Issue 112 Term 4 | 2016
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LEADERS IN EDUCATION NEWS SINCE 1989
ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL The Global Budget proposal is causing a world of concern
CREATING EDUCATIONAL EQUALITY Ensuring all children have the same opportunities HEKIA PARATA EXPLAINS WHY NCEA WORKS
Helping students understand scientific thinking
BUILDING STUDENT RESILIENCY SIMON HEATH ON HIS 35 YEARS IN EDUCATION
ISSN 1170-4071 HAVE THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE SEEN THIS?
Helping kids cope with what life throws at them
Principal Administration Dept Board of Trustees Property Manager Outdoor Ed Dept Teachers
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4 | THERE’S MORE THAN MONEY AT STAKE
HEAD OFFICE
AUCK OFFICE
Angela Roberts on why privatising public education is a recipe for disaster
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Level 6 10 Scotia Place Auckland
8 | Q&A
Gary Collins
Simon Heath talks about his 35 years in education and eight years as principal of Renwick School
GENERAL MANAGER OF OPERATIONS
9 | ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Kylie Palermo
NATIONAL SALES & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Clive Greenwood
Louise Keates Angela Barltrop Laura McLoed Lyn Wright Jo Pritchard
6 | AFTER HOURS A students’ guide to extra-curricular activities
18 | TEACHERS TRUMP INFRASTRUCTURE Revealing the real value of teachers
The move to get girls into science
18 | GETTING SCIENCE IN THE MIND
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Helping students understand scientific thinking
19 | GET AHEAD OF TECH The school of the future doesn’t have to wait for tomorrow
19 | CREATING EDUCATIONAL EQUALITY
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WORKING SPACE 14 | LET THE KIDS PLAY When the sun comes out, so do kids, and this means having high-impact playground surfaces 15 | SORTING POOL SAFETY A check list to help prevent drownings 20 | PLANNING CAPITAL EXPENDITURE What you need to know about allocated funds for capital works 20 | WHERE TO NOW? New website offers information and options for school leavers 22 | STAGES DESIGNED TO WORK ANYWHERE Staging equipment designed to work in any space
LEARNING SPACE 22 | TOOLS FOR THE TRADE Illustrating ratio relationships
Ensuring all children have the same opportunities
NEWSROOM Jonathon Taylor Lydia Truesdale Marie Sherry
Education Minister Hekia Parata explains why NCEA works
18 | SCIENCE WITH A 10 | BUILDING STUDENT RESILIENCY FEMALE TOUCH Helping kids cope with what life throws at them
ADMINISTRATION
Chris Graves Grant Williams
The Global Budget proposal is causing a world of concern
4 | NCEA’S UNDISPUTED SUCCESS
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News | Viewpoints
By Angela Roberts, PPTA president
By Hekia Parata, Minister of Education
There’s more than money at stake
NCEA’S undisputed success New Zealand has a worldclass education system. This is something I often remind us of because it’s absolutely true. Our progress is the toast of the OECD. In the eight years since we’ve been in Government, the rate of 18 year olds with NCEA Level 2 has gone from 68 percent to 83.3 percent. From a numbers point of view, that means that over 38,000 more 18 year olds have gained NCEA Level 2 than if the achievement rate had remained at the level it was in 2008. That’s about the entire population of Gisborne. For Maori and Pasifika, the numbers are literally phenomenal. Eight years ago, less than half of Maori 18 year olds were achieving NCEA Level 2. Pasifika 18 year olds weren’t faring much better. But today there is genuine reason to celebrate. Last year, the rate of Maori 18 year olds with NCEA Level 2 leapt to a record high of 71.1 percent. For Pasifika, the achievement rate has reached 77.6 percent. There are various things we can point to as reasons why achievement of NCEA has made such leaps and bounds, but the one I want to focus on in this column is the qualification itself. NCEA – the National Certificates of Education Achievement – is in its 14th year and is a thing of profound democracy. It is the first qualifications framework where it is possible for every young Kiwi to succeed. We are lucky to live in such a diverse and multi-cultural nation. Step foot in almost any school in New Zealand and you’ll find students from a wide range of backgrounds; from Pakeha to Maori, Pasifika to Asian, and beyond. That means that our students are interested in a wide variety of subjects, which is what NCEA provides for. Every young person can study what they are passionate about and develop the skills and knowledge they need to be successful. In any given year, it could be that no two kids studying the same set of subjects at any time throughout the year. That’s because NCEA provides for personalised learning pathways for every kid. Schools are able to offer NCEA courses suited to the particular needs of their students, and students are able to gain qualifications through those courses.
When I went to school, my education achievement was at the expense of others. I took subjects in six papers and my strength in one masked my weakness in another, to arrive at an averaged pass or fail mark. Educational success was rationed – something that, today, I can scarcely believe was the status quo. Through NCEA, anyone can be educationally successful no matter their ethnicity or socio-economic status. There is no quota for who can be successful and who can’t, and a student’s success does not rely on another student failing. In September I travelled to the United States and Israel to learn more about their respective education systems and share New Zealand’s education story with international leaders and experts.
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It is the first qualifications framework where it is possible for every young Kiwi to succeed.
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Almost everyone I spoke to wanted to know more about NCEA. Andreas Schleicher, education director at the OECD, was among the people I spoke with. He observes that the world today no longer rewards people for what they know, but for what they can do with what they know. NCEA allows students to extrapolate from what they know and demonstrate how well they can apply that knowledge. It is flexible and customisable, and unlike the rationing of education success of pre-NCEA generations like mine, it gives every one of our young people today real possibilities to achieve.
Universal public education is one of the greatest social achievements in human history - but it was a hard won battle. Every step of the way - education for girls, compulsory primary education, compulsory secondary education, comprehensive options for kids in rural areas, education in Māori for Māori - there has been intractable resistance. It’s hard to fathom why; education is a human right and all the research shows that more educated societies are wealthier, have better health outcomes, greater happiness, less violence and are more likely to contribute to civic activities. I feel sure that most New Zealanders agree that public education is the way to build a better society, a better country and a better world. Without public investment in social structures such as the legal system, communications and energy networks, health systems, schools and welfare networks, no one would prosper. For a long time, thanks in a large part to the teaching profession’s sterling defence of public education, these ruthless profiteers have not been able to take their incomes from the public education system. Lately, they are making inroads; they have bulk-funded early childhood education, support staff and private schools. They have privatised Professional Learning and Development (PLD) and created charter schools, but they have not been able to persuade New Zealanders that they should be allowed wholesale access to the taonga that is the compulsory education sector. That is all about to change. What we have seen over the last few months looks a lot like a carefully constructed plan to sell public education off to the highest bidder.
We want every young New Zealander equipped with the values, knowledge and skills to be successful in the 21st century.
The underfunding of public education is one hallmark of countries that provide access to corporate players. Not only does the reduction in funding have catastrophic implications for the public system and for parents’ confidence in that system, typically the transfer of public money to private players is accompanied by other sweetheart deals such as tax refunds, decreased regulatory oversight and other ‘flexible’ benefits.
It’s in all of our interests as parents, as leaders, as employers and as New Zealanders.
The proposal to cap school operating budgets and devolve responsibility for staffing to boards and principals
And more and more of them are. But that doesn’t mean we stop there. We know we still have work to do, especially for Maori and Pasifika, and we’ll continue improving and building on our successes.
4 | Term 4, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz
is a cynical strategy to reduce costs. It follows the model of private and charter schools who pay their managers more and staff less, narrow the curriculum or increase their class sizes to reduce staffing costs. The Minister of Education has no problem with this. She says that her proposal for ‘Communities of online learning’ is an opportunity to “open up access to New Zealand’s education market”. Around the world corporate ‘Edu-businesses’ are encroaching into state budgets. Once established, these corporate interests quickly spread their tentacles into curriculum, legislation and ultimately the full privatisation of public education. And they are voracious. Because they are driven by profit, and the largest cost in providing education is teachers, they look to employ untrained and low cost “teachers”. The next highest cost is typically the physical infrastructure; school buildings. Their solution: deliver ‘education’ online. Full-time online education doesn’t have a great track record, in fact quite the opposite. Students who learn solely online are described as sometimes being years behind students in mainstream classes. And because these schools have the ‘flexibility’ to set their own curricula and operational processes, they frequently restrict access for the most needy and freely exclude students with complex needs. That leaves the underfunded state schools to try and pick up the pieces- and to take the blame. This appears to be the current government’s vision for education - a production line that inputs ‘customers’ at one end and spits out ‘outcomes’ at the other, for the cheapest price per unit and with a taxpayer-funded return to the shareholder. While the public may see our struggle as a battle against bulk funding, we know it is much more than that. Our fight is not just about how schools should be funded, but for an education system where everyone works together to help children be the best they can be. We know what works. We’ve been doing it for decades; providing universal, equitable, quality, publicallyprovided teaching and learning to New Zealand children. We know where we need to improve, but we also know what we have to protect. We’re going to continue doing it and we’re not going to let the robber barons win.
