NZCEO’s New Principals Programme
In 2016 the Ministry of Education ended their First Time Principals programme, changing it into a mentoring programme. NZCEO stepped in to begin a New Principals Programme in early 2017 for new Principals in our Catholic schools. This programme complements the diocesan and regional Ministry support by providing specific information [...]
Policy Update
Updated Documentation as a Result of the Replacement of the PSCI Act Review and updating of documents containing references to Part 33 of the Education Act 1989, which has subsumed the material in the PSCI Act, is almost complete. Information will be provided as soon as possible. New TCI Qualifications [...]
The Cry of the Poor
“The Lord hears the cry of the poor, blessed be the poor.” I heard this antiphon at mass recently and it continued to resonate throughout the following week. If we are his hands how are we hearing the cry of the poor? It occurred to me that if we were [...]
Recent Publications from ERO
Year 9 Plus 2016 – the first year (Year 9), is a report on this initiative to improve the chances of educational success of one cohort of students. http://www.ero.govt.nz/publications/year-9-plus-2016-the-first-year-year-9/ Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity in NZ Schools and Early Learning Services. http://www.ero.govt.nz/publications/food-nutrition-and-physical-activity-in-nz-schools-and-early-learning-services School trustees booklet: helping you ask the right [...]
Connecting with Millennials
In her book, It’s About Learning, Louise Stoll tells the story of a parent who laments the change in the pedagogy associated with spelling. She complains to her child’s teacher and says, “Why can’t we learn to spell the way I did by using rote learning?” The teacher looks at the [...]
Taonga
As a young person I was raised by parents who saw it as their right and duty to define the beliefs and values that we would take into our adult life. On this basis they chose our religion and they made it clear what our politics should be. They believed [...]
School News Update
Tāku Paipera - Māori Bible for Children A new children’s Bible in te reo Maori has recently been released, making it the only one of its kind in the world. For further information or to purchase a copy ($16.99) go to the Bible Society New Zealand here. BPS Results [...]
Policy Update
Passage of Education (Update) Amendment Bill into Law The Education (Update) Amendment Bill passed its third reading in Parliament on 11 May 2017. The Private Schools Conditional Integration Act 1975 is now subsumed into this Act as Part 33. The Ministry of Education and APIS will work to provide appropriate [...]
Congratulations to Schools and Individuals
Dame Georgina Kingi, Principal St Joseph’s Maori Girls’ College, Napier, who was made a Dame Companion of the Order of New Zealand for services to Maori and education, in the New Year Honours. The honour recognises her decades of work championing quality education and teaching te reo and tikanga [...]
AOK – Acts of Kindness
"Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another." (John 13:34) This is an interesting initiative, reported in The Tablet (London) 11 March 2017 St Mary’s Catholic Academy Blackpool has run an Acts of Kindness week for five years now. The idea had its [...]
Consent Is Not Enough
Colin MacLeod, Director NCRS Catholic secondary schools, like all high schools in New Zealand, are privileged to work with young people during one of the most challenging phases of their human development. However, in terms of education in sexuality, Catholic schools are particularly blessed to be able to [...]
PLUTO
Erika Bon, Associate Principal, St Joseph's School, Takapuna Pluto is an online programme that sorts classes based on teachers’ feedback, balancing things such as academic ability, friendship requests and special needs. It is the brain child of former teacher, Aucklander Leah Corbett, who came up with the idea [...]
Recent Publications from ERO
All of these publications are accessible on the ERO website. School Trustees Booklet: Helping You to Ask the Right Questions Focuses on the role the board plays in student achievement and wellbeing and includes questions and information to guide board discussion. Communities of Learning / Kāhui Ako Resources: Collaboration [...]
Policy Update
Changes to Guidelines for the Preference of Enrolment At the end of 2016 the NZCBC made a change to preference of enrolment criterion 5.4. This was circulated, and then a further update was provided in February 2017 to Bishops/diocesan administrators. Schools and parishes should already have copies, but if necessary [...]
Investing in Education
As schools return to another academic year people begin to focus on the cost of education to families and the government. There is no doubt that there is a real cost for education. The question is how do we know it is a good investment. Most societies understand that resourcing [...]
Our Lady of Kāpiti School opens in Paraparaumu
Our Lady of Kāpiti School, formerly St Patrick's, opened this year at a new location in Paraparaumu. The construction of Our Lady of Kāpiti School, a Catholic integrated primary school, was completed in time for the start of the 2017 school year. The transition from St Patrick's followed the merger [...]
It is not Religion, it is Survival
There is a growing awareness in our lives that the world is threatened not only by the arms race, regional conflicts and continued injustices among people and nations but by a lack of respect for the environment. Continuing to disregard the fragile nature of our planet will seriously threaten our [...]
Exaggerating the Potential of Schools to Reduce the Gap
In the recent issue of NZ Principal, Emeritus Professor Warwick Elley says that the Minister exaggerates the potential of schools to reduce the gap between high and low achievers. He notes that the opposition from Primary Teachers is now having an influence on the way the Investing in Educational Success [...]
Being Focused on Success
In recent years some hospitals have paid particular attention to supporting a culture of "doing no harm". It might seem strange for places that we associate with healing and restoring health to have such a focus when their intention and motivation is to restore people to health and participation in [...]
A Bolt From The Blue
We all knew that the asteroid labeled DA 14 would come close to earth as it passed by at 27,700 kilometres above the earth in mid-February. About the same time, Pope Benedict, almost like a bolt from the blue, announced his resignation, effective February 28th, 2013. Some amongst the population [...]
Bethlehem College Kenyan Tragedy
Dear Colleagues, We were all shocked to learn last week of the tragic loss of life in the motor vehicle accident that killed three members of the Bethlehem College community as they were going about their generous aid project for a school community in western Kenya. Now that the bodies [...]
New Year Message to New Zealand’s Catholic School Communities
Principal/Trustees & Staff of New Zealand Catholic Schools Dear Colleagues, Welcome to the 2013 School Year!! Introduction Hopefully, you enjoyed a restful and rejuvenating holiday period and are now able to face the New Year with energy and enthusiasm. Rapidly Growing Ethnic Diversity Our Catholic schools are leading the way [...]
How Big is my World?
From time to time we all get frustrated by somebody’s rather narrow view of the world on a particular issue. Talkback radio and inane conversations are often situations where strident pronouncements occur. Despite the knowledge and skills we each have, there is always the danger that what we believe to [...]
A Culture of Gratitude
More than one saint was of the view that if the only prayer you ever uttered was, THANK YOU, this would be more than enough in one’s relationship with God. This fundamental appreciation of the importance of gratitude in one’s life is something countless generations of good people have come [...]
How Determined Are We?
A visit to almost any country in Asia quickly forces New Zealanders, and westerners generally, come to the conclusion that collectively we are regarded as a little soft and a little on the lazy and fun loving side of life. A knee-jerk reaction to this perception can hide a reality [...]