Monday Mailing Week 21st July 2025

HOLD!!!!

As school leaders, we are no strangers to the tides of public opinion, political messaging, and media narratives. This past week, the Minister’s commentary around so-called "open plan barns" has again sparked debate and, in my own case – a lot of confusion and frustration.

It's a good moment to pause, refocus, and remind ourselves of who we are, and the strength and professionalism we bring to the role of principalship.

With this particular context, below was my response to our Minister.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018995964/principal-supports-open-plan-classrooms-despite-govt-ending-flexible-learning-environments

First and foremost, let’s call things what they are: today’s innovative learning environments are not “open plan barns.” That language is both outdated and misleading.

Let’s stop accepting binary arguments like “single-cell vs open plan.” This isn’t about walls. It’s about teaching. And we know that great teaching, powered by strong relationships, intentional design, and reflective practice, can happen anywhere.

To claim that a physical environment alone causes underachievement is an oversimplification and, frankly, disrespectful to the thousands of exceptional educators working in every type of classroom across Aotearoa.  What changes lives isn’t walls; it’s relationships.

So, what can we do in the face of public misunderstanding or a Government narrative that is misleading?

We stay strong.
We speak up.
We lead with integrity.

This is a timely reminder that we are self-governing professionals in self-governing schools. Our accountability is to our Boards and to the communities we serve. We are charged with making the best decisions for our unique school contexts.

Whether it’s about learning environments, curriculum change, attendance strategies, or any other initiative coming down the pipeline, we need to stay principled. Be brave in your conversations. If something doesn’t align with what you know is best for your school, say so. If you believe in a direction your school is taking, defend it with evidence and courage.

The challenges will keep coming. But so will the opportunities to stand tall and lead well.

He toka tū moana arā he toa rongonui. 

Your strength is like a rock that stands in raging waters. 

Ngā manaakitanga,
Tony Grey
Waikato Principals’ Association Life Member

Few words and some ramblings from Leo

This week I asked Tong Grey to write the lead in and Editorial, for obvious reasons. That said, I could not miss the opportunity to add my 3 and 1/2 cents worth.

What's going on Minister? Why the sudden announcement and the attention around open learning spaces, MLE, FLE's, collaborative environments, or 'big barn' style schools?

Like many of you, I was a bit surprised any Erica's announcement last week, particularly in regards to her intent, timing, delivery, and potential implications for schools, staff, and parents! For someone who is typically so careful, measured, and politically astute, I thought this announcement came across more like a mic drop or mentos into a coke bottle experiment. In short, with little consideration of the ramifications for schools who have flexible, collaborative, co-teaching, or innovative spaces.

As a Hamilton school that has a variety of spacial and organisational configurations, we have already received parental questions (oh the joy), staff concerns, and even had colleagues from up the road cynically offer to loan us walls! Now, the practical and more measured side of me would suggest that I should ignore the noise, stay true to what we know is needed, and continue to focus on our core business. However, the more militant, defensive (ladder of inference step 5) and contrary side of me does have a few questions. So here goes...

Dear Minister Stanford:

• Where is the research-based evidence to highlight the negative impacts on learning for students? Who completed the studies, and when was this initiated?
• Can you please share with me the address of a school that would describe itself as a 'Big Barn'? I have yet to see one?
• When you or the Ministry are talking of scrapping Open Plan Schools, what particular types of configurations and contexts are to be addressed?
• In an era when we are trying to build the profile of schools and outcomes for the profession, how do announcements of this nature help?
• Can we see the summary consultation reports, surveys from NZ schools that have suggested this is a failing initiative? 
• Did you consider creating MOE Communications to reassure parents who currently have children in the 100's of schools across NZ, that their children are not being detrimentally impacted on by being in FLE, ILE?
• Who were the Ministry advisers who told you this was a failing experiment, and which schools did they visit to affirm this? Have you been to high-functioning schools like Endeavour, Te Ao Marama, Stonefields', Hobsonville Point, Te Kowhai, Horotiu, or Pillans' Point?

I have to admit to being pretty impressed by ILE principals Tony Grey from Te Ao Marama (who wrote this week's editorial) and Blair Dravitski from Lemonwood Grove (who are both top blokes, in high-functioning schools), who fronted the media around this. I thought they were constructive, measured, non-defensive, and incredibly articulate. Not an easy thing to do when you are having your core DNA, innate school practices, signature features, pedagogical platforms challenged, and knowing that in your context, it works! You so eloquently reinforced what we all know. Great schools are great schools, great teachers are great teachers, and schools must continue to be given some flexibility in the way they operate, are configured, and led. We really do not have to 'Standardise' or 'Structure' everything.

Erica, we fully understand the need to review under-performing or failing schools. That said, lumping a large cluster of schools into a category of 'open plan' and making the assumption they are all failing is a hard pill to swallow.

*Please do read Mark Osborne's section below:  'What's the Plan?'

Leo

WPA President Lesley Lomas

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou i tēnei te wiki tuarua o te wāhanga hōu.  Greetings to you all in week two of the new term.

I hope you were able to enjoy some well-deserved relaxation over the holiday break, and your first week back at school went well.

This term, we have our next WPA Connections Day on Thursday, the 14th of August at FMG Waikato Stadium.  Di Foster will be our guest speaker for the day, inspiring us with some important life lessons.  Business is Di's true passion, she is a cancer survivor, and in her own words, "Coaching, for me, is about giving people a perspective shift and making them understand life's too short to sweat the small stuff.  We should be doing cool things with the time we have."We hope you can join us at FMG Stadium for a day of inspiration and collegiality.

