Community support of the school

https://youtu.be/XU-A2k-O4UI

Staff Retreat

This was the first time we have had a staff retreat in my time. It was important that we had a catholic spin to this and it was important that I handed this over to my DRS so that she could lead this for the staff.

The days was a great success and allowed all staff to relax and come to together outside of school property and time!

Why did we go there?

1.      I wanted to refocus people to the core reason for our school. 

2.      It was great Team Building

3.      We learnt new things about each other and staff we dont really engage with often.

4.      It was held in the holidays so it was out of the routine of school life.

5. It was a chance to Re-Energize the staff before the Term 4 slog hits re production and reporting.

Promote, participate in, and support ongoing professional learning linked to student progress

Promote a culture whereby staff members take on appropriate leadership roles and work collaboratively to improve teaching and learning

Cultural week celebrations

So important that all children and their families feel welcomed and valued here at school.

Having an inclusive school community where diversity is welcomed and valued is a key factor in supporting parent engagement.

Engagement increases when school leaders have vision and are committed to working in partnership with the parents and whānau of all students.

We are true partners when:

• you listen to what I have to say
• you acknowledge my intelligence
• you want to learn more about my ways
• you don’t judge me
• you engage me in genuine dialogue
• we make decisions together
• you show that my child matters to you
• you include my experience, knowledge, and viewpoints with yours.

Parent forum groups

•Whanaungatanga: ‘Community’

CULTURE Provide professional leadership that focuses the school culture on enhancing learning and teaching.

In conjunction with the board, develop and implement a school vision and shared goals focused on enhanced engagement and achievement for all students. Promote a culture whereby staff members take on appropriate leadership roles and work collaboratively to improve teaching and learning. Model respect for others in interactions with adults and students. Promote the bicultural nature of New Zealand by ensuring that it is evident in the school culture. Maintain a safe, learning-focused environment. Promote an inclusive environment in which the diversity and prior experiences of students are acknowledged and respected. Manage conflict and other challenging situations effectively, and actively work to achieve solutions. Demonstrate leadership through participating in professional learning

Every two weeks I plan to sit down with a randomly selected group of parents, and get input on their thoughts and ideas of the school. We will use the school's Annual and Strategic Plan to lead these meetings. (I promise they will not be boring!)

It is important that the school gets feedback about what it delivers and that we set up ways that this information can get to me. Often in the past, I have used online surveys, parent cultural groups, informal chat and parents information evenings to get this feedback.  However, I am trying this approach, as it is new and may allow a range of people the opportunity to share and feel that they have helped in some way to 'directing this ship'.

Forum groups will run on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30pm, and they will be held in my office. A random selection process will take place the week before by Mrs Naran and those 'lucky enough' to be selected will be informed in advance.

If you are unable to make the half hour meeting, another person will be chosen.

We will have a group of eight parents form the forum group every two weeks.

I plan to run these over terms 3 and 4. Please remember any parent is able to drop in at any time, or make an appointment to see me to share any ideas or thoughts.  However, by having a small group of people together, it enables me to meet more and thus get a better feeling of 'are we getting it right'? and 'where do we need to improve'?

Curriculum check up

AKO Learning

SYSTEMS Develop and use management systems to support and enhance student learning.

Exhibit leadership that results in the effective day-to-day operation of the school. Operate within board policy and in accordance with legislative requirements. Provide the board with timely and accurate information and advice on student learning and school operation. Effectively manage and administer finance, property, and health and safety systems. Effectively manage personnel, with a focus on maximising the effectiveness of all staff members. Use school/external evidence to inform planning for future action, monitor progress, and manage change.

Keeping check on what is being taught and understanding the importance of this.
How do you know that you are tracking against the 9 CL inside the school
Really simple but effective way that we use and is quite visual and brings all on board within the staff.

10 minute walk through's

•Mahi Tahi:

•‘Leadership’ 

Learning AKO

PEDAGOGY Create a learning environment in which there is an expectation that all students will experience success in learning.

Promote, participate in, and support ongoing professional learning linked to student progress. Demonstrate leadership through engaging with staff and sharing knowledge about effective teaching and learning in the context of the New Zealand Curriculum documents. Ensure staff members engage in professional learning to establish and sustain effective teacher/learner relationships with all students, with a particular focus on Māori students. Ensure that the review and design of school programmes is informed by school-based and other evidence. Maintain a professional learning community within which staff members are provided with feedback and support on their professional practice. Analyse and act upon school-wide evidence on student learning to maximise learning for all students, with a particular focus on Māori and Pasifika students.

