Please find attach a copy of the Report on Tomorrow schools which contains the 32 recommendations that have been forward to the Minister for consideration. We need to have an idea of what is being put forward as there will be a consultation period once the recommendations have been considered. 

Below is the summary from Bali Haque who was the Chair of the Tomorrow's Schools Independent Taskforce

What we heard

Over the last six months we have identified a number of common themes, particularly to do with the variable capability of school boards, the roles and capacity of our education agencies, how we need to better support educational leadership, the growing challenges with our education workforce (both in terms of quantity and capability), the importance of listening to student voice, workload issues for principals/tumuaki and teachers, and the importance of supporting communities to participate more fully in schooling.

We know that the system is not working for a large number of Māori and have been reminded about the fundamental importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in this country. Under the promises explicit in this document we have the obligation to redress past and current inequalities of provision for Māori children and young people. We understand Te Tiriti o Waitangi is grounded in a foundational bicultural relationship between iwi Māori and the Crown. Pākehā and Tauiwi (new migrants) sit together under the Crown.

We also heard about the importance of community representation on school boards, as well as critically important issues related to the provision of support for those with disabilities and additional learning needs, resourcing, collaboration between schools and other parts of the system, enrolment schemes and zoning, school choice and competition.

We are grateful to everyone we met with, to all those who took the time to contribute their voices and views to this process, and to our Ministry of Education secretariat team. We have gathered and analysed a rich resource of views, ideas, information and evidence which we know will continue to be used in the next phase of this important work. 

Next steps

In this report we make a number of recommendations to the Government. We understand that the Government will take these to further public consultation and undertake more detailed work, before making final decisions on any changes to our current system. Equity and excellence are at the heart of this review, and you will see that this report is focused on how we can best achieve these important aims. We want to ensure that every child, and we mean every single child, in Aotearoa New Zealand receives the best quality education possible. Our future depends on it.

Please take the time to read the report, along with distribute to your Board as this could a major influence on their involvement within schools moving forward. I have included it as part of my first Board Report for 2019. 

Cheers
Hamish

The Waikato NZEI Principal Council, has 4 scholarships to cover the registration costs to attend the NZEI Rural and Teaching Principals conference in Hamilton this year.

Available to any U1, U2 or U3 Principal within the Waikato area and who is a member of NZEI and is planning on attending the conference held May 29-31.

Each scholarship will cover the cost of registration valued at $650. Transport accommodation and Meals are the responsibility of the attendee.

please email your interest in the scholarship to Scott Wilson from Puahue School by March 13th 2018;

swilson@puahue.school.nz

subject line: NZEI Rrural and Teaching Principal Scholarship

Your Name
School Name
U size

Recipients will be notified once drawn and results of the successful recipients will be published in the WPA Monday mailing 18th March 2019.

Regards,

Scott Wilson
Principal Puahue School
www.puahue.school.nz
07 872 1838
021 2149336