SAPA KZN Newsletter

A message from the KZN President, Linda Shezi

2022 has been a year of reconstituting ourselves after facing two extraordinary years.

It is therefore apt that as SAPA KZN our theme was BE WELL, LEAD WELL. This theme sought to remind us of the importance of self-care and wellness before looking after others. One simply cannot pour from an empty cup. We thank you for your resilience, wisdom and leadership under very trying times.

KwaZulu-Natal was also dealt another blow. Over and above the pandemic, we experienced looting and the floods. This meant as leaders, we led our schools through numerous traumas. Not only did we suffer personal losses and perhaps damage to property on a personal level, we also had to be the pillar of strength for others going through their losses, whether parents, learners or staff, as well as dealing with damage to our schools.

We really praise your ability to rise above this and soar like an eagle, leading your institutions through it all.

This year we said farewell to a fearless leader, Alta van Heerden: a colleague and a friend. I owe some of my successes as SAPA National

General Secretary to Alta’s groundwork and ever-so-present words of encouragement. She will be missed by many who had the honour to be around her and work with her, as she always sought to “brighten the corner” wherever she was, and instilled in us selflessness and commitment to SAPA. We continue to send our thoughts and prayers to her husband, Victor, and to her family.

Back to SAPA KZN business: we managed to offer free SAPA KZN membership to 10 nonfee-paying schools for 2022. This is a project that is uniquely SAPA KZN. It is a project that is close to my heart as I intend to drive to reestablish our presence in areas that would, under normal circumstances, not know about us. I must also thank the Provincial Executive for indulging and supporting this dream. If

we can get more schools to be part of this Association, more school leaders will benefit. If more school leaders benefit, more schools will succeed and this will impact a number of KZN children, and by extension, their families. We remain determined to share this dream with the KZN Provincial Department of Education.

We are proud of the leaders who competed in the National Teaching Award 2022. A special congratulations goes to Mr Sizwe Zwane, a member of the Provincial Executive, who won the “Excellence in Secondary School Leadership” Award.

I celebrate all of you for your commitment to the education of our children. I look forward to our journey together in 2023. We host the National Conference in 2023 and I look forward to seeing you there and at other SAPA KZN events.

I wish you a successful end of the year and a safe and joyous festive season.

“Effective leaders don’t gather things just for themselves; they do it in order to give to others.”

SAPA KZN Activities

Coffee, Cake and Conversations

In Eshowe we had conversations around leadership wellness. At Empangeni, we had conversation around Ethical Leadership ably led by Professor Kutame. The CCC in Ladysmith addressed the challenges of the need for ensuring our schools are a safe place for all who attend . This has become such a cricital issue in so many schools in KZN. Valuable points were discussed , an action plan and tools given to Principals on how to maintain a safe school. Thanks to our KZN president Mr Shezi for preparing this. It has been such a privilege to be able to go to the different areas in KZN and meet the need for area specific issues. We hope that this will grow from strength to strength as we have new members from different regions.

KwaZulu-Natal Activities

Annual Day Conference

An incredibly successful annual conference was held this year at The Station Urban Space Event

excellent speakers.

We had a trio

Our main speaker for the day was Nikki Bush, with her dynamic presentation on ‘Which jacket are you wearing now?’ It was a poignant reminder of the stages of our lives symbolised by the jacket we were wearing at that stage – school jacket/sports jacket/wedding suit jacket / corporate jacket … to name but a few. Her passion in sharing her experiences and how to make the best from very tragic situations resonated with all of us in attendance.

Our breakaway sessions were facilitated by Andrew Graaf – Principal of Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School –and Naomi Holdt –an experienced Psychologist and Speaker, well-known in Education circles.

Andrew brought a very personal testimony of his experiences with woke society and Cancel Culture. It was eye-opening to each one of us as many of us there were actually clueless with regard to Cancel Culture and what is happening on our doorsteps. The power to destroy people’s lives via social media platforms without a second thought is a reality.

Naomi presented the story of a frog in boiling water. She cautioned all to recognise the signs of the situations we are facing and how things subtly change or how we gradually become accustomed to the pressure /unhealthy lifestyles etc., then we realise we are in trouble when it is essentially too late. It is so important for all principals and everyone else to take care of ourselves – consciously take time to recognise where we are at – personally and professionally – and jump out of the water to seek advice or counselling before we reach boiling point – the point of no return

SAPA National Conference

Yet another excellent conference was hosted by SAPA Northern Cape this year. The theme was ‘Crafting the unpolished diamonds’. So apt to be hosted in the diamond city of Kimberley.

Attendees experienced an enlightening and encouraging three days. Gracing us with their presence in support of SAPA were Mrs Moira Marais, NCED HOD, Mr HM Mweli, DG and Honourable Minister Motshekga, Minister of Basic Education.

