17 June 2019

Newsletter Articles

Principals supporting Principals… Principals supporting Principles!

Kia Ora

Please find this week’s Monday Mailing below.

Was great to see so many at the James Anderson connection day.

The long negotiations for the teacher’s pay claim has been well worth the wait. The final outcome should please all teachers. However, the Principal’s agreement is not so positive going forward, see response below.

This week we have our Wellington Study tour, all the best for those travelling.

Have a great week.

Kind regards
Tony Mangan
Glenview School

WPA Dates

Principal Response to pay settlement:

Kia ora Koutou

As you know, I had high hopes around a new offer that was on the horizon on Thursday at our Connection Day. I was pleased to see the movement that has been made on the Teachers' Collective and happy to see the shot in the arm they deserve. I have questions around the 8 Teacher Only Days over the next 3 years as this could lead to negative fallout from our communities as they juggle childcare during these days.

For those who are in the Closed Principals’ Group on Facebook would have seen, I have raised some interesting points that I want to share with our Waikato Principals’ Association and will be happy to receive principal feedback. Like many, I’m disappointed that we seem to be the forgotten party of the current round of negotiations with only the $1,500 being the only change to our current offer. I can immediately see that the impact for U1-3 Principals isn’t enough to keep them ahead of their DP’s and SLT members in their own settings, which means they have fallen further behind AP/DP’s in our larger schools who are top of the scale and often on multiple (4-6) units.

I believe we shouldn’t accept our Principal offer as there was an interesting statement around Pay Parity isn’t possible due to current negotiations with Secondary Principals’ Collective. I think there is more information to come around this!

I know NZEI would have worked hard on our behalf and sometimes they are left with the difficult task of bringing back what the Ministry has offered. We owe them the opportunity to respond to the questions and disappointment that is being voiced by Principals’ around the Principal offer.

Online, I made the statement and stand by the statement, if at the end of this round of negotiations we don’t get a positive outcome, I’m happy to drive a conversation around forming (or exploring) other options for Primary Principal representation. (not sure how this impacts Intermediate and Middle Principals, but happy to include as well)

This is Hamish Fenemor’s response, I haven’t had the opportunity to share this thinking with the Executive. I’m far from a political person (but often hold strong views) but running with the simple mantra of the WPA "Principals’ supporting Principals"

At this time we need change, I have suggested in recent time we need different representation. This isn’t a dig at NZEI, things have always been difficult for Principals under the NZEI umbrella, especially during times of discipline and competency discussions.

Please email me your thoughts as I’m currently working with others around the country to explore how SPANZ (Secondary Principals Association) was formed.

Kia Kaha and remember to celebrate our Teachers success.

Ngaa mihi nui

Kind regards,
Hamish Senemor - Principal, Cambridge East Primary School
E: principal@cambridgeeast.school.nz 

Hi Hamish

Would you be able to send the blurb below with my email to garner feedback for Thursday's NZPF Executive meeting.

Dear WPA Members

In the wake of the latest offer to Principals, I am keen to understand your view of the offer and next steps. I have an NZPF meeting scheduled later this week and I want to hear your thoughts. Please don't hesitate to send me a confidential email if you want to share your perspective with me and I will ensure issues are raised with the executive. Thank you. Gavin Beere, Waikato Region Representative, NZPF. beereg@hillpark.school.nz

Property forum key notes:

Info from the Property Forum held in Taupo last week. A few things for people to look into or be aware of;

• Peter Hannam has taken over the role of Waikato Infrastructure Manager from Sharon Walker
• David Vincent is moving to be the Manager of Infrastructure Planning

We have a new “standard” which has taken over from MLE and is now called Quality Learning Environments for all state schools by 2030, they wish all schools to reach at least a level 5 or above by this time. More information on Slide 19. This is simply extending our the 2023 target they originally had and is more realistic

As part of this work - 551 schools that are small (less than 100) and/or isolated will sensors put into classrooms to help monitor and identify what works needs to be completed to help bring all spaces up to the “same” level or functionality. This help identify 5ya projects along with Top Up funds that are being offered to bring schools up to the Quality Learning Environment Standards.

School Bus Tenders for 2020 - for direct resourced buses, if you are renewing, best you get this process started if you haven’t already

EdPay - New Payroll system, replacing Novopay currently in 100 schools as a pilot which seems to be going well

Need all 5ya forms updated for asset management and deprecation and therefore help with future funding…(obviously has been an issue in the past - hard to line up treasury)

Translucent roofing - install netting underneath (when replacing or installing new) to stop fall through (including idiots in the weekend!)

One of real interest - EdPay, New Payroll system replacing Novopay (watch this space!) currently in 100 schools as a pilot which seems to be going well.

All other information is included as part of the slides and the Summary Notes for those who wish to have a look in more detail. Interesting information around Fire-Safety Authority and Approved Evacuation Plans logged with Emergency Services (also reminder around Asbestos Management Plans) and for the first time in many years, $15 million for SPG projects outside of Roll-Growth Classrooms - good luck being on that list, if it ever gets published!

Attached is the Summary Notes and Slides from the Central North Island Property Forum, please make contact with Hamish Fenemor for any clarification or make contact with your School Property Advisor (SPA).

Trots night. Friday 30th August (registration is now open)

Follow link to register:

Request from colleague:

Hamilton West School would like to borrow (hire) display boards for an art exhibition at the end of the term. If you can help please contact mark@hamwest.school.nz

Laugh

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