Rowandale’s Principal – NZEI Principals Council – August Meeting

On 17&18 August, I represented the NZ Pasifika Principals Association (NZPPA) at the 
NZEI Principals National Leadership Group hui in Wellington.

Photo: Lynda Stuart – President NZEI Addressing the NZEI Principals NLG 
This group meets once a term as a reference group for NZEI. Around the table were Principal representatives from all of the Area Councils of NZEI as well as groups like Special Schools, NZPF, Catholic Schools, AIMS, Te Akatea and now the NZPPA!

The Talanoa and Wananga was robust and focussed. Here are my notes and reflections on the following speakers and presentations:

Photo: Lynda Stuart – President NZEI addressing the plenary session with the other Sector NLG’s 

Lynda Stuart – NZEI President and 
Paul Goulter – National Secretary: 
  • Bulk funding work with PPTA – we won the fight because we got the message out there that this was wrong – took communities alongside us, huge meetings, clear understanding – we won that fight.
  • Class sizes debate – we can win and we do win this is a Prime example.
  • Schools and ECE are underfunded and the messages are out there because of our campaign – bus tour, caravan. 
  • Support staff walk in their shoes day was a huge success and raised awareness of the issues support staff face everyday in low pay employment – our initiative! 
  • All these campaigns and initiatives are because of something called working together.
  • 2018 Primary Teachers and the Primary Principals Collective agreements are up for negotiation … also pay equity for Support Staff and ECE are on the agenda.
  • We will be relentless about negotiations next year.
  • We need to be that family that stands together. 
  • NZEI will be looking to these NLGs as leaders and will approach others who are leaders within our membership. 
Photo: Lynda Stuart – National Secretary NZEI addressing the plenary session with the other Sector NLG’s 

Principal Council Issues/ Topics for Discussion:

  • Staffing – There are parts of the country that this is a real issue. Many schools in the Waikato are reporting that they are sometimes getting only 1-2 applicants for positions (quality of applicants  is  variable) recruitment and retention. Possible inclusion in claims at the moment of the scheme in Auckland for provisional teachers. 41 spaces for these and want to expand this out to more areas hard to staff areas. Relocation grant under utilised. Voluntary bonding scheme hard to staff schools under utilised and not promoted to teachers as a means of deduction in interest payments on student loans. Looking at ways to reduce immigration expectations on overseas teachers into Auckland. Possible increase to hard to staff allowance and looking zoning rules to include provision for current staff’s children.
  • Interim professional standards – Urgent need to get these out of the contract and adopt the new Education Council’s Standards as the only as the only appraisal / attestation  as the only standards. These will be included in the Collective Agreement negotiations in 2018. Must leave them there until then because they keep us safe. 
  • Concurrence – This must be renegotiated. Through the earthquake recovery in ChCh where principal’s roles went into overload, mergers, closures, schools across multiple sites, rebuilds, zoning battles, roll collapses, no permanent teachers in schools destined to close, Rep cant find any Principal who applied to their BoT for concurrence. 
  • Community Of Learning (CoL’s) – The death of U1 first time principals as Cols place unachievable expectations on them – data, meetings, collaboration vs teaching component and lack of quality release teacher.
  • Behaviour – WBOP Principal held a special meeting due to concerns about the number of high need behaviour children in local schools and the impact this is having on support staff, teachers, management and resources. Soft data was collected so that this and concerns can be shared with MOE. Link to powerpoint used at meeting  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1EuPhxG6-kBdhjBGIMvC-CG-ahp4PAvTecSTcQ6nX9qk/edit#slide=id.p Ideas from the meeting.

  • Learning Support discussion – transition of the support from ECE and schools – access of funding and support for resourcing – more children being funded through child youth and family – Staffing issues related to learning support – Pilot in the CoL 
  • Auckland Issues: staffing crisis based on gazette in January, APPA survey collated and passed onto MOE in Auckland, need to provide real nation wide data to pressure MOE on the real issues. Educanz registration process: process is a nightmare, need to $150 – Educanz Leadership Strategy: Need to have a look at themes and proposal and give opinions, Leadership is a way of being. 
  • Decile Funding Really interested to hear about the Factors that are likely to be included are and what these have to do with actual needs:

    • Proportion of time the child has been supported by benefits since birth
    • Child has a Child, Youth and Family notification
    • Mother’s age at child’s birth
    • Father’s offending and sentence history
    • Ethnicity
    • Youth Justice referral
    • Mother’s and father’s average earned income over previous 5 years
    • School transience

  • Principal Hauora Survey – Te Akatea supports the discussion of racism and discrimination within the Principal survey conducted on well-being and encourages all PC members to push for our colleagues to participate in future surveys. Encourage all Principals and DP’s to complete Survey.
Photo: Stephanie Mills – NZEI – Running a workshop on CoLs
Really enjoyed my first meeting on the NZEI Principals Council and its a forum where our NZPPA Association has a voice that is welcome. Thank you to Peter and the other principals who made me feel valued.