Have decided to keep these alive at St Dominic's. I did these about 3 year ago however with more of an inquiry based approach now with staff and senior teacher taking over this role and WST I have stepped back.
10-minute-walkthrough-a-humane-appraisal/

You do find a whole lot out in a very short time.
The 3 I did today were fantastic and I was focused on the student voice of the children.
Taking part in the decision making, team based learning, partners, sharing and learnign together were all things that I saw.

Strategic Plan 2018-2021

•Whanaungatanga: ‘Community’

PARTNERSHIPS and NETWORKS Strengthen communication and relationships to enhance student learning.

Work with the board to facilitate strategic decision making. Actively foster relationships with the school’s community and local iwi. Actively foster professional relationships with, and between colleagues, and with government agencies and others with expertise in the wider education community. Interact regularly with parents and the school community on student progress and other school-related matters. Actively foster relationships with other schools and participate in appropriate school networks.

New+CharterAnnual+2018-2021.doc

Have started to make sure this is part of the meeting structure here at school and that we make the links to the goals etc.
It has been a great document and the learning that I have made here has been transferred to the ACC Kahui Ako in regards using this doc to keep progress and develops on track.

As principal, you play a key part in making your charter a "living" document and a shared document for the school community.

To give your charter life, look at how you can intentionally link the structures and systems in your school to progressing and reviewing your school's strategic aims.

2019 BEST

• •Whanaungatanga: ‘Community’ 
• •Mahi Tahi:

  •‘Leadership’

• PARTNERSHIPS and NETWORKS Strengthen communication and relationships to enhance student learning.

  Work with the board to facilitate strategic decision making. Actively foster relationships with the school’s community and local iwi. Actively foster professional relationships with, and between colleagues, and with government agencies and others with expertise in the wider education community. Interact regularly with parents and the school community on student progress and other school-related matters. Actively foster relationships with other schools and participate in appropriate school networks.

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Ideas moving forward.

1. BEST is the theme Better every single time!
2. St Dominic helps me the very BEST person I can be as a Child of God.
3. Criteria and levels of success fir Year 5/6
4. Graduate profile
5. Learning video created by children
6. Back to basic year.

• Student learning, engagement and achievement needs to be the focus of school leaders and the focus of school review (KLP, 2008).

1. Is this the centre of all that we do here at St Dominic's?
2. What side swipes thus along the way?

• 
  

• School leaders make a critical difference to the quality of schools and the education of young people. The closer that educational leadership gets to the core business of teaching and learning the more likely it is that leaders will have a positive impact on students (Robinson, Hohepa and Lloyd, 2009).
• We currently are too far away from the core business! We need to ensure that we are having a positive impact on student learning.

• Home-school connections are important. School leaders can build educationally powerful connections with families, whānau and communities through their approach to home learning, and by developing strong relationships with them (Robinson et al, 2009).
• This is especially true in regards M and P students. What does this currently look like and how do improve this in the school?
• 
  

• It is unrealistic to expect any one leader to possess all the leadership knowledge, skills and dispositions that a school needs. It is important that a principal develops other leaders within the school. A school leader also needs to strengthen networks with experts beyond the school. In these ways school leaders give and gain support to develop effective learning communities (KLP, 2008).
• ACC Kahui Ako
• Shared leadership model....what does this look like in regards accountability and responsibility?

• 
  

School Review 17-19

•Mahi Tahi:

•‘Leadership’

SYSTEMS Develop and use management systems to support and enhance student learning.

Exhibit leadership that results in the effective day-to-day operation of the school. Operate within board policy and in accordance with legislative requirements. Provide the board with timely and accurate information and advice on student learning and school operation. Effectively manage and administer finance, property, and health and safety systems. Effectively manage personnel, with a focus on maximising the effectiveness of all staff members. Use school/external evidence to inform planning for future action, monitor progress, and manage change. Prioritise resource allocation on the basis of the school’s annual and strategic objectives.

Making sure we better understand the next steps our school needs to be taking!

