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STAnews
The monthly magazine for
NZSTA members
ISSUE: 314
NOV/DEC 2021
Contents
3. 9. 19.
President’s Love your The COVID-19
pen neighbour Vaccinations
Order – what
it means for
boards
4. 11. 24.
President’s Ko wai tātou? Te Kura Summer
diary NZSTA name School
change proposal
update
5. 14. 25.
From the STAnews 2021 STAnews
CEO’s desk snippets articles
7. 16.
The fence at Call for remits
the top of the to the NZSTA
cliff Annual General
Meeting (AGM)
2 New Zealand School Trustees Association
President’s pen
Membership matters
This year has been another strange one. We’ve all had very different experiences of it, depending on
where we are in the country and where our family and friends are. For most of this year and last year,
we’ve been very focused on adapting, coping and making things as normal as we can for our students
and each other. All things considered, we have done that pretty well.
It hasn’t been easy – especially for those of us in Auckland. It has been particularly hard for our
principals and staff as they have tried to stay engaged with students, support their emotional
wellbeing and provide quality learning materials and opportunities.
So when we look back over the past 12 months, let’s acknowledge the hard work, the emotional strain
of prolonged and repeated lockdowns, the anxiety of not knowing when it will be OK again and the
discomfort of those nasal swabs. Let’s remember the families who have contracted COVID or, worse,
lost friends and family to it here or overseas.
Ka mihi | Let us pay tribute
ki nga tini-mate | to those who have passed on
o te tau | of the year
o te marama | of the month
o nanahi | of yesterday
o tēnei ra | of today.
No reira, moe mai | Rest in peace
moe mai | rest in peace
moe mai ra | rest in eternal peace.
Let’s also celebrate the tenacity, the skills and the camaraderie that we have found as we have worked
together to keep our students safe, seen and learning. Let’s celebrate the tenacity, compassion and
innovation of our principals and staff.
Let’s take a moment just to be thankful that so many of us are still here to be grateful for those things.
And let’s remember 2021 as the year we saved the lives of 14,000 fellow New Zealanders.
Ngā mihi mahana
Lorraine Kerr, MNZM
President
STAnews 3
President’s diary
See what Lorraine has been up to in October and November
October 2021
4 Oct PB4L Sector Reference Group 18 Oct 2022 School board elections
5 Oct MILG 19 Oct NEiTA NZ Primary Teacher awards
Ka Hikitia Impact Phase 1 Report 20 Oct 2022 Conference planning
Back to Education Agency Peak Bodies / Secretary catch-up
participants 21 Oct Agility in response to outbreaks
6 Oct Annual Reporting Sector Working (MOE)
Group 26 Oct Peak Bodies / Secretary catch-up
7 Oct Dyslexia Consulting Group 27 Oct Teaching Council Fees and Levies
8 Oct 2022 School Board Elections Consultation
12 Oct Peak Bodies Catch-up 28 Oct ADHD Foundation
14 Oct NANP Chair interviews NANP Chair interviews
15 Oct Agility in response to outbreaks 2022 Conference planning
(MOE) 29 Oct NZSTA Board
2022 Conference planning
November 2021
1 Nov NCEA Regional Change Programme 12 Nov BRIEFING: OCC/NZSTA - Our Kind of
School
3 Nov Staffing implications of Vaccination
Order (MOE) 15 Nov MILG
16 Nov PPTA Bi-monthly catch-up
Physical Restraint Advisory Group
(MOE) Chief Ombudsman quarