.

Please contact us APIS.EPMP@nzceo.org.nz urgently if you do not think the application deadline will be met.

APIS EPMP Office

Governance update - Protected Disclosures Act 2022

The Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act 2022 came into force on July 1, 2022.  The Act requires that an organisation has appropriate internal protected disclosure procedures in place that must be clear on how a protected disclosure will be dealt with.   This may require changes to your school’s policies and procedures for handling reports of serious wrongdoing and in particular a review by the board of the concerns and complaints policy to ensure it’s aligned with the new legislation.  Our office is currently working with NZSTA on the likely changes to policy as a result of the introduction of this act.   

Other useful information can be found here:

• Ombudsman New Zealand | Kaitiaki Mana Tangata: Serious wrongdoing at work (whistleblowing) 
• Ombudsman New Zealand | Kaitiaki Mana Tangata: Protected disclosures: internal policies and procedures 
• Ombudsman New Zealand | Kaitiaki Mana Tangata: Making a protected disclosure 
• Public Service Commission | Te Kawa Mataaho: Resources on Protected Disclosures
• NZSTA – Learning and Resource centre

Te Kupenga and NZCEO 2022 Catholic Schools Zoom Symposium Series

You are warmly invited to participate in the Te Kupenga & NZCEO free symposium series commencing 24 August. You can join from the comfort of your office, staffroom or wherever you have access to internet coverage! 
Each symposium explores a key Te Rama Aroha cross theme in the new Religious Education Curriculum Tō Tōtou Whakapono Our Faith. 
The first symposium Aroha Pūmau: Holiness-the call to be whole is presented by Professor Peta Goldburg on 24 August 3:30-5:00pm.
The second symposium Mana Tapu: Grace-from salads to sacraments: the presence of God is presented by Colin Macleod (NCRS) on 9 November 3:30-5:00pm.

Full details can be found in the poster below (click the link button to download a high resolution copy). Please share this promotional flyer with your teaching staff and/or other people who may be interested.

Catholic School Leadership Revisited

Branson, C., Hall, D., Kidson, P. & Sultman, W. (2022). Catholic school leadership revisited. La Salle Academy Publications, 11.

As a Catholic school principal how do you navigate the tension between being an educational leader and faith leader?

In the latest publication from the Australian University’s La Salle Academy Branson, Hall, Kidson & Sultman (2022) contend that being an educational leader, and being a faith leader, are not dual responsibilities of equal importance which separately contend for time and resources of the school and its leader. They argue that Catholic school leadership has one single purpose: that through its educational endeavour it brings about the kingdom of God. 

The Catholic school, as a Church entity, shares in the mission of the Church to build the kingdom of God “based on current needs and understandings and not past beliefs and practices” (pg. 3). This has implications for the Catholic school principal who must not only understand the mission of the Church but also “be fully committed to proclaiming, creating, and portraying it...” (pg. 3). What this implies is that at the core of the mission is evangelisation-spreading the message of Jesus Christ. However, with current needs and understandings in mind the Church is calling us to find new ways to evangelise so that we can bring the Gospel message to those who are disconnected from their faith, particularly for those who believe it has no meaning from them.

As highlighted in the opening question, a current source of stress for Catholic school principals today, is the perception that they are caught between the demands of Church and secular educational responsibilities. This has been manifested by perceptions that Catholic leadership is theoretically different therefore practically different to general leadership and having to enact both simultaneously is near impossible (Branson et.al.). In their article they assert that when the school and Church mission are aligned then so is Catholic school leadership with what constitutes current secular educational leadership. Furthermore, this congruence is achieved through a trans relational model of Catholic school leadership, which is “kingdom based and, therefore, is a witness to a kingdom culture, and an instrument of kingdom building” (pg. 10).   

This model based on Jesus as leader, whose mission was to bring about the kingdom of God, means a seamless integration of five foundational leadership responsibilities: relevant knowledge and skills, a commitment to integral membership, championing and affirming, growing and transforming, and securing and transcending. These each have practical implications for Catholic school leadership from an educational and Church perspective and guide leaders to ‘be’ and ‘build’ the kingdom in all aspects of their important role.  Hence, the main focus must be in “modelling and nurturing a kingdom perspective in the way they engage in organisational life” (pg. 5).

This is an outcome described by Pope Francis (2020) as Catholic school leaders needing “the courage to generate processes that consciously work to overcome the existing fragmentation and the conflicts that we all bring with us. [They] need the courage to renew the fabric of relationships for the sake of a humanity capable of speaking the language of fraternity (sic). The value of our educational practices will be measured not simply by the results of standardised tests, but by the ability to affect the heart of society and to help give birth to a new culture.”