Ngā manaakitanga,
Lesley
Kind regards,
Lesley

Professional readings, viewings and stuff that you may have missed.

Here are a couple of neat shorting clips on locating yourself and above and below the line that I have shared previously.  Neat tools to utilise in the winter months particularly when looking at 'owning behaviours, building positivity, addressing issues and culture.'

I have also attached a few Board references with an awareness that we are all initiating our Election process at the moment.

Mark Osborne- What's the Plan? Open or Flexible?

For those of you who have never met, or worked with Mark Osborne or the Leading Learning Group, this is something we strongly recommend (best PLD dollars I have spent). Mark is a guru when it comes to leadership development and organisational development. This week Mark has provided us a response to the Ministers Open Plan announcement (pdf) and some useful information below around a concept called 'Induction Mapping.'

Induction Mapping
What is it?
Induction (or Onboarding) Maps are process diagrams (flow charts) that spell out what your process is for supporting new hires to get up to speed before and after their first day on the job. 

Three things to know about it:
Effective induction maps typically have three phases: pre-boarding (the days and weeks leading up to the first day on the job); onboarding (the first day/week of the job) and post-boarding (the first 9-12 months of the job).
Effective induction maps are flexible, and use the idea of ‘persona’ to ensure a diverse group of new hires all have their needs met. For example, a new hire who is also new to the country (or city) is going to need different support from someone who has lived nearby their whole lives. 

In order to develop an effect induction map, you need to know the (small number of) essential documents new hires need to be aware of in order to be effective in their roles. What are those documents for your organisation, and are they all easily accessible (and understandable) for new hires?

Two insights or benefits:
An effective induction map helps ensure all new staff are welcomed and brought up to speed in a consistent and systematic process. The absence of this consistency means the quality of induction/onboarding is dependent on the skill of the new hires’ line managers.

An effective and enjoyable onboarding experience turns new hires into the kind of job advertisement money can’t buy: a satisfied employee and advocate for the organisation. Happy employees tend to refer great applicants for new positions and also tend to go above and beyond expectations in their own roles.

One way to put it into action:

Spend three minutes brainstorming all the things that a new hire might be uncertain of during the first day or week in their role (Where do I park? What time is lunch? What’s my login? What are the dress (and behaviour) expectations for staff?) Use this essential information as the start of an induction map: ask how you can provide this information ahead of time, on the first day or later in the first week so as not to overwhelm people on the first day.

WPA Connections- Di Foster and Andrea Twaddle

Connections Day  https://www.wpa.ac.nz/product-category/connection-day/  

AUGUST 14th FMG Stadium

A reminder that this is coming around quickly. We have Di Foster who is an incredible person and leading life coach, combined with Andrea Twaddle who is an expert in media, the law and supporting principals! This dynamic duo are definitely too good to miss.  I have seen Di twice and have enjoyed Andrea's guidance in regards to dealing with dealing with a tricky media, radio issue. Don't procrastinate, book now.

WPA Subscriptions- A reminder to please pay your subscriptions if you have no do so already. See attachmenmt highlighting paid members.

When Disaster Strikes!

Jean Paterson, who many of you will know, let me know about this Principal's HR PLD opportunity.   MOE typically don’t advertise these events, but I thought I would ask you to forward this flyer to your members.  It is FREE, is online for an hour, and is highly topical with an outstanding lineup of legal expertise.

When Disaster Strikes: How a Principal Can Best Manage

Claims – The Insurance Perspective

Mark your calendars for 22 July at 5 pm to join this unmissable live online event designed to help you cope with the unexpected. Join experts Paul Robertson (Heaney & Partners),Gretchen Stone (Harrison Stone), Fi McMillan (Anderson Lloyd), Monica Maharaj (NZI), and Jody Sinclair (Marsh) as they unpack real-life case studies and offer practical strategies to cope with employment-related disputes.

Please see the flyer for more detail.

Wishing you a wonderful day despite the rubbish weather!

Ngaa mihi, Alan Munro | Manager, Integrated Services (Hamilton North & East)
Te Mahau | Te Tai Whenua

Can you help Sitech? Projector Stand needed.

We are preparing a data projector and a large screen at a special price for Mike Mokai's school in Rarotonga. Mike is wanting to mount the projector on a trolley and asked if we still had any trollies left. We do not have any but just maybe one of our local schools has an old Sitech projector trolley they are not using and would be prepared to donate it to Mikes school. If you have one put away in a back cupboard please call Garry 021939005 and I will arrange to pick it up.

Leading Learning- Leadership Tools

Running Effective Team Meetings
Love them or loathe them, meetings are an important part of how a team functions. If you're suddenly the one running the meetings, it's useful to have a bit of advice on how to make them as productive as they can be. The software company Atlassian has distilled some of its best advice around meetings into the 'guide for humans' below.

Resource: Running effective meetings: a guide for humans Running effective meetings: a guide for humans

Can you think of an examples where one of the difficulties hinted at in the article happened in a meeting you attended? What would have made a difference?
What two practical suggestions will you take away and try with your team? Set a date in your diary to share with your PLG or coach how each suggestion went.

mark@leadinglearning.co.nz

Few laughs and a giggle to end....

I was listening to 'Old Mates' Hamish and Nathan having a chat about the 'Good Old Days' when they had hair, abdominal muscles and good looks and was subsequently inspired to find a few images to make them feel a little better. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did?

2025 Business Partners

Few cool offerings from Natalie and the Noel Leeming team this week. Please do remember that we actively encourage you to use our Business Partners first. They are brilliant, understand schools and will save you money!