Healthy Space | School Canteens
How to make healthy choices pay off Running a school canteen can be challenging, which is why the Heart Foundation is here to help. With a bit of planning and good management, offering healthy choices on the canteen menu can be easy. Here are our tips on how to manage the money-side of running a healthy and profitable school canteen. Costs The canteen sets its selling prices of products in such a way as to cover all costs and generate a profit. The markup is the difference between the food costs and the actual selling price. Therefore, you need to be able to work out exactly how much each menu item you produce in the canteen will cost. A good way to control costs is to create recipe cards that outline exactly how everything on the menu is made. Not only will your customers receive a consistent product, you will also know how much it costs to make them, in terms of raw ingredients. A markup is a percentage of the total costs of all raw ingredients and packaging. It is included to cover costs such as labour and utilities. Generally, the markup used is somewhere between 35 to 45 percent. To give healthier choices a competitive edge, you could markup ‘everyday’ foods and drinks at 35 percent
and ‘sometimes’ foods and drinks at 45 percent. To cost a menu item, you will need the following: recipe; scales; measuring cups/spoons; a knife; chopping board; plus pen and paper, so that you can work out the exact cost of each raw ingredient used. It is important to keep in mind what is a reasonable price to pay for an item purchased at a school canteen and competitive offers from nearby shops. Minimise your menu choices Having fewer choices on the menu that change regularly for variety is often easier to manage, especially as most canteens are run by only a couple of staff. If you have more choices on offer, then more money is tied up in stock, more suppliers are needed and greater preparation time is required. Trialing items or having samples is a great way to test the popularity of new items and minimise wastage. How to minimise canteen costs There are a number of areas in a school canteen that can potentially blow the budget or help cut costs. These include: • Following standardised recipes and providing clear instructions to all canteen staff so that all foods and drinks are prepared and sold in standard serve sizes. For example, the same amount of cheese is used in each toasted sandwich
• Using portion controlled serving equipment and packaging, so that serves of foods and drinks are the same each time a recipe is made
Sign up to Fuelled4life One in three Kiwi kids is overweight or obese but you can play an important role in changing that.
• Avoiding unnecessary packaging and wrapping
If you are a teacher, principal, canteen manager, caterer or cook and would like to see your school offering healthier foods and beverages, here’s what to do: Sign up to Fuelled4life and receive free resources to help you choose healthier options. You’ll also get free access to the Fuelled4life website and newsletter which has tips, recipes, special deals and information on how to improve nutrition at your school.
• Ensuring a stock rotation system is in place, so that foods and drinks are sold or used first according to the oldest best before date. This helps to avoid wastage of out of date stock. How can Fuelled4life help? Fuelled4life is based on the Ministry of Health’s Food and Beverage Classification System (FBCS). It’s a free, practical tool which helps schools provide healthier foods.
For more information visit www.fuelled4life.org.nz
Running a School canteen isn’t easy We can help you. We offer FREE advice on menus, recipes, finances, management & policies. Sign up today at www.fuelled4life.org.nz to receive our many free resources.
Heart Foundation
www.fuelled4life.org.nz www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2016 | 5
News | Student Life
News | Inside Education
A students’ guide to free
extra-curricular activities CHRISTCHURCH SCIENCE ALIVE! SNIPPETS IN THE LIBRARY Science Alive offers a free after-school science programme in ten libraries across Christchurch. The programme includes fun, interactive science activities and new interesting topics each week. Library locations: Papanui, Lyttleton, Fendalton, Riccarton, Hornby, South, Aranui, Shirley, Linwood and Parklands. Dates and times: 3:30 – 4:30pm during term time (except during the first week of term). Suitable for children aged 5-12. BUSY BOOK CLUB Explore new books, arts, crafts and technology and have fun in the library after school. Locations: South Learning Centre. Dates and times: Wednesdays 3:30-4:30pm (except during the first week of term). Suitable for children aged 7-10. For more information about these and more programmes, including bookings, visit: www.christchurchcitylibraries.com
auckland SKOOB A group for kids who love to read, share their thoughts about books with others and check out the newest books. There’s also a fun activity planned for each session. Location: Pukekohe Library. Dates and times: First Tuesday of every month from 3:30-4:30pm (from February to December). Suitable for children aged 7 years and up.
Prime Minister’s supreme winner recognised for education excellence
Location: Manukau Library Dates and times: Saturdays from 11 am – 12pm. Suitable for school-aged children. MAKE: BUILD: DO This club is for those that like handson work and have a creative flair. With all the resources provided, activities include Lego ninja, construction challenges including bridge building, and dinosaur fossil hunt and making. Location: Kumeu Library. Dates and times: Thursdays 3:30 – 4:30pm. Suitable for children of 9-12 year olds. MINECRAFT CLUB Get together with other young Minecrafters to play in a fun and safe environment (but you will need your own device). Location: Takapuna Library. Dates and times: Tuesdays 3:30 – 4:30pm. Suitable for school-aged children. 3D PRINTING WORKSHOP This workshop covers the basics of 3D printing using Tinkercad to build a simple object which can then be printed to take home. Location: Glenfield Library. Dates and times: Thursdays 3:45 – 5pm. Suitable for school-aged children. For more information on these and more programmes, including booking, visit: www.aucklandcitylibraries.com
CHESS LESSONS Improve your chess skills, and problem solving and tactical skills, and make like-minded friends in a fun environment. Location: Epsom Library. Dates and times: The last Saturday of each month, from 2- 3:30pm. Suitable for children aged 5 years and up. KIDZSPACE STORY TIME A session for school-aged children to share their love of books and join in with story and craft activities.
Online Try these websites for a range of fun and educational online activities that you can do from anywhere, at any time. UpToTen: www.uptoten.co.nz
Teachers and students at McAuley High School are beaming with pride after the school won the Supreme Award at the 2016 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards. The Catholic girls’ school in the Auckland suburb of Ōtāhuhu also picked up the Excellence in Engaging – Atahāpara Award, at the awards ceremony in June. Deputy principal Rachel Williams says the school community is incredibly proud of having won the awards. “It does mean a lot to our community,” she says. “They’re absolutely delighted with the recognition the school has been given.” Board of Trustees chairwoman, Joe Tongotea, says the school’s success has been wonderful and it still feels surreal to have won. “Winning the awards was a great way of thanking the community for the trust they have put into us for the direction we’ve been taking the school,” she says. Principal Anne Miles says the awards belong to the entire McAuley High School community.
Science Kids: www.sciencekids.co.nz
“The strength of our Catholic character and our belief in the value of every member of our community enables us to move forward with a shared vision,” she says.
Fun science and technology activities for kids, including experiments, facts, quizzes, games and more.
For the past few years McAuley has been on a mission to get parents, whānau and communities engaged in the school.
Te Kete Ipurangi: www.gifted.tki. org.nz and www.nzmaths.co.nz
“When we entered the awards we really wanted to share the work we have been doing and we also wanted to recognise all those that have been involved,” Joe says.
Prize-winning early-learning games for kids aged up to 10 years old.
Educational websites run by the Ministry of Education.
Having parents involved and interested in their child’s education helps to boost their achievement, Rachel says. “The project started when we got a group of parents in to talk to us face to face about how we could make changes as a school.” Before long, McAuley began to try a number of innovative ways of engaging parents and whānau. This included communicating with parents in their own language. Another idea was to provide parents with example questions they could ask at parent-teacher interviews. “We started to break down some of the barriers to school being seen as a bit of a scary place. It really does help the students when home and school are working together.” The school is lifting achievement well beyond national levels through strong faith-based values that integrate into everything they do. Creating this level of ongoing engagement made a significant difference to the outcomes of their students. Rachel also says entering the awards was a positive experience for McAuley. “Entering forces you to be a bit reflective. Taking the time to reflect on our journey made us see some of the little things that have brought us to where we are. “Before we were even named as finalists it had been a great process for us. I definitely encourage others to enter next year.” Despite winning awards for their efforts at engaging the community, McAuley is not satisfied yet. “We never think that we’re finished,” Rachel says. “It’s really nice to be acknowledged by getting these awards, but we’re continually looking at how we can meet the needs of our community.”