2018+BOT+reveiw.docx

Business+as+norm+2018.docx

Document+Review+Checklist+(Repaired).docx

Religious+Education+review+process.doc

St+Dominic+review+process+IT.docx

Great resource

http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Leadership-development/Leadership-programmes/First-time-principals-modules/Module-1-Ongoing-school-self-review/The-review-process

Use of Data in the school

•Ako:

•‘Learning’ 

PEDAGOGY Create a learning environment in which there is an expectation that all students will experience success in learning.	Promote, participate in, and support ongoing professional learning linked to student progress. Demonstrate leadership through engaging with staff and sharing knowledge about effective teaching and learning in the context of the New Zealand Curriculum documents. Ensure staff members engage in professional learning to establish and sustain effective teacher/learner relationships with all students, with a particular focus on Māori students. Ensure that the review and design of school programmes is informed by school-based and other evidence. Maintain a professional learning community within which staff members are provided with feedback and support on their professional practice. Analyse and act upon school-wide evidence on student learning to maximise learning for all students, with a particular focus on Māori and Pasifika students.

This year was a change in regards how we use and assess the students. I wanted a collective approach and wanted staff to really deeply think about when and why they assess the children.
My thinking was
rather than the data and assessment tool ruling us lets use the assessment tool when needed. For years we have had an Assessment timetable that has governed the school. Teacher have complained about TOO MUCH ASSESSMENT and not enough teaching time. Term 2 and 4 become pressure terms.

Using-data-to-inform-teaching-and-learning

We started to use Excel to be better at manipulation and for staff to have the skills to do this. This has worked well.

End+of+year+data+Ecel.csv

St+Dominic+National+Standards+2017.docx

T+of+V+2017.docx

Collaboration .....

•Mahi Tahi:

•‘Leadership’ 

•Whanaungatanga: ‘Community’ 

CULTURE Provide professional leadership that focuses the school culture on enhancing learning and teaching.

In conjunction with the board, develop and implement a school vision and shared goals focused on enhanced engagement and achievement for all students. Promote a culture whereby staff members take on appropriate leadership roles and work collaboratively to improve teaching and learning. Model respect for others in interactions with adults and students. Promote the bicultural nature of New Zealand by ensuring that it is evident in the school culture. Maintain a safe, learning-focused environment. Promote an inclusive environment in which the diversity and prior experiences of students are acknowledged and respected. Manage conflict and other challenging situations effectively, and actively work to achieve solutions. Demonstrate leadership through participating in professional learning.

I have looking at this beauty over the last few days

http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Leading-learning/Collaborative-cultures/Learning-is-the-work

Fullen suggests the following-

Fullan links his thoughts on collaboration to three “big ideas” that underpin across-school professional learning communities (PLCs) that have made a difference for diverse student populations:

• The first and biggest idea is that the purpose of schools is to ensure that all students learn as distinct from simply being taught. This requires the development of shared goals and visions.
• The second idea is that helping all students learn requires a collaborative culture and collective effort.
• The third is that all schools will be able to monitor their effectiveness with a results orientation

If you are to take these following words out of it and unpack

• collaborative culture and collective effort.

A collaborative culture is what we really all want. The working together and breaking down the walls that we have for so long kept up.

See below

To follow on from the con

Gathering evidence - The new approach

•Ako:

•‘Learning

PEDAGOGY Create a learning environment in which there is an expectation that all students will experience success in learning.

Promote, participate in, and support ongoing professional learning linked to student progress. Demonstrate leadership through engaging with staff and sharing knowledge about effective teaching and learning in the context of the New Zealand Curriculum documents. Ensure staff members engage in professional learning to establish and sustain effective teacher/learner relationships with all students, with a particular focus on Māori students. Ensure that the review and design of school programmes is informed by school-based and other evidence. Maintain a professional learning community within which staff members are provided with feedback and support on their professional practice. Analyse and act upon school-wide evidence on student learning to maximise learning for all students, with a particular focus on Māori and Pasifika students.

This year after the last two I have taken a different approach with staff gathering evidence. I have set up a general PTC doc that I have been up loading artifacts and picture to for staff to use.
Ultimately I want this to be what all staff use as a collective one note.

Collective learning and collaboration is the thinking behind this idea.

Each staff will have to contribute at least 2 artifacts per teacher but the end result will be a snapshot of the school for the year. Individual inquiry will happen on top of this.

Evidence+Gathering.docx

Inquiry+process+St+Dominics.docx