15 August 2016

Newsletter Articles

Principals supporting Principals… Principals supporting Principles!

Kia Ora

Please find this week’s Monday Mailing below.

You can access all Monday Mailings by clicking here or going to http://www.wpa.ac.nz/1/newsletter_sets/1-monday-mailing/years/2016 in your web browser.

Kind regards
Pat

Help! Drug Testing of Staff and Students

A full primary school is looking for a policy, procedures, practices relating to the drug testing of staff and children. If you can help, please send it to principal@deanwell.school.nz and I will forward it on.

WPA Subscriptions

Have you forgotten to pay your WPA member subscription? Please do it today… click here or go to:

Catch Up Day – Have You Paid?

12 schools have not paid for last term’s Catch Up Day. Please pay as soon as possible. You should have received an invoice when you registered; if you need another invoice please contact Sandra at rtlb.admin@mi.school.nz .

Attached is a list of schools that have paid.

WPA Dates

Catch Up Day – Term 3

Dr Graham Stoop is our guest speaker for our next Catch Up Day to be held on Wednesday 7th September. He will be presenting 2 different sessions, one will be titled “Dr Graham Stoop, off the chain” - his take on the education system in New Zealand, for once he will be able to talk freely in regards to the direction of education and what we as leaders will need to be thinking/aware of; and his second session is around the changes at the Education Council, the active role they are playing in our profession.

Our afternoon session is not to be missed. We have the “Child Safety” wrap around services - New Zealand Police, Ministry of Justice, Department of Corrections and Child, Youth and Family giving us an update of their combined services. They will also be covering the impact of Valuable Children's Act along with what happens in the background when we report things.

Consultation re New Primary School

You will be aware from media coverage following the reading of Budget 2016 on 26 May that a new primary school is to be built on the corner of Borman Road and Hare Puke Drive.

The school is set to open at the beginning of 2019.

A public meeting will be held in the theatre at Rototuna Junior High School at 7.00 pm on Wednesday 17th August 2016.

At this meeting the Ministry will share a range of information, call for nominations to the Establishment Board of Trustees, and provide opportunity for feedback.

What's the Plan Stan?

I'm working with CORE Education on a project to gather feedback on "What's the Plan Stan", to inform an update of the resource.

We have a survey set up to gather feedback, including from principals, at:

There is a fairly small component of the printed resource which is for principals, as well as some detailed information on emergency drills and practices - any feedback from principals around how well these resources meet their needs would be very much appreciated.

Thanks and kind regards,
Rebecca Cox
021 510 212
Skype: rebeccacoxnz

Avis Leeson Fruit Tree Trust

Please contact Rhode Street School: alastair@rhodestreet.school.nz to register your interest to receive free fruit trees on 26th August from here at Rhode Street School. This year's trees are pear trees and are four-year-old bare rooted stock ready to plant as soon as they are uplifted.

We already have over 60 schools registered but have over 1000 trees to gift, so don't leave it to late, contact Alastair Kerr at Rhode Street School today. Pick up of the pear trees will be around the end of the month with the date to be confirmed.

Many thanks to the Avis Leeson Fruit Tree Trust and in particular McGrath Nurseries of Cambridge for creating this opportunity for our schools.

Shane Ngatai
Principal and proud of it
Standing: 07 847 7245
Running: 021 968 750

Rant – First Time Principals

For many years the Ministry of Education has run a very successful programme called First Time Principals, providing essential support and mentorship for new school leaders. It is being canned.

Amazing; one of the few successful programmes being run by the Ministry is gone. Why? Funding?

The Minister of Education is reported to have said that the Communities of Learning will now mentor and support their first time Principals.

What happens if the new Principal goes to a school that is not part of a COL?

What else will COL be expected to pick up? Was this the original intent of COL?

Cancelling First Time Principals is a retrograde step that will have a devastating impact on some of our new school leaders.

Hmmm…

Hauora… Health & Happiness

A Reading…

25 Things Successful Teachers Do… some seem obvious, some are open to debate…. but interesting!

Leadership…

A Thought…

A Laugh

Q: What do you call a cow that just gave birth?
A: Decalfeinated.

Q: What do you call a sad coffee?
A: Depresso.

China, Russia, and Poland venture to space. China says they'll go to Pluto because it's the farthest. Russia says they'll go to Jupiter because it's the biggest. Poland says they'll go to the Sun. Russia and China warn that they'll melt. They reply, "We'll go at night."

An organization is like a tree full of monkeys, all on different limbs at different levels. The monkeys on top look down and see a tree full of smiling faces. The monkeys on the bottom look up and see nothing but assholes.

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