Matamata Kaahui Ako Mission Statement “Ma te kaha, te mahitahi me te mana hei whaangai te ara Matamata Kaahui Ako o te matauranga” Schools Strengthen, collaborate and empower to foster the pathway of learning Firth Primary Hinuera Primary Kuranui School Matamata Kaahui Ako Newsletter 14 Matamata Intermediate Matamata Primary School
To Staff and Boards of Trustee Members Matamata Kaahui Ako Matamata College St. Joseph’s Catholic Thursday 24 January 2019 – Please put this date in your diary School Tirau School To begin our 2019 Kaahui Ako year all staff and Boards from all Te Poi School schools and Early Childhood Centres are invited to join together in a Wairere School visit to Tangata Marae, Douglas Road, Matamata. This is a further Walton School opportunity to learn more about local history and tikanga and build Rawhiti Kindergarten relationships with Ngati Raukawa. This event is scheduled to take Mill Crescent Kindergarten up much of the morning and then schools will have the afternoon to meet together back at their own schools and/or continue their summer break dependent on the direction of your Principal. Further details will be shared before the end of the year. Congratulations to Matamata Kaahui Ako Across School Congratulations to Across School Teacher Shannon Johnson, Teacher Shannon Johnson appointed to the position of Deputy Principal, Matamata appointed Deputy Principal Intermediate for 2019. Matamata Intermediate for 2019 Those fortunate enough to have worked with Shannon over the past year and a half will endorse this appointment. Shannon is an outstanding educator. Although we are losing her from our Lead Action Group, it is fantastic that she remains a leader inthe community and will continue her positive student centered mahi and influence in her new role. Later in this newsletter, Shannon shares with us her reflections about her journey in the Kaahui Ako.
Te Whariki Collaboration hui between ECE and Year 1-2 Teachers On Thursday 25 October 45 ECE and Year 1& 2 Teachers met for the second time focusing on Te Whariki and play based learning. PLD in the form of workshops led by Central North Island Kindergarten leaders was well received by all participants. A further PLD opportunity to continue this mahi is planned early in Term 1 next year. Our thanks again to Lesley Johnson, Marie Whaley and Hurihia to aroaro ki te ra Michael Hills who are leading this mahi. tukana to atarangi kia taka
ECE Sector Involvement Amps Up! ki muri i a koe This Tuesday 30 October, Bright Horizons, Matamata hosted a hui run Turn your face to the sun and by MOE Hamilton Office calling for the Matamata ECE sector to the shadows fall behind you embrace and join the Matamata Kaahui Ako. With a large number of the towns ECE providers present, ECE Senior Advisor -|Sector Enablement and Support from Hamilton MOE Ulu Nawaqavanua chaired the hui. Ulu outlined how the sectors SELO support can provide funding for ECE PLD in this space. MKA Lead Principal Alan
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Munro presented to the group about the Kaahui Ako’s Vision, Mission and work to date. Most present are poised to express an interest to Matamata Kaahui Ako join and further strengthen our Kaahui Ako. Vision Statement 15 Aspiring Leaders Including Heads of Learning, Senior Teachers “All students achieving and Syndicate Leaders Sign Up For Next Tranche of Leadership PLD. educational success as This extends the work in this space led by Jill Lunn and Marama confident, connected, Rewiti-Smith from Institute of Professional Learning, Waikato University. lifelong, resilient learners” This group will take part in four 3-hour workshops with the first on Friday 9 November and the following three workshops happening in Term 4 Busy For Everyone Terms 1, 2 and 3 next year. This means 30 + Teachers from across our Where has the year gone? Kaahui Ako have had the opportunity to participate in this high level Last week the College Senior leadership PLD. students had their final day and are now on study leave for Shannon Johnson Reflects on Her Journey as an NCEA externals. As usual I have Across School Teacher been inundated with Last year, I embarked on one of my biggest leaps of faith in applying comments like, “you must be for and subsequently being granted the honour to serve our winding down now!” community as one of four across school teachers in our Matamata How wrong they are! In fact, if Kaahui Ako. Kaahui Ako has changed the landscape of professional anything, things are winding up. development provision in and across schools. As the saying goes ‘in As teachers and Principals will education, change is the only constant’ (Bob Fecho). As committed know, the work does not stop and dedicated professionals, we are always seeking ways to hone and, like you all, I am grappling our craft and ensure that what we do has the best interests of all our with ongoing work, end of year students at heart. So it makes me wonder if we are always making celebrations and commitments changes, why do we still have a tail end? Why does our system still as well