Term One Update, 2021
Kia ora koutou,
It’s been great to see so much going on around Titirangi Primary School. Everyone has been making the most of the summer term and supplementing classroom learning with a range of exciting, educational trips and experiences. There have been some fantastic stories shared around trips to Te Uru and Tiritiri Matangi, stand-up paddleboarding at Mission Bay and learning to sail at Otitori (French) Bay. Thank you to French Bay Yacht Club for their continued support of the WaterWise (Learn to Sail) programme.
A new year sees a few changes within The Board. In 2021 we welcome Karla Brennan to the role of Board Chair. Karla brings a wide range of skills and experience to the role, and rotation of The Chair offers benefits in terms of collective learning and sharing of different perspectives and responsibilities. I will now step in the role of Deputy Chair.
The Board has been focused on upskilling so that we can best fulfil our governance responsibilities. This included a session with The New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA).
During the session, we reviewed the new Education and Training Act 2020 (the Act). The Act has several key focus areas, including setting out objectives for boards to;
“ensure school governance is underpinned by Te Tiriti o Waitangi and relevant student rights, and
refocus boards on a wider range of objectives so that educational achievement is no longer the only primary objective. It is instead one of four primary objectives, alongside objectives for schools to ensure the physical and emotional safety of students and staff, that they are inclusive and cater for students with differing needs and that they give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”[1]
Although the Act is new, TPS has been focusing on these areas for some time. This is reflected by our Strategic Plan, our updated School Values and the TPS Learner Profile. All of which have been developed and refined in collaboration with the Board, the Senior Leadership Team, the wider school staff, and our community.
During Term One our tamariki have focused on their own understanding of the updated school values. The syndicate assemblies this term have demonstrated the children's understanding and ability to bring these to life in and out of the classroom.
New Zealand’s status as a bi-cultural nation is a key focus of the Act and offers us a unique opportunity as New Zealanders to embrace and learn from te ao Māori (the Māori world view). In addition to the insights that NZSTA provided, our own Joel Rewa-Morgan, shared training that he provides to the Health Sector on the inclusion of Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles.
Victoria Stevenson presented the work she has been doing as TPS’s Cultural Responsiveness Lead Teacher. Many would have seen the email that Whaea Vic sent out on term one’s Pepeha. It was great to hear how these types of concepts are being incorporated and about the thought that is given to recognising and celebrating the unique cultural composition of our school community.
Have a great holiday, and we look forward to seeing everyone back in Term Two.
Feel free to contact anyone on The Board through the email below;
Noho ora mai,
Joanne McGregor
Outgoing Chair
Titirangi School Board of Trustees
Karla Brennan
Chairperson
Titirangi School Board of Trustees
[1] https://nzsta.org.nz/advice-and-support/education-and-training-act-updates