Nuggets from the conference

“Conversations with Pharoahs”

“Cutting the diamond to reveal its true beauty”

• How to get your inner cheerleader to shine in challenging times; Skills school leaders require to be successful in the future

• DBE plans to future-proof current principals and those coming into the profession

“Admiring the final cut diamond in all its beauty “–Life will always find a way to knock you down; your job isn’t to avoid falls, it’s to find a way back up every time.

“Finding the diamond in the rough”

• Achieving extraordinary things with ordinary people

• Mindful optimism – the power of positive psychology on sparking self-belief

“Buying the diamond at a great price“

• Tackling the summit : Resilience under difficult circumstances ,

• Don’t dull your sparkle–lessons learnt from the Will Smith slap,

• The role of the educator in recognising the sparkle in the child

“From rough to Sparkle” ‘Diamonds are after all just lumps of coal that stuck to their task ‘ Leonardo da Vinci

Congratulations SAPA NC for taking us through the journey of the unpolished diamond – let us stick to our tasks and become those resilient sparkling diamonds in Education.

A word of Advice for new (and experienced) Principals

Leading a school is a privilege and an honour. It presents opportunities but also challenges, and sometimes, painful learning and growth processes. As dynamic organisations, schools present problems that are complex and diverse with high-stress levels for school leaders.

Having been a principal at two very different schools, one a combined co-ed school and the other a girls’ high school, I have become acutely aware of three things:

1. that schools are same, same but different,

2. that people matter more than policies and procedures, and

3. learning how to respond to every crisis and finding methods of stress reduction are a daily, ongoing struggle. I’m not sure if one ever ‘gets there’.

Looking after your staff, and yourself, in a mindful and intentional manner is crucial. Yes, looking after yourself as well. I hope that you heard that!

“Mindfulness is the capacity to be fully aware of all that one experiences inside the self – body, mind, heart, spirit – and to pay full attention to what is happening around us – people, the natural world, our surroundings and events”.

Practicing mindfulness reduces stressors while improving the effectiveness of leadership. Mindful leadership integrates components of emotional- and social intelligence and sound inter- and intrapersonal relationships. It is a different way of practicing leadership but practice makes perfect. It benefits you and your team.

Take time to be

• still and calm,

• centre your breathing and

• focus on moment-to-moment awareness (being fully present).

This guarantees reduced stress, anxiety, blood pressure and depression, and increased immunity, compassion (self and others), empathy and non-reactivity.

I know… it is sometimes difficult to let go, listen, be patient, non-judgmental and trusting but these are constructs of mindfulness and qualities important for leaders. Being in touch with the concerns and problems of those whom you lead inspires hope.

Wishing you well as we continue on this path of self- exploration!

Congratulations to our colleague Mr Sizwe Zwane who obtained 1st Position in KwaZulu-Natal teaching awards as well as the National Teaching Awards in the category of Excellence in Secondary School leadership.

Mr Zwane has been in Education for 34 Years. He is currently principal of Empangeni High School and Secretary General of the University of Zululand Convocation.

Alta van Heerden

Our fingerprints don’t fade from the people we touch

Isn’t it wonderful to know that our influence on others can be compared to leaving fingerprints on their lives? Take that thought further, and you will surely start to consider the fact that our fingerprints are unique and that we all have a personal touch that can be traced back to us.

As educators, we have the special privilege of playing an important part in shaping young lives, and the overwhelmingly positive yet almost imperceptible impressions we leave are the tell-tale evidence of our handiwork. The oily prints of the loops and whorls on our fingertips afford an infallible means of identification and reveal our true identity.

Alta van Heerden’s fingerprints are everywhere! Those irrefutable signs so unique to her work amongst pupils, parents, peers and principals are so plain to see that one does not even need to dust for them. As tributes pour in from across the country, the continent and the world, those who knew her well have been pointing out the marks that she has left behind. The concentric circles of Alta’s fingerprints are selflessness, professionalism, calmness, clarity of thought, respectfulness, and sometimes even polite forthrightness. She has been described as “an epitome of merit, a meticulous planner and enabler of note”, “an inspiration”, and “a role model to all of us and a gifted leader”. Dr Peter Kent, the President of the International Confederation of Principals, wrote, “Above all else, it was her concern for we/I-being of others that underpinned all that Alta did and explained why she was held in such respect and affection by all of us. Alta was a person of faith who, inspired by her profound faith in God, also had faith in people.”

Alta

As we mourn the loss of this most amazing educational influencer, who gone too soon, we find consolation in the fact that significance is a better measure of a remarkable life than time. I have intentionally left “remarkable” till last. Remarkable: unique, extraordinary, special, and worth noticing. Like a fingerprint. Like Alta.

SAPA National President, on behalf of everyone at SAPA whose lives Alta touched.