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LOOKING GOOD MADE EASY They say the big day is all about the bride and, while many a hubby may find himself a lot better off for suggesting as much to his bride to be, fact is it’s not altogether true, something which would become blatantly obvious for any groomsman who dares show up in Uncle Harry’s 1970’s emerald velvet suit. But Tailor Made Suits is a step above… and a stylish one at that. Not only does this family-owned tailoring business offer custom made tailored suits, but never before
have high quality tailored suits been a more affordable option, director Doyle Trinh explains. “Compared to some of the big players out there, our tailored suits are a similar pricing to their ready to wear suits,” he says. “Although we offer a more affordable option, we still maintain the exceptionally high quality we’re known for. As a result, we sell in the vicinity of 60 tailored suits every month, which we believe is more than any other locally based company.” The local suit market has been changing dramatically, with New Zealand tailors under threat by hotel-based international tailors arriving in New Zealand. The businesses regularly set up shop in New Zealand hotels for a few days at a time, collecting measurements for garments that are made overseas and sent back to the customer. “A lot of really big companies have been shutting down because they simply can’t compete against the overseas tailors and the cheap off-the-shelf suits in the local market,” Doyle says. “However, with our unique proposition we are in fact expanding rather than closing.” Many of the overseas based companies only come to New Zealand every six months, with suits taking on average 2-3 months to be shipped back. However, this process becomes even longer if any errors are made or items have to be sent back. “We have a New Zealand base,” Doyle says.
“We travel to Christchurch every six weeks rather than six months, so we can sort out issues quickly and efficiently. In many cases we can get a message to our production facility in Auckland, which is open seven days a week, and have the item shipped back down within a few days. “We’re extremely flexible and efficient, and when it comes to weddings and events, that’s exactly what you need in a tailor.” With wedding season hitting fever pitch locally from around October to April, it’s also Tailor Made Suits’ busy season. “By travelling to Wellington and Christchurch every six weeks, we are able to help wedding groups throughout the whole country. We already have Christchurch tour bookings opened up until February next year, so people can jump online and book ahead.” When you visit the website www.tailormadesuits. co.nz you’ll find a recently updated website, with a whole new look. You could say the company has upped its image and now looks almost as sharp as its suits. On the website, you’ll also find an innovative new option to ‘pay monthy’. Exactly as it sounds, pay monthly is an easy and affordable option to make sure your suits are up to date. Pick the frequency of the suits, shirts or accessories that you prefer and follow the prompts to pay. The system will remember and charge the same amount, from the same credit card, on the same day, next month etc. “There are different packages and pricing plans available, you just sign up online,” Doyle explains. “We’ve only recently launched this option to our existing customers and we already have a number of people who have signed up. Every time we speak to customers about this option, they’re excited.” And even more exciting yet, is the incredible deal open to Principals Today magazine readers – Tailor Made Suits will donate $100 from tailored suits back to your school. Just mention this article.
SUPER DEAL Want $100 from tailored school ball suits donated back to your school? Use the code Magazines Today when you make a booking.
T. 0800 784 887 | E. sales@tailormadesuits.co.nz | www.tailormadesuits.co.nz
News | Principal Q&A
Renwick School principal
Simon Heath
Revered educator Simon Heath is a past president of the Marlborough Principals Association, past chairman of the Mistletoe Bay Trust, Chairman of Mistletoe Charitable Foundation, a member of the Marlborough e-Learning Project 2010 to 2013, Co Lead Principal of Blenheim Community of Learning, and a member of the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.
He is also the principal of Renwick School in Marlborough – one of only 21 schools in the South Island to achieve Green Gold Enviro School status, which happened under his leadership. Simon talks with Principals Today about his 35 years in education and eight years as principal of Renwick School. What inspired you to become a teacher? I had some great teachers myself through primary and secondary school so becoming a teacher was just something I wanted to do. After 35 years in education I have been amazed at what students can do and worked with some great people. I have loved every minute of it. Do schools play a different role in students’ lives now compared to 20 years ago? Not essentially. Schools continue to be at the centre of their respective communities and education remains the core business. It is the nature of the education today and the greater accountability that demands schools to be innovative, adaptive and perhaps a little edgy as they shape and deliver their programmes. The way teachers teach and the way schools organise themselves and integrate things like technology have certainly changed the way we do things. Helping students adapt and learn resilience have become important aspects of what schools do everyday aside from the core curriculum. Have you seen students’ attitudes towards education change during your career? When I began teaching in the early 1980s we had students who were eager to learn, enjoyed being challenged and understood that school was a mixture of hard work and fun. In my view this has not changed.
We do, however, have more students in today’s classrooms who do come to school with considerable personal challenges to overcome before they can learn. This most certainly impacts on their attitude to their education. This is where the skill of the teacher and the support people who wrap around these students can make a huge difference.
This work led me to a place called Mistletoe Bay in the Marlborough Sounds just 15 minutes by boat from Picton. In 2003 I formed a Trust to take over Mistletoe Bay from DoC and now in 2016, we have developed and built an Eco Village and Enviro Education Centre built on strong environmental principles, which has been open and operating since 2008.
And for students? Learning how to use technology wisely and responsibly to support their learning and understanding and applying what digital citizenship is. Keeping a balance between screen time and getting outside into the fresh air, being active, exploring and having fun with friends.
What makes Renwick School unique? Renwick School is in the heart of Marlborough’s wine producing vineyards; a small semi-rural town just 10km from Blenheim. We have fantastic students who come to school everyday and surprise us with their thinking and curiosity for learning and a teaching staff that I admire, who embrace new opportunities, are prepared to tell me when one of my new ideas isn’t going to fly, and bring an edge to their teaching everyday to inspire and engage their students.
Renwick School students enjoy Mistletoe Bay as a base for two of their class camps during their time at school and numerous other visits to learn about environmental education into a wider context.
What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learnt during your tenure? Communication is key. Communicating effectively on multiple levels and forums is absolutely essential to every aspect of principalship.
The school has a strong outdoors and sporting culture that sits well with our EOTC programmes and being a Green Gold Enviro School. Our EOTC programme is integrated right through the school with an underlying theme throughout of environmental education. Our school native gardens, vegetable gardens, Garden to Table programme, creek project, water storage and our 26kw solar photo voltaic system are all features of our environmental programme. Have you introduced any initiatives during your time as principal? Yes, many over the years. My passion for outdoor education and protecting the environment, and integrating this into our school curriculum programming has most likely been my single most important initiative. Both schools I have been principal of are Enviro Schools and this work has been fully embedded into the education and ethos of the schools.
8 | Term 4, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz
What are the most important factors in creating and maintaining an enhancing environment? Ownership from all the stakeholders. Most importantly, our students must be key players in bringing ideas, problem solving and decision making when it comes to looking after the environment. Our students have been very involved in all our environmental decisions and actions. From building vegetable gardens, the Big Renwick Clean-up to removing all rubbish bins from the school grounds – these were student ideas that have become just how we do things at Renwick.
Failure in communication creates a vacuum where uncertainty and assumptions prevail which can very quickly derail an initiative or a direction. I learnt this early in my principalship when we took a decision to structure our senior school differently to best address the year group student numbers. The lesson, even when you think is a decision is small on impact, share the information, be open to discussion and be prepared to compromise.
What are the challenges that teachers today face? The fast pace of the world we now live in. Technology has exponentially changed the landscape for education. Keeping pace and keeping it real are major challenges for teachers in today’s climate; being able to adapt to change whilst keeping a strong hand on curriculum and meeting individual students needs.
What are your goals for the future of Renwick School? Renwick School is part of the Blenheim Community of Learning of 21 schools and six Kindergartens. We have been part of this CoL for 18 months now and my goals for Renwick is to continue to adapt to this greater collaboration across our CoL, to benefit from the expertise and wisdom that is now being shared, and to strengthen our practice at every level of the school for the benefit of every student.
