Contact Details
Email: admin@haweraprimary.school.nz
Website: https://sites.google.com/haweraprimary.school.nz/haweraprimaryschool
Location: 261 South Road, Hawera, New Zealand
Phone: 06 2787709
Facebook: facebook.com/haweraprimaryschool
From the Principal
Kia ora koutou
We are going through interesting times with lots going on the education space in our country.
Following industrial action from teachers and principal earlier in the year. It now the time to get behind our invaluable support staff. Teacher aides, admin and other support staff are on the front line of student support. They are the glue that holds our schools together. From the office, to the library and the classroom, quality teaching and learning couldn’t happen without them.
However, despite their considerable skills and responsibilities, this mainly female workforce is poorly paid and most have no certainty of employment or hours from one year to the next – 90% of teacher aides earn less than the Living Wage, even with many years of experience. Teacher aides have been waiting for pay equity for three years. Admin staff are still waiting for an agreed timeline for their pay equity claim. This is not good enough.
If we want Aotearoa to be the best place in the world to be a child, we need to value those who work closest with them. Please support their campaign.
All schools should be great places to learn. Thirty years ago, the Tomorrow’s Schools reforms changed New Zealand’s schooling system, creating a system intended to better engage parents, whānau and communities with their local schools.
While the current system has strengths, it is inadequately serving some of our learners, in particular Māori, Pacific, people with disabilities, learning needs and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Now, New Zealand has the opportunity to reset the education system with a greater level of resource and expertise at the front lines where it is needed.
This reset is significant. Changes will require ongoing investment of both time and resource, and will need to be managed in a coherent and connected way over the next ten years.
Key changes of interest to parents and whanau
Meeting the needs of Māori – The reforms emphasise the power of collaboration and partnership; and the value of working closely with iwi and Māori to lift the performance of the education system, so ākonga Māori enjoy and achieve education success as Māori’
Māori and iwi engagement in school governance is to be strengthened. By June 2020 the Ministry of Education will develop advice about how this can be achieved.
Complaints and disputes resolution – Over the next 2-4 years, the Government will enable the establishment of panels to resolve disputes, where they cannot be resolved at the school level. The panel’s focus will be to resolve serious disputes in an inclusive, culturally appropriate and timely manner. Complaints about teachers will continue to be within the jurisdiction of the Teaching Council. This will not be changed by the new disputes panels
Refocusing the role of Boards – The Government will remove the distinction between the existing primary and secondary objectives for Boards in governing schools. Legislation will provide for four objectives that give as much weight to, obligations in relation to pastoral care and giving effect to Te Tiriti, as to academic achievement.
A more visible support system for school leadership – To better support our education leaders, the Government invites the Teaching Council to establish a Leadership Centre to enhance the considerable work they have already undertaken on their Leadership Strategy and Educational Leadership Capability Framework.
The new Education Service Agency (ESA), as part of a redesigned Education Ministry, will also be given additional functions to build support for, and service to, leaders and principals.
The Government acknowledges that reset to further strengthen the education system will be significant. Changes relating to governance and management of schools need to work in a complex system that also includes early learning and tertiary education, They will require ongoing investment of both time and resource, and will need to be managed in a coherent and connected way over the next ten years.
source: ‘Supporting all schools to succeed: Reform of the Tomorrow’s Schools system’
Here at Hāwera Primary School a very successful school athletics was recently held. All classes had students out actively participating in skill development for athletics prior to our school athletics. The Dixon Banner was held this week with numerous placings across the events, well done to all the students and staff involved. Our brand new tracksuits also drew plenty of admirers.
Last week our whole group performed in Hāwera we performed at the Ramanui Kapa Haka festival in front of a large supportive crowd. A first for some of our brave juniors in the front row and the final time for our outstanding Year 6 students. Outstanding mahi kids!
A transition visit from Intermediate senior staff and student leaders has taken place. Our Year 6 students have also visited the Intermediate. They left a positive and memorable impression with their thank you haka.
It is a busy time for teachers collecting data, the analysis of assessment information and report writing. End of year reports for all students are currently being prepared and will be forwarded during the second to last week of school.
A huge amount of thought has gone in to reviewing our staffing structure next year. I am delighted to announce that at the completion of a rigorous appointment process we have filled our four vacancies.Two maternity leave ones (Miss Clarke & Miss Wilson) and two permanent.
Next year we will be welcoming beginning teachers Miss Nina van Rijnsoever (from Christchurch) and Miss Abigail Thomas (from Auckland), Whaea Paula Frearson has taken up a permanent .8 (4 days a week) position and will job share with Miss Theresa Gale (1 day a week). Mrs Kerri McColl current principal of Waverley School/ South Taranaki Kāhui Ako Lead Principal will join us in a classroom teaching capacity. Miss Annalyse Burgess will continue in Room 2 in a .6 (3 days a week) job share role with Mrs Aimee Leigh (2 days a week) who previously taught at our school. We also happily welcome teacher aides Bodene Tewhare and Jay Walker to the team. We farewell and thank Miss Justine Clark, Mrs Tash Coulson and Mrs Abi Bridgeman for their contributions to the school and wish them well for their future endeavours
With a loyal and committed existing staff and the exciting potential of the new members, I believe we have achieved a good mix.
Next year because we are committed to furthering our whole-school approach so we will be trialling structuring our teams (syndicates) differently. Miss Baylis and Mrs Dunlop will lead a mixed team each of teachers from different levels across the school; our aim being to encourage greater collaboration, spread good practice and enhance cohesion as students progress through the school.
'Ma te huruhuru ka rere te manu-Adorn the bird with feathers so it can fly!'
Ngā mihi nui
Shevaun O'Brien
PRINCIPAL
COMING EVENTS (*more info to come closer to the time)
*Spiegeltent- Thursday 28th November, New Plymouth (selected students)
*Tough Kids Challenge- Friday 29th November, Hawera Showgrounds 10am-1.30pm (Year 5 only)
*Thank you/ Helpers morning tea- Monday 2nd December (invites will be sent out)
*Out & About/Camp Week- Wednesday 4th-Friday 6th December
*Year 6 Leavers Dinner- Monday 9th December (invites will be sent out)
*School Picnic- Tuesday 10th December, King Edward Park & Hawera Aquatic Centre (more details to follow)
*End of Year Concert- Wednesday 11th December, Hawera Memorial Theatre
*Road Patrol Monitor's Treat- Thursday 12th December
*End of Year Prizegiving- Friday 13th December at 10am
The BoT Corner – Te Poari Matua o Hawera Primary (October Edition)
Tena koutou te whanau o Hāwera Primary
Welcome to the first edition of the BoT Corner. With each edition, we will cover off topics that have been discussed at our monthly BOT meetings.
The Board of Trustees;
Russell Hockley – Parent Elect (Chairperson & Personnel)
Simon Pick – Parent Elect (Property)
Adam Slade – Parent Elect (Health and Safety)
Kelly McClenaghan – Parent Elect (Finance/Health and Safety)
Jude Cornelius – Parent Elect (Self Review)
Shevaun O’Brien – Principal (Curriculum/Legislation)
Nazli Jeftha – Teacher Representative (Curriculum/Legislation)
If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact the Board of Trustees via email at bot@haweraprimary.school.govt.nz
Naku noa,
Russell Hockley – BOT Chairperson