The full article can be found below.

Rosalie Connors

Manager, Special Character, NZCEO

Upcoming events and courses at Te Kupenga Catholic Theological College

If you lead a ministry in the church or are involved with supporting the vulnerable in your community, come and join us for this one day workshop. This will be facilitated by our very own Dr Rocio Figueroa (Theologian and Lecturer at CTC), Dr Emily Colgan (Senior Lecturer and Academic Director at Trinity Theological College) and Lisa Spriggens (Head of Counseling at Laidlaw College).

Details are below:

Title: Accompanying Survivors of Sexual Harm: A Workshop for Church Leaders

Date: Saturday, 20 August 2022

Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm

Place: CTC Campus, 40 Vermont Street Ponsonby

Registration fee: $15 (including coffee/tea, excludes lunch. Plenty of options around Ponsonby area)

Free parking on-site

To register, click here.

For more information and programme, go to www.tekupenga.ac.nz/accompanying-survivors

There is still time (last day of registration is 8 August) to enrol in an online course for semester two.

Caritas Update

YCC Day

Schools from across New Zealand came together in solidarity at the end of term 2 as we celebrated our first ever YCC Day. This year our focus school was Laura Vicuna School in the Holy Land and students enjoyed a non-uniform day for the small cost of a gold coin donation.

Students and teachers alike joined in solidarity as they had fun and learned more about our focus school. A huge thank you to everyone who supported YCC Day, and we wish all those schools who are planning their YCC Day celebrations during term 3 the best of luck.

Social Justice Week

Social Justice Week takes place from September 4-10 and the title of our Caritas resources is WHAKAKĀHORETIA TE KAIKIRI. KOTAHI ANŌ TĀTOU I ROTO I TE KARAITI / SAY NO TO RACISM. WE ARE ONE IN CHRIST. Schools and parishes have been provided with resources to support their communities during this time.

• Parish resources can be found online by visiting our website and include a poster, statement from the Bishops, liturgy resource booklet, and discussion guide.
• School resources are also available online and contain a suite of materials to support schools as they unpack this important topic with their students.

Caritas Justice Chat Reunions

Following on from the amazing Caritas Justice Chats held earlier this year, the Caritas Education Team will be holding reunion meetings during September. These reunion meetings will be a chance to reconnect with student leaders across New Zealand as they share their social justice leadership journeys to date and their future plans.

Caritas Challenge

There have been some great efforts by schools and parish youth groups who have participated in the Caritas Challenge already this year. There is still plenty of time to join in to make a lasting difference.

ONE DAY is the theme; and that's all it takes to do something small to make a lifetime of change for those in need. You can register now to take part in the Caritas Challenge any time before the end of the year. Check out and share our promo video with your school community to build interest.

Free Justice Resources

As part of our office relocation, we have completed a huge cleanout and have a number of popular and valuable Caritas educational resources up for grabs. If you would like a free pack, let us know at caritas@education.org.nz your details and how many copies of each of the following resources you would like, and we’ll send them your way.

• Where’s Wally style poster – SJW 2019 poster
• Beatitude Cards – SJW 2021 resource
• Beatitude Stickers – SJW 2021 resource

AIS Conference 2022 - Registrations are open

The Association of Integrated Schools (AIS) is holding its annual conference from Monday 5 to Wednesday 7 September 2022 at the Brentwood Hotel in Wellington.

The AIS conference in June 2021 was very well attended by representatives of state integrated schools  and Mark Larson has  put together another comprehensive programme. We encourage you all to join with us in celebrating our state integrated schools.

Conference registration is now open, simply click the link below to see further details and to register.

Foundation principal appointed

Adapted from NZ Catholic 

The Establishment Board of Trustees of St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College, in Drury, south of Auckland, has announced that Dean Wearmouth has been appointed as the foundation principal of the college.

St Ignatius of Loyola College, a year 7-13 coeducational school, will open in Term 1, 2024, with a maximum of 340 Year 7-9 students. The roll will grow to 900 Year 7 to 13 students by 2030.

Mr Wearmouth will take up his new role on day 1 of Term 4, 2022, and brings to this position a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience. His qualifications include a BA(Hons) in History, postgraduate qualifications in Religious Education, Innovation in Education, as well as Level 2 Te Ara Reo Māori. He is currently principal of Marcellin College.

Born in the UK, Mr Wearmouth, his wife and two children, immigrated to New Zealand when he was appointed to a position at Marcellin College.  The family lives in southern Auckland. He is a member of St Anne’s Catholic Parish, Manurewa, and is a regular Minister of the Word. He is an active member and supporter of his Kahui Ako, provides support for beginning Catholic principals, and serves on the executive committee of the Auckland Secondary Principals’ Association.