Teaching is hard work and the demands on teachers are increasing. The teachers’ commitment to their students goes well beyond the classroom.
The ultimate goal of this work is for every Renwick student to continue to love learning, achieve well, have great pride in their school and be the best they can be.
News | Cover Story
One size doesn’t fit all By Lydia Truesdale
The Ministry of Education is edging closer to finding a suitable funding mechanism to replace the decile system – a system which has proven inadequate at catering to a nation of educators and students wanting to evolve with the 21st century landscape. Recently the Ministry presented an Advisory Group-established to oversee its research into and changes regarding funding for schools in New Zealand-with seven high-level proposals and, for the most part, they were well received. All apart from one: the Global Budget proposal. The majority of the Group supported or conditionally supported six of the seven proposals proceeding to the next step of policy design and testing, but the Global Budget funding mechanism has been strongly opposed, not only by the Advisory Group but also many within the industry, on the grounds that it may result in unwanted staffing pressures including staff cuts and increased class sizes. The seven proposals Of the seven proposals presented to the Group, three were designed to “work together to determine the level of funding provided to individual schools, ECE services and nga kohanga reo (for teaching and learning)”: 1. A per-child funding amount (including child-based funding for early learning). 2. An additional funding amount for children and young people most at risk of educational underachievement. 3. Supplementary funding to maintain a network of schools and services (targeted at small and isolated schools and services). The other four proposals related to: 4. The way funding for teaching and learning is delivered to state and state-integrated schools (global budget). 5. Funding for private schools (a fixedpercentage per-student subsidy for private schools). 6. Funding for property maintenance and property related services. 7. Clear expectations and a better connection between funding and educational outcomes. The Global Budget Proposal The Global Budget relates to the way funding is delivered to state and stateintegrated schools only. It excludes funding for early childhood centres, private schools and partnership schools or kura hourua.
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NZEI worried that the Global Budget would see increasing financial complexity and difficult decisions regarding staffing, including staff cuts, fewer teachers and bigger class sizes.
The proposal has several key features: • It delivers a single “bulk” pool of money to each school, determined by the Government, said to provide school leaders with greater flexibility in balancing expenditure on teachers, support staff and other expertise, and school resources • It uses a notional rate for calculating teaching costs and charging teachers’ salaries in the budget, whereas the salaries of other staff would be charged at actual cost
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that representatives from Nga Kuraa-Iwi, early childhood education and nga kohanga reo (services) could see potential benefits for their sector if the proposal was introduced. One Group member noted the concept is quite standard and operates successfully in their school, while other members believed that if the risks around loss of clarity around staffing entitlement could be addressed there “may be merit in exploring an alternative”. Those against it According to the Report, the schooling sector-representatives of the Group did not support the introduction of the proposal largely because “any potential benefits are outweighed by the costs and risks of implementation”.
• Where a school doesn’t use up its credit balance, this would be paid out in cash, and where a school exceeded its credit balance, the cash would be recovered from the school.
Furthermore, they advised that many schools, particularly those with discretionary amounts of cash funding from the Crown through Targeted Funding, Educational Achievement or locally raised funds, already have the flexibility envisaged by the global budget.
Those for it The ‘Review of Education Funding Systems: Advisory Group Report’ states
NZEI worried that the Global Budget would see increasing financial complexity and difficult decisions regarding staffing, including staff cuts, fewer teachers and bigger class sizes. The PPTA also believed the Global Budget would “create pressure to cut the number of teaching positions” and, over time, lead to a “reduction in the number of teachers employed by schools nationally, increased class sizes, and reduction in options available to students”. The report concluded that “greater uncertainty about funding for both operations and staffing costs will adversely affect teacher recruitment and learner success”.
• Funding is split into a cash component and a credit component (equivalent to expected salary costs) which would be held by the Ministry, and principals would have a role in determining the split between cash and credit
Essentially, the Global Budget will see a change in the way funding is delivered to schools but not an overall increase in funding.
more often “not because they have too many teachers, but because the grant is under-funded”.
NZEI reinforced this claim in its review of the Global Budget, noting that schools can already employ other professionals from their operations grants, but the reason they don’t is
Finally there are principals on the matter. The Secondary Principals Association, Principals Federation and the Association of Intermediate and Middle Schooling have all publicly stated that they either don’t approve the Global Budget or can’t see the point in it. The good news, however, is that before the Government can move forward with any of the proposals, at least two years of detailed design and implementation planning will need to be done. There will be no changes adopted until 2019 at the earliest. You can find more information relating to the Global Budget, the six other funding proposals and the Advisory Group here: www.education.govt.nz/ministry-ofeducation/consultations-and-reviews/ education-funding-system-review/
www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2016 | 9
News | School Life
Student resiliency
by chance or intention?
Our students face increasingly complex life situations. The research indicates they’re also experiencing higher rates of emotional and mental health difficulties than in previous decades. They have to navigate through fast changing cultural trends and environments which impact their attitudes, values and lifestyle and those of their peers, families and whānau. Schools report growing numbers of students who give up too easily, want others to solve their problems, lack initiative, fear failure and deal with it poorly, blame others when things go wrong, lack self-esteem and experience greater anxiety. Building up student resilience helps to tackle these realities with considerable success. Resilience is an ongoing process of developing personal competence to adapt well in the face of any kind of adversity. The good news is that the values, outlooks, behaviours and attitudes of resilience can be developed in anyone, at any point. Regardless of a student’s background, culture or personality, resilience develops invaluable protective factors, for life. Applying intentional resiliencebuilding strategies is understood as imperative for schools seeking learning success, wellbeing and positive future outcomes for students. It strengthens resilience levels that students may, or may not, have gained at home. Key resilience factors: • Positive social relationship skills – empathy for others • A support circle of family, friends and caring others e.g. teacher, coach, mentor, club leader • Recognising personal strengths, skills and qualities – experiencing achievement • Flexibility when situations change • A sense of humour
• Developing key life skills – problem solving, decision making, goal setting, communicating, compromising and negotiating, managing emotions, daily self-care and health basics • Self-esteem, a positive self-image • Knowing how to find and ask for help • Creativity and innovative thinking to find solutions • Thinking positively, with a hopeful sense of future • Perseverance, despite setbacks.
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Building up student resilience helps to tackle these realities with considerable success. Resilience is an ongoing process of developing personal competence to adapt well in the face of any kind of adversity.
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Strategies that build resilience in schools include: • Role modelling resiliency – providing resiliency training for staff • Using a strengths based focus to reinforce existing resilience factors in students • Promoting positive, trusted relationships between students and staff, between students, and between staff and student families • Developing key life skills, such as positive thinking, empathy for others, problem solving, coping with disappointment or failure, working through conflict, and providing opportunities to apply them • Setting high expectations – demonstrating a belief in students and their potential
CHANGE YOUR JOB CHANGE YOUR LIFE! 10 | Term 4, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz
• Fostering a sense of competence and self-belief – providing achievement opportunities • Teaching realistic, achievable goal setting, plus perseverance • Teaching how to ask for help – providing accessible help pathways • Harnessing proven resilience programmes designed specifically for schools. The Travellers school-based resilience programme Travellers is a small group, early intervention initiative designed for Year 9 students. Skylight launched Travellers in 2001 and it is now being run in more than 190 New Zealand schools. It aims to develop protective factors for young people experiencing change, loss and transition events and early stages of emotional distress. Skylight has been contracted by the Ministry of Health to provide Travellers as one component of New Zealand’s Suicide Prevention Strategy. Co-ordinated by Skylight, Travellers is delivered by trained school staff, selected by their school. The programme initially leverages the results of a short, confidential, online survey, completed by all Year 9 students at a participating school.
• Learn to navigate through situations in safe, adaptive ways • Learn to manage thoughts, emotions and behaviour • Improve their learning outcomes and achievement at school. Travellers’ effectiveness is evaluated on a three year cycle. In 2011 NZCER undertook a quantitative evaluation, exploring the short and medium term outcomes for student participants. They found Travellers offers Year 9 students significant gains in wellbeing, emotional safety and resilience skills development. In 2014 The Victoria University of Wellington’s evaluation of the programme’s content highlighted that both students and school staff found that Travellers facilitates meaningful engagement, both within and between group members. A Christchurch based team of researchers are currently undertaking further nationwide evaluation. Tricia Hendry is a researcher, writer and presenter, specialising in the areas of resilience, self-care and wellbeing, trauma and grief.
