26 March 2018

Newsletter Articles

Principals supporting Principals… Principals supporting Principles!

Kia Ora

Please find this week’s Monday Mailing below.

It has been interesting listening to the discussion at the PUMs. There seem to be some very clear messages coming through that we want this new Government to take some positive action on. Did you attend though! Make sure your voice is heard.

Kind regards
Tony Mangan
Glenview School

WPA Dates

Follow up from a colleague request relating to ‘Children leaving the classroom without permission‘–

Last week you may have received this email from a colleague. We have two responses. They appear below. If you still want to respond, I will publish in next week’s mailing.

Children Leaving Classrooms Without Permission

Under regulations introduced last year, school staff are not allowed to physically restrain children unless the child is going to hurt themselves or hurt someone else. Please correct me if I am wrong.

A number of Principals have spoken with me about an increasingly prevalent problem: what can a school do when a child leaves the classroom without permission? The child could be heading home to their house next to the school, going for a play on the adventure playground, or standing outside a room banging on the door!

Our obligation is to keep the child safe... and the other 27 children in the class. Should the teacher pursue the wandering child, or stay with her class? Should the child be approached (with the risk he or she will run away), or simply observed? Who should do the observation if the teacher is obliged to stay with her class?

Advice from a Ministry professional... ensure the child is engaged in the classroom, so they will not want to leave the classroom. Seems logical, but does not account for the reality of upset, belligerent or dysfunctional children!

Response 1

One of those issues that is quickly gaining momentum. It is potentially not safe for a child to leave without permission.

Simple solution is to phone the police. Clearly teachers are deemed not responsible enough to take practical measures themselves, so call the authorities who can.

If all schools created that policy and implemented it, there would be a swift reaction.

Response 2

For our most difficult child who leaves the classroom regularly we have a health and safety plan that was done like an IEP. This indicates the behaviour and the strategies to be used.

If he leaves the classroom, he has a space to go to for time out and then knows he needs to return once he is calm. However, if he does not do this, or leaves the grounds we ring Mum and she comes to school. If we cannot get hold of mum, we ring the Police. It is not the intervention - but the agreed strategies for dealing with it that is key to making it work. Restraint is not included at any stage.

Colleagues requests:

Lots of schools are now fenced. This limits access to schools for those who want to be there for honest and legitimate reasons - a game of cricket etc. Can any school share a successful strategy they have used to allow community access to the school outside school hours.

Mark Penman - mark@hamwest.school.nz

She Danced on a Friday

If you would like to know more about this contact; Nesan Govender the Principal at Ohinewai School

principal@ohinewai.school.nz
(Tel) 07-828 8919 (fax) 07-828 8918
027 599 599 6

Hmmm…

Hauora… Health & Happiness/ Leadership

A Thought… Leadership

A Laugh

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