as appointing new staff, only work for some and not for all? The question then is what must Charter review and planning we do that we have not done before? How do I know that the for next year. changes I am making are not just a good idea but informed by researched evidence of what will lead to equity, excellence and With 11 schools involved in the belonging for all students in Aotearoa? Kaahui Ako clashes of commitments are unavoidable. Our work with Poutama Pounamu has been informed by over 20 years of research, with its’ foundation lying in responses to the voices Principals PLD Day 16 Nov. of our Maaori whaanau and students sharing their lived Despite a few apologies KA experiences. Through my journey, I have learned that there is no Principals are soldiering on with shortcut to doing this work. The gap between our understanding of our plan to meet for a PLD Day the lived realities of the students we need to make the biggest next Friday 16 November changes for, is the space where we need to start. In order to enact beginning at 8.30am. change that will lead to sustainable and equitable outcomes for all we need to look at our taken-for-granted norms with a critical eye. Thanks to Te Poi School for hosting the day. At lunch time Kaahui Ako has helped me greatly in critiquing my own taken-for- we look forward to seeing the granted practices and really challenged me to unpack how my way Dunn Cup Soccer grudge of being impacts the spaces in which I operate. Do my ways of match between Te Poi and being focus on activating potential rather than deficits? Am I willing Hinuera. to let go of practices, planning and interventions that are meeting the needs of our staff, students and whaanau? How do I honour the FYI Te Poi School’s Mini Gala is bicultural partnership of our nation? Do I support all my students to also on the 16 Nov. if you fancy a visit!
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expand their own world through walking in both Te Ao Maaori and Te Ao Pakeha? How do I actively contribute to a climate of trust, Exploring PaCT mutual respect and open-mindedness? How do I role model Thanks to Debbie Currie who meaningful engagement with research-informed theory and has organised an excursion on practice to build my own and others capability and capacity? How Thursday 8 November, to visit does my engagement in a critical and iterative cycle of inquiry Lynmore Primary School in inform my impact on the engagement, learning and well-being of Rotorua. Several Principals staff, students and whaanau? What assumptions underpin what I and Senior Teachers from the do? Do I connect with whaanau or engagement in collaborative Intermediate and Primary and educationally powerful partnerships? The list of questions and Schools are joining key Learning reflections could go on and on. Area Leaders from the College,
As an across school team we have learned a lot along the way as to to visit Lynmore to see the PaCT what has worked and what has not. I do not imagine this learning Tool in action. and unlearning process will stop. This journey has helped me to This is a fact finding mission to become comfortable with uncertainty. However, within this explore the possible benefits of uncertainty I have treasured the security that working with Poutama using the Learning Progression Pounamu and the across school team has provided. I am also truly Framework and PaCT to thankful and grateful for the opportunity I have had to work with and improve consistency across alongside all our schools in our community of learning. Thank you in some of our KA schools. particular to the six schools I have worked most closely with, Wairere School, Te Poi School, Hinuera Primary, Matamata Primary School, PaCT – the Progression and Matamata Intermediate School and Matamata College. I have felt Consistency Tool supports like one of the whaanau and learned so much from you all. I have professional judgements in enjoyed the many open and honest conversations we have had reading, writing and and your willingness to trust in the process even when it has not mathematics. To find out more always been clear. I have enormous respect for the work you all do please visit… and the commitment you all show to improving outcomes for all our http://pactinof.education.govt.nz students.
As I ‘change’ roles next year, I know that the skills, knowledge and Our Matamata Kaahui Ako attributes I have developed in my across school role will help me to Values navigate my new path. I am looking forward to joining the For Principals/BOT/Staff our values are: Matamata Intermediate whaanau and continuing our work of Trust critically unpacking our ways of being and supporting change that Integrity has equity, excellence and belonging held front and centre. Respect
Honesty Perseverance Open-mindedness Equity In the case of students, we want them to ASPIRE. We want our students to … Be Adaptable, Enjoy Success while showing strength and solidarity, Display Perseverance, Operate with Integrity and Respect,
Have access to Equity
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