Travellers empowers selected students to: • Safely explore change, loss and school transition experiences • Develop personal resilience, support circles and a new confidence
PROUD
To be a finalist ONCE AGAIN in the last NetGuide Best Employment site category! 0800 486 329 | 2 IVAN JAMIESON PLACE, CHCH AIRPORT, CHCH 8053, NZ.
WHAT’S ON OnTV It’s going to be hot cheese on digital toast in 2017! Why? Because next year Capital E will be exploring new digital pathways with MediaLab and OnTV Studios, creating a film and post-production programme that compliments the ongoing Roxy5 Short Film Competition, which is set to get bigger and even better next year. In OnTV, Capital E is creating a new school collaboration programme with the National Library of New Zealand. This will be investigating what it means to leave your mark on the modern world around the National Library’s exciting new exhibitions, of which include the Treaty of Waitangi, Declaration of Independence and the Women’s Suffrage Petition. Capital E’s talented education team have backgrounds in theatre, music, art and writing, and all love operating deep in the digital realm. So make a point of joining them next year.
Capital E’s digital studios are located on Queens Wharf, Wellington. The OnTV Studio offers nine different programmes for school groups. Catering for Years 4-13, students work together in our unique tailor-made studio to create their very own television broadcast.
These professional and purpose-built studios offer hands-on television production experience.
Visit www.capitale.org.nz
All about flexible learning At Woods, we believe that education is of the utmost importance – not just for the children of today but for our world tomorrow. This belief has driven our team, for over half a century, to study how children learn – from a behavioural, ergonomic and cognitive perspective – and to develop furniture that is flexible, adaptable and stimulating. Our product range positively enhances the educational environment, ensuring our children are reaching their full learning potential. Though it may not be known by many, Woods has been supplying products to the New Zealand market through a sales agency since 1996. And while we have had much success with our ever-popular PantoFlex chair, Hokki stool and DuraPos chair, we felt it was time to make our entire product range available to New Zealand customers. Therefore, we’re extremely excited to introduce our full range of products which inspire education and allow students to perform better in a flexible and stimulating setting. There is an added benefit here – value for money; by buying direct from the manufacturer, on-selling costs are a thing of the past. At Woods, not only are we committed to providing inspired and flexible learning environments, we are also passionate about providing a better world for future generations. At our factory we have adopted processes of utilising solar power, harvesting rainwater, waste minimisation, resource conservation, recycling and sustainable manufacturing decisions and processes.
WE’RE FOR FLEXIBLE LEARNING.
It is this consideration that sets us apart and this is the contribution we are making to the world of tomorrow. Additionally, we proudly manufacture our products to the highest quality standards, of AS/NZS 4610, ensuring our products meet the demands of classrooms today and well into the future. We back this promise with a 10 year warranty on the entire Woods range.
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We create furniture that inspires and enables students to reach their full learning potential, and contributes to a better future for them and our planet.
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Catering to students at all levels far and wide Woods supplies furniture to preschools, kindergartens, primary schools, high schools and tertiary institutions throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East. Setting the standard Woods Student Chairs conform to the highest standards: AS/NZS 4610.2, AS/NZS 4610.3, ISO 5970 and EN 1729.
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We believe that furniture can improve the learning environment.
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Flexible learning solutions Project and team work, social learning and collaborative behaviour need the high flexibility that Woods designs offer. With a large range of products tested and approved by AFRDI, Woods can confidently guarantee their furniture for 10 years. Flexible Flexible furniture such as desks and Storage Porters™ on castors allow for the interior space of the room to be changed around to suit various activities. Adaptable Adaptable furniture such as Iris Tables™, Byte Tables and Triquetra Pods™ can be used for collaborative learning styles and also as individual desks. Stimulating Stimulating learning environments are made easy with Woods’ colours and imaginative shapes that have been designed by experts to improve the pedagogy. Woods’ colours, product designs and expertise in creating successful learning environments bring education to life.
Environmentally friendly Woods is committed to a more sustainable world for future generations. Now, perhaps more than ever before in human history, we need to be acutely aware of our ‘footprint’ on the earth. So we are playing our part in reducing the impact of the industry on the environment and all the company’s products are developed with this key criteria in mind.
Product range Seating solutions The Woods Educational Furniture range offers seating for your school including seating for classrooms, science, art, music, computer seminars and conferences.
Security lockers The Woods Educational Furniture Security Locker range and storage solutions are available in numerous configurations, to suit any school environment from corridors to sporting facilities. Student desks Woods Educational Furniture manufactures a range of tables and desks including classroom tables, computer desks, workstations, staff desks, meeting tables, multi-purpose benches and adjustable tub desks. To find out more about our innovative range of educational furniture contact: Aron Fuller on 0275 344 282 or email aron@woodsfurniturenz.co.nz
Working Space | Preparing for Summer
Let the kids play When the sun comes out, so do kids, taking to parks and playgrounds nationwide. This means having high-impact playground surfacing is an important factor in any school or educational environment. As a licensed manufacturer producing woodchip soft-fall surfacing to international standards, this has become a specialist area for Reharvest Timber Products Ltd. The Reharvest Cushionfall product used in playgrounds has the highest impact test of any soft-fall surfacing in Australasia. United States Testing Laboratories found it is better at absorbing shock than rubber mats 3.75 inches (9.5cm) thick, and is 25 percent more shock absorbent after five years of use. It is now the preferred safety surfacing option by councils, schools and kindergartens. Founded in 1994, Reharvest Timber Products Ltd specialises in making premium products out of urban forest material, or industrial wood waste. The company takes pride in a history of more than 10 years of testing and development using international standards and technology.
Reharvest Cushionride is used in performance equestrian surfacing, and decorative landscape ground cover can be maintained by way of Reharvest Decorative Coloured Mulches. Enviromulch is the preferred product for weed control, moisture retention and surface soil stabilisation.
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As a licensed manufacturer producing woodchip soft-fall surfacing to international standards, this has become a specialist area for Reharvest Timber Products Ltd.
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Products made from urban forest are proven to last longer, have a slower decomposition and are more resistant to UV light. The resulting firm surface allows ease of use by wheelchairs, vehicles and horses. An extensive history of working with clients in the playground, equestrian and landscaping industries puts Reharvest Timber at the top of their field in terms of high performance ground cover. An advisory and obligation free quote service can be obtained for the specific area in question. Reharvest Timber Products Ltd 41a Hunua Road Papakura Auckland T (09) 299 3999 E info@reharvest.co.nz www.reharvest.co.nz
Helping Make School Safer! Manufacturers of premium eco-friendly wood-chip products from recycled timber Providing Premium Woodchip for: • Early Childhood Centres • Primary Schools • District and Local Councils • Animal Bedding • Equestrian Horse Arenas • Garden Mulches • Decorative Colouted Woodchip
Cushionfall® Cushionride® Enviromulch® If you have any questions about any of our wood chip products or want a free quote, please contact us below:
5 STAR
Ph 09 299 3999 | E info@reharvest.co.nz
www.reharvest.co.nz 14 | Term 4, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz
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PLAYGROUND SURFACING
Made exclusively by Reharvest Timber Products Ltd
Working Space | Swimming Pools
Sorting pool safety
We encourage everyone to follow some routine fence checks and make sure anything that could allow inadvertent access is repaired.
A check list to help prevent drownings Is the latch on the gate to your swimming pool working properly? Are there any parts of the fence small children might crawl under? Checking these and other aspects of a pool is one of the things New Zealanders can do to help children stay safe around swimming pools. Dr Felicity Dumble, chair of the Health Quality & Safety Commission’s Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee, says pool drownings are highly preventable. “We encourage everyone to follow some routine fence checks and make sure anything that could allow inadvertent access is repaired.” Checks and other advice include: • Ensure the gate latch clicks shut automatically. Over time the spring can become less effective. Hold the gate open at varying distances from the lock and check it springs shut and fully latches
• Ensure there are no gaps under the gate when it is closed and there is no part of the fence small children could crawl under (maximum permissible gap between ground and fence/gate is 100mm) • Check the condition of a timber fence. As the structure ages, the screws and nails can loosen and allow the slats to be removed. Similarly, the wood can age and weaken, so any rotting sections should be replaced
• Clear toys from the pool area, so it is not tempting for children to go in • Never prop the gate open • Remove any tree branches that could allow a child to gain access to the pool area • Always keep moveable objects (such as plastic chairs, bricks or pot plants) well away from the pool area. A child can drag them and then use them to climb over the fence
• Check the condition of a metal fence. The joints can become weak due to rust and have been known to come apart with a firm tug. Local councils throughout New Zealand can offer guidance on ensuring your pool meets all the safety regulations. Further information is available at Water Safety New Zealand: www.watersafety.org.nz.