Linda McQuade noted that one of Mr Wearmouth’s first tasks will be establishing contact with the wider community, but more specifically with the parishes of St Patrick’s Pukekohe, St Mary’s Papakura, St Andrew’s Tuakau, and St Anthony’s Waiuku, and the local Catholic primary schools, St Joseph’s School, Pukekohe, St Mary’s Catholic School, Papakura, and Holy Trinity Catholic School, Takanini. Through the college’s enrolment scheme, priority will be given to preference students from these three schools.

“We are confident that Dean has the qualities, skills and attributes to ensure that the Establishment Board’s vision that St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College will provide quality Catholic education, in a safe and caring community that embodies the Jesuit charism, where God is at the heart of learning, loving and serving, will become a reality,” Ms McQuade said.

New Principals

Our warm congratulations to the following new principals:

Michael Barlow at St Joseph’s School, Grey Lynn, Auckland

Sarah Kemble at Carmel College, Milford, Auckland

George Rogers at St John’s College, Hastings

Schoolzine is coming to New Zealand!

To celebrate we are offering free school websites.  We believe all schools should have websites they are proud of and that allow them to showcase all the great things you are doing for your students and the community!  

Schoolzine has four main products, a School Website builder, eNewsletter builder, Parent Communication App, and a Parent-Teacher booking system.  All products are backed up by ongoing unlimited support and training … which we believe is the crucial element that sets us apart!   The Schoolzine Knowledge Base has product information, tutorials etc, for your reference.

We welcome the chance to show you how Schoolzine can save you time and make your life easier.  If you would like to produce digital content your school will be proud of … Schoolzine is here to help.

For more information and to take advantage of the free website offer, please fill out this form.  Schoolzine Demonstration Request 

Gallagher: Supporting schools to create healthy, safe learning environments

Security solutions play an important role in creating safe and secure learning environments. An intelligent, integrated security solution can do much more than simply lock and unlock doors – it can also help protect the health and safety of staff, students, and visitors on site.

Gallagher Command Centre, the site management software at the heart of Gallagher’s security solutions, has introduced a next-generation integration between Gallagher and HALO Smart Sensor – a comprehensive health and safety tool able to detect substances in the atmosphere, as well as light, pressure, temperature, humidity, and sound.

Phil Murphy, Sales Manager for Gallagher, says this is an exciting integration that offers a number of significant benefits for schools.

“Due to privacy reasons, security monitoring in spaces such as bathrooms, locker rooms, or dorm rooms, has previously not been possible, which has left these spaces vulnerable to incidents of bullying or aggression, or as locations for students to carry out activities like vaping.

“Our integration with the HALO Smart Sensor helps address these concerns. With the ability to detect changes in pitch associated with aggression, as well as detecting spoken keywords – such as a call for help – schools can now receive alerts of any fights or bullying in these areas.”

The vaping epidemic is a considerable concern for schools – with a 2021 study reporting that nearly 20% of students are vaping daily or several times a day. The HALO Smart Sensor’s ability to detect vape and send alerts through Gallagher Command Centre supports schools to crack down on incidents of students vaping on campus. These alerts can also be sent as SMS or email notifications to key staff, ensuring a prompt response.

The COVID-19 pandemic and recent cold and flu season has highlighted the importance of maintaining air quality through proper ventilation in classrooms. We know that the risk of becoming unwell increases if people are in close contact in poorly ventilated indoor spaces. Gallagher’s HALO integration allows schools to monitor their air quality to ensure healthy environments.

As Phil explains, “Ventilation can often be improved by simply opening a window or two; however, this can be easily overlooked, especially in busy environments like classrooms. The ability to generate an alarm in Command Centre if the air quality drops below a specified level creates a prompt to take action.”

Further supporting schools to ensure healthy environments, the integration can also send alerts if any chemical spills or hazardous gasses are detected in science labs.

Gallagher is one of the first access control manufacturers to integrate with HALO Smart Sensors. The integration allows HALO events and alarms to be displayed, monitored, and reported on within Command Centre software, saving time and providing better situational awareness by providing a single interface for all events and alarms.

“Our integration with the HALO sensor is just one example of how Command Centre can support schools to create safe, secure, and healthy environments,” says Phil.

Contact the Gallagher team at sales.nz@security.gallagher.com to learn more about how Command Centre can help create business efficiencies, save staff time, provide effective visitor and contractor management, and much more.