THE SPECIALISTS IN SCHOOL POOL RENOVATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS
SINCE 1978
NZ Pool Renovations LTD Before
✓ SCHOOL POOLS ✓ COMMERCIAL POOLS ✓ HOME POOLS Contact Kelvin on 027 497 6602 or email kelvin@nzpoolrenovations.co.nz
After www.nzpoolrenovations.co.nz
www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2016 | 15
THINKING ABOUT
AN APP FOR YOUR SCHOOL? Not all school apps are created equal. WE believe we have the best functionality, and easiest to use app available in NZ. WHAT IS MySchoolApps? MySchoolApps is an easy to use app which immediately provides parents and caregivers with everything they need to know about what is happening at the school.
MySchool Apps
MySchoolApps is a convenient, reliable way to receive school notifications. Gone are the days of notices getting lost in children’s schoolbags! With MySchooApps school notices, newsletters, any alerts, or other important information will be communicated directly and immediately to the parents or caregiver’s smartphone. MySchoolApps communicates directly with iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows Phone devices.
School sign up Schools can sign up for a 30 day trial of MySchoolApps at our website www.myschoolapps.co.nz
How does MySchoolApps work? As soon as your school registers with MySchoolApps we will configure your school mobile app. This is a fast process, enabling your school to quickly start creating content categories and uploading notifications and/or documents.
If you choose to trial MySchoolApps, you will receive the full functioning iPhone, iPad, and Windows Phone version to trial in your school for 30 days.
What does MySchoolApps offer?
If you choose to subscribe to MySchoolApps after the trial, we will then build the full functioning Android version.
• Unlimited free instant Push message notifications (Push anything instantly)
If you choose not to go ahead, we will simply remove the iPhone app from the Apple App Store.
MySchoolApps’ flexibility means it can offer:
• Unlimited Push message categories for parents to subscribe to: Alerts - Events - News - Newsletters - Timetables • Information pages (create unlimited content pages easily and quickly) • Permission notes
Pricing
• Parent eForms for Sick Note/Absent and Change of Details
Ask if your school qualifies for a free app. We do this by placing tasteful advertising on some of the pages. Or set up is $1250+gst + $2 per student per year.
• Embedded PDF documents
We will also make a free website for your school that seamlessly integrates the app. However if you’re happy with your existing site we can integrate with that too.
• Links to website pages • Embedded videos/maps and GPS directions • Create your own unlimited custom eForms with payment and signatures if required • Unlimited content categories (created easily and quickly) • RSS Feed and Google Calendar integration • Social media integration with Twitter and Facebook • Social media sharing (option for parents/students to share app content on their own Facebook/Twitter feeds ) • Website integration (post content once and publish everywhere) Includes free MySchoolApps website which syncs seamlessly with the app • Reply by SMS and email (great for parent/student feedback) • Unlimited photo galleries (create a photo gallery on any content entry) • Password protected content.
MySchoolApps is easy to update Teachers and staff can update the status of any event with the easy to use admin tools from their computer or their smartphone.
We will also make a FREE website for your school that seamlessly integrates the app. However if you’re happy with your existing site we can integrate with that too.
MySchoolApps Premium Functions:
Password Protected Content School administrators can password-protect any content category as required. This is great for adding a dedicated staff content category, or for any content you don’t want to be seen by anyone outside the faculty or selected parts of the school community.
SMS & Email Reply Options School administrators have the option to enable content entries to be replied to by the parent/ student community. Any content can have an email and SMS reply option added great for events requiring RSVPs or any entry requiring a reply.
Photo Gallery Option on any Entry
Embedded Maps with GPS Directions
Multiple photos can be added to any content entry showing as a “slide your finger show” on your MySchoolApps.
School administrators can embed maps in any content entry, enabling the user to get GPS directions - great for providing directions to sporting venues, theatre events, meetings etc.
MySchoolApps Functions:
Free Push Notification Alerts
It’s Your School App!
School Events Calendar
Customised Content
Content added to MySchoolApps can be pushed as FREE instant push notification messages, which can be immediate or scheduled for later. It can be used for news, events, newsletter posts, last minute cancellations and more. Also, you can categorise the push alert to target years, classes, subjects, sports teams, drama classes, choirs etc. It’s a great replacement to school SMS.
Your MySchoolApps is branded for your school. Your parent community can find it in the App Store by searching the school’s name. It can even be customised in the future for your school as required.
MySchoolApps shows events in list format, month by month, and calendar format. Parents and students can also add school events to their own personal iPhone calendar at the click on a button. Google Calendar iCal files can also be synchronised with the MySchoolApps calendar.
Create your own custom content categories published right to your MySchoolApps in real-time. MySchoolApps is not limited to a standardised set of content. Any content added can also be pushed as an Alert, right to the parents’ phones.
Website Integration
MySchoolApps Feed
Change of details E-Form
Absentee Note E-Form
MySchoolApps includes an embedded change of details E-Form so parents and students can submit changes to their contact details back to the school.
MySchoolApps includes an embedded absentee or sick note E-Form, so parents or students can submit details of absence back to the school.
View MySchoolApps content directly on your website via the MySchoolApps Communication Centre website plug-in, or you can use your free and feature-rich MySchoolApps website for a completely seamless solution.
• • • • • •
A feed can be viewed of all content that has been added in chronological order, regardless of which categories the content is in – a great way to scroll through to see what has been updated during a day, week, month etc.
Documents Display published newsletters, forms, notes, permission slips, annual reports, or any document you require.
Publishing content to your MySchoolApps Communication Centre will populate your website and MySchoolApps mobile Web & Mobile Native school App seamlessly. Easily plug the MySchoolApps Communication Centre embed code into your website and let MySchoolApps maintain your events, news, newsletters, alerts and documents. MySchoolApps Communication Centre website plug-in. Integrate your MySchoolApps with your website via the MySchoolApps Communication Centre. You can easily embed the MySchoolApps Communication Centre straight on your website. You can update your site, and MySchoolApps mobile school app all at once.
www.myschoolapps.co.nz trusted since 1980
For any queries, please contact Julianne Eady phone: (03) 961 5050 or email: julianne@academy.net.nz
News | In the Classroom
Teaching staff trump infrastructure
Science with a female touch
New study reveals value of teachers in NZ education The quality of teaching staff is significantly more important than a school’s resources; class size, or management in determining the education outcomes of our children.
had inspired them in their career or education choices. Despite their dedication to the role, New Zealanders felt teachers were not given enough recognition for their hard work with 80 percent of those surveyed saying they felt teachers were “unappreciated” in today’s society. A further 86 percent also said that teachers had a much harder job today than their predecessors.
These are the findings of a recent survey revealing that seven out of 10 New Zealanders believe teachers are the most important factor in ensuring a high standard of education in our schools.
The New Zealand’s Most Inspiring Teachers campaign is an annual programme created by Warehouse Stationery to acknowledge the hard work of teachers.
The Warehouse Stationery Most Inspiring Teacher study investigated New Zealanders perceptions of the teaching profession and their impact on the education of children.
School children, parents, families and friends are invited to nominate and vote throughout the campaign. A member of this year’s judging panel, Lynda Reid, a former member of the Ministerial Advisory Group on the reform of the Teachers’ Council, says she is not surprised to hear the results of the research and says it’s important to recognise and place value on the work teachers do.
Sixty eight percent of respondents said that when it came to all aspects that contributed to the quality of education in our schools, the ability of a teacher was the most important. This was followed by class size which ranked second at 14 percent and then by the school facilities or the funding a school receives (12 percent).
“It signals to the rest of society - and especially to those who may be considering entering the profession - that teachers make a profound difference and with that work comes recognition and a celebration of excellence,” Lynda says.
Interestingly, just six percent felt the management of the board of trustees was the most important aspect in education outcomes. The emphasis on quality of teaching in the new research reflects the results of a landmark study by educationalist Professor John Hattie. Hattie’s report found excellence in teaching is the single most important influence on achievement and demonstrated the need to identify and encourage excellence in teachers.
“I think it is critically important to have multiple systems which recognise outstanding teachers. When a teacher wins an award such as these ones, it not only highlights their achievements and the impact they have, but it also encourages colleagues to reflect on their own practice, to seek to improve and to learn from the expert practitioner in their midst.”
The recent survey respondents were also quick to note the number of teachers who went beyond what was required of them in the classroom. Sixty percent said either they or their children had a teacher who volunteered their time outside of normal school hours to support students in extracurricular activities such as sports coaching.
Reid who is the principal at one of New Zealand’s highest achieving schools, will assess nominations alongside respected education expert Colin Rangi, who has worked a Ministry of Education Commissioner and University of Auckland Faculty of Education researcher and former secondary school teacher Dr Jenny Robertson.
Along with additional duties, teachers played a significant role in guiding their students for life beyond the school gate. More than half (51 percent) of those surveyed believe a teacher
For more information on the campaign, see www.inspiringteachers.co.nz
What do radioactive elements, a nuclear shell structure, radium, polonium and anti-Malaria medicine have in common? If you know the answer you’re a rare breed, but the answer is they were all discovered by female scientists and all awarded with Nobel prizes to acknowledge their outstanding achievements. Closer to home, a search of renowned New Zealand scientists credits only four females out of a list of 44 mentioned. This clearly shows a gender disparity in the field and one that still exists today. The world needs science and science needs women. Important contributions to the understanding of molecular structures of DNA, healthcare standard for new-borns (APGAR score), and the world’s first computer programme were all pioneered by female scientists that changed the world. Research shows gender diverse teams solve complex problems better and faster and yet there is a lack of female representation in hard sciences in many universities and workplaces. New Zealand is experiencing a serious skills shortage of females in many science fields, needing to look abroad to fill the gap. Society faces challenges that will only be addressed by the skills of diverse scientific groups, and this shortage could be eased by encouraging more girls to consider a career in science. L’Oréal NZ’s third annual ‘For Girls in Science’ forum in early September was aimed at 180 aspiring year 11 and 12 girls from 20 schools around Auckland. Supported by the University of Auckland, the forum provides an opportunity for students to meet and
learn more from some of the very best women scientists in the country. L’Oréal NZ group corporate communications manager, Tanya Abbott says there is still a gender representation gap in the status and study choices of people working in science fields. “Although this isn’t a new issue, there are still myths, stereotypes and gender differences preventing girls from pursuing a career in science. Our aim is to inspire and demystify science as a profession for young women to encourage more of them take it up as a career.” Getting science in the mind A new ‘easy to teach’ science resource centred around the ‘story of where our food comes from’ – and the importance of New Zealand’s primary sector - is being launched by Soil, Food and Society to help educators teach primary and intermediate students how to think scientifically. Free to use, the online teaching tool explores three interconnected areas – plants are earth’s engine; our food garden; and the chain in my lunchbox. It offers teachers lesson plans that are straightforward and easy to follow. Integrated with the NZ Curriculum, the teaching resourcing is tailored to suit Years 5-6, 6-7 and 7-8. For students, it provides independent learning opportunities that will engage learners in scientific investigations and help them present their findings in a scientific way. The resource can be accessed at: www.soilfoodsociety.online
NEED A NEW website FOR YOUR SCHOOL? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
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gary@fatweb.co.nz | 0800 444 090 | www.fatweb.co.nz 18 | Term 4, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz
Part of the
News | In the Classroom
Getting ahead of the technology curve The school of the future doesn’t have to wait for tomorrow
Creating educational equality Ensuring all children have the same educational opportunities A fully equitable education system is one in which all children have the same chances of success, irrespective of their family circumstances and background. While this remains a distant ideal in New Zealand, the Government and Ministry of Education (MoE) have the responsibility and the means to foster greater social equity among children.
With information technology today an integral part of society, schools across New Zealand are eyeing up the advantages they can gain by deploying it for administration, as much as they are considering the benefits of more technology in the classroom. That’s among the findings of a study conducted by Fuji Xerox New Zealand which polled 100 principals across the country to establish the requirements to deliver the Schools of the Future, today. Fuji Xerox New Zealand managing director, Gavin Pollard says modern schools are complex environments where principals are tasked with ensuring great outcomes from students, while also acting as the CEO of managing financial, building, staff, IT and stakeholder issues. “This means they face two main technology challenges. The first is developing internal processes that streamline often complex and compliance-driven administrative activities, and the second is equipping teachers with tools to inspire and engage students, so they can compete and thrive in a digital world,” he says. The first point, Gavin says, is foundational and should precede the second. The company’s study found that while few schools are today taking advantage of the power of automated processes and integrated document management solutions, most have it on their radar. These processes can greatly accelerate a range of functions including enrolment, records-keeping and management, and compliance with health and safety requirements.
While the findings of the Schools of the Future study are extensive, Gavin picks up on some key results which he says demonstrates the range of opportunity for efficiency gains. “The study shows that even though ‘digitisation’ is in its infancy in most secondary schools across the country, personnel are aware of and recognise the potential for improvement. “That’s reflected in the overwhelming number of respondents who noted the capabilities and desirability of an online document management system to enable compliance. However, it’s still 1-5 years off for 71 percent of them, while in a decade, 94 percent intend to have an online document management system to meet compliance obligations.” Similarly, Gavin says, respondents indicated their enthusiasm for concepts such as automated online enrolment (74 percent saying this is important, but 11 percent have or are moving to such a system), and automated systems for key processes such as Accounts Payable (67 percent). “Notably, close to 80 percent of respondents know that they need to kick their reliance on paper processes. Our schools are, therefore, staffed by people who are increasingly aware of the power of technology to improve the management of their campuses – and that in turn means the ability to stretch budgets further, achieve more with less, and allow teachers to focus on what they do best.”
With this ultimate goal in mind, the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) is calling for the distribution of resources to schools to better targeted, hence ensuring that all children across the decile system have the same access to quality educational opportunities.
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It is crucial that the curriculum in academic areas is delivered in a way that is engaging to those for whom these areas aren’t familiar or where the foundation to support academic learning does not exist for them in the home.
and beyond the capacity of most schools where social, economic and educational disadvantage are concentrated,” it says CPAG spokesperson for education, Professor John O’Neill says “It is crucial that the curriculum in academic areas is delivered in a way that is engaging to those for whom these areas aren’t familiar or where the foundation to support academic learning does not exist for them in the home. “Thus there is a need for well-trained staff and supportive study pathways planning together with the role modelling, mentoring and coaching that students need to see themselves as successful learners in academic subjects.”
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Setting arbitrary national achievement targets for political purposes, without providing the necessary additional staffing resources to support students’ choices of study and career pathways, means that students in poverty too often end up making the wrong choices for the wrong reasons, because schools are under extreme pressure from the MoE and Education Review Office (ERO) to meet pass-rate targets while ignoring the real educational needs of students, he says.
“Where families may not have the necessary knowledge, skill and confidence to negotiate the complexities of NCEA, the schools must have a comprehensive plan for guiding and supporting children to fulfil their best academic potential.
“This is a classic example of ‘performativity’ and its harmful effects,” Professor O’Neill says.
This can be achieved by resourcing schools sufficiently and enabling them to provide all the supports children in poverty need, so they are well placed to make sound study choices and to achieve at the same rates and in the same areas as their better-off peers, the organisation says.
“This is a service of schools that must be offered genuinely and inclusively to all students. As the I Have a Dream Charitable Trust has shown, such approaches are resource-intensive
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“It’s just like the reports some years ago of privatised British trains failing to stop at stations en route to pick up passengers because the rail company’s performance target and was the number of journeys completed on time. Our children in poverty deserve much better, and this takes much more than target-setting.”
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www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2016 | 19
Working Space | Property
Working Space | School Leavers
Planning capital expenditure Where to now? Under the five year agreement (5YA) process, schools are allocated funds to use for capital works. But in your school’s 10 year property plan (10YPP) you can also apply for extra funding for capital projects. Keeping records of capital works Your school’s financial management system must keep separate records of income and expenses relating to capital projects funded by the Ministry and funds received through your 5YA.
With no log-in or subscriptions needed, SchoolLeaver.nz makes exploring potential options after high school simpler and easier.
• Credit the funds to a liability account when received
• Include a disclosure note in the financial statements stating the amounts received and spent during the year for each project, even if there is no liability at year end. As all property development under the 5YA belongs to the Ministry, you must prepare a full reconciliation at the end of each project which substantiates the use of the funds. Underspends and overspends If Ministry funds are not all spent, you need to return the credit balance to the Ministry, even to the last dollar. If you want to keep unspent funds for another project or other purposes, you will need to get Ministry approval before the funding period ends and provide documents to the auditor. You must contact the Ministry if it looks like your school will overspend your property funding. If you do not do this you may have to cover the overspend from your own funds. Any unapproved overspend should not be included in the asset register but must be written off as an expense. Using your board’s own funding You can fundraise for capital works, but you must make the purpose of that fundraising clear to the school community. Your board may get Ministry approval to contribute its own funds to a particular development. Examples are if a school wishes to add a further classroom over its entitlement, or the construction of an adventure playground or a swimming pool. In these cases the structure (sometimes part of a building) will become the property of the board and will be included in the board’s asset register. If you are thinking about using board funds on building assets, then this needs to be considered carefully. If you fund and then own a building you become responsible for all ongoing maintenance costs and the depreciation expense. Applying to use board funding To apply to use your own board’s funding towards capital works, you need to contact the Ministry of
A website has been launched to help the 65,000 New Zealand students who finish school each year find the answers to these and many more questions school leavers and their families face. SchoolLeaver.nz provides high school students and their parents with information and links to university, polytechnic and ITO study and private training courses offered in New Zealand.
The funds received for property projects through the 5YA are not income to your school – they are held on behalf of the Ministry until spent. This means that you must:
• Maintain separate ledger accounts for each capital works project to assist with financial management and control
“What am I going to do?”, “Where can I live?”, “How can I pay for that?”
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If you are thinking about using board funds on building assets, then this needs to be considered carefully. If you fund and then own a building you become responsible for all ongoing maintenance costs and the depreciation expense.
Education local office with written confirmation that:
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• The board will not exceed the borrowing limits (annual repayments of capital and interest must be within 10 percent of its annual operating grant) if you plan to borrow money for the capital works • The purchase price and all ongoing operating costs (including the cost of servicing any loan) will be paid for by assured current assets (i.e. cash in bank or guaranteed grant funding) and assured future funding (i.e. operational funding) and will not disadvantage the school’s operations now or in the future • The capital works will not negatively impact on the school, for example, they will not create significant upgrading costs • The project will bring educational advantages to the school • The board has sought legal and accounting advice, if required, to support the expenditure.
“It’s never been more important for school leavers to have as much information as they can get hold off when deciding on their next step after school,” says SchoolLeaver.nz director Tim Greene. “Nearly 70 percent of school leavers go on to tertiary study or vocational training courses, but for a large number, school’s over. Having useful information there to help all students, regardless of what options they choose, is the key point behind Schoolleaver.nz.” In addition to core study and training information, SchoolLeaver.
Keeping SchoolLeaver even more useful to students is a news feed related to tertiary study, training, new courses, work opportunities and the employment landscape current students may face. SchoolLeaver.nz has been designed as a desktop/tablet/mobile responsive website as opposed to an app. These formats mean parents are more likely to view or use the site, simplifying easy two-way dialogue between students and parents, and importantly, between students and their career advisors. The range of formats allows students to share with friends or be helped in their explorations if that works for them. Teachers in a number of locations around the country who have viewed SchoolLeaver.nz rated highly its ‘one stop shop’ comprehensive nature, and the fact that the site can help all students, not just the most academically able, was also highly valued.
New president driven by desire for quality education for all NZEI Te Riu Roa’s new president is driven by a belief in quality public education for all New Zealand children. Lynda Stuart is the principal of May Road School in Mt Roskill, Auckland and was elected to the two year term at the NZEI Annual Conference in late September. She has been an active member of NZEI her whole teaching career of more than 30 years. Equity, accessibility and quality in education are her aims. “I want to ensure a quality public education system is retained and enhanced in New Zealand, as I believe that this is the only way that we can meet the needs of all of our children in New Zealand. Ensuring that equitable outcomes are the focus for educational policy is at the heart of all that I do.”
If the Ministry gives approval it will send a confirmation letter. You must include those capital works assets on the board’s balance sheet and will need to show the approval letter to the auditor during the annual audit of the board’s financial accounts.
Lynda says going into an election year will mean that NZEI members will need to continue their advocacy for education. “There have been some great wins over the years, but we need to challenge those policies that are not in the best interests of tamariki and educators.”
Information provided courtesy of the Ministry of Education. Visit www.education.govt.nz
She has been president of the Auckland branch of NZEI, a counsellor for NZEI and has represented NZEI on
20 | Term 4, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz
nz provides a range of information and guides for students and their families. Details on tertiary and training institutions are featured, while other topics SchoolLeaver features include money (student loans, allowances, scholarships, banking, tax, KiwiSaver), accommodation (hostels, flatting, home stays), job hunting (resume preparation), gap years, and personal lifestyle info (health, sport after school, physical and online safety).
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I want to ensure a quality public education system is retained and enhanced in New Zealand, as I believe that this is the only way that we can meet the needs of all of our children in New Zealand.
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education focus and advisory groups and in public forums. She has been an active media spokesperson for NZEI and quality public education and has also represented NZEI at international conferences and is a member of the Education Council. She has been on NZEI’s National Executive from 2013 -2016 and as a principal, she is a strong believer in working in partnership with Boards of Trustees, staff, students and community.
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Working Space | Performing Arts
Learning Space | Tools for the Trade
Stages and seating designed for high performance
Illustrating ratio relationships
Stronglite Staging’s range of performance stages and staging equipment are made in New Zealand to the highest standards.
This relationship in maths can be described as: • 6 cm is 4 cm longer than 2 cm (difference) • 2 cm is one third of 6 cm (fractional) • The relationship of 2cm to 6cm is 1/3 (proportional) • 6 cm is three times as long as 2 cm (ratio) It’s better understood with structured apparatus:
The list of what’s on offer is impressive and includes: • Stage platforms • Choir / chorus / orchestra / audience seating risers • Portable grandstands • Ramps and bridges • Steps • Lecterns • Ballet barres • Trolleys • Drapes and frames • Group photographic stands • Wenger products USA. Stronglite Staging® supply safe, durable, versatile, simple and easy to use equipment to support your performance or presentation. All products are compliant with the latest health and safety standards and codes. Take your pick: a stage extension, catwalk, seating by the pool or field, dance, choir, orchestra practise or theatrical shows and kapa haka and more. Invest in quality by Stronglite Staging®. KEY FEATURES Strength: Stronglite Stage and Seating products are designed and
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Ratio describes the relationship in size, order, number, occurrence, or quantity of two different things. Children need explicit instruction and illustrations to help them understand the concept and how to solve problems.
Simplicity: Superior design ensures our products are quick, simple and easy to transport and assemble, saving you time and effort. Versatility: Particular attention has been paid to designing stage/seating systems that are multi-use wherever possible, including indoor and outdoor use.
What is the ratio of blue to pink? 2:7 What is the ratio of pink to blue? 7:2
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Solve this problem: The sum of two numbers is 45. The numbers are in the ratio of 2:3. Can you work out what the numbers are? • Add the ratios 2 + 3 to find the ‘total’, which is equal to 45. The sum is 5. • To find out how many parts, divide 45 by 5. There are 9 parts. • Multiply the parts by 2 and then by 3 to find the missing numbers. 2 x 9 = 18, 3 x 9 = 27. To check, add them together. 18 + 27 = 45. • The missing numbers are 18 and 27.
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Inquiry approaches help children understand the ‘why’. Real world context helps students be excited about maths: scaling a recipe, combining juice and water, making scale drawings, parking charges, converting metres to kilometres, mixing paint, cooking a roast for dinner based on the weight of meat.
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These activities enable children to ‘own’ their learning and success. This is at the heart of the Numicon Approach. Enjoy ratio!
Numicon 5 & 6 | NZC Level 4 • Illustrating relationships in Maths
Call us today 0800 678 581 www.numicon.co.nz 22 | Term 4, 2016 www.principalstoday.co.nz
✓ Multiplicative ✓ Proportion & Ratio ✓ Problem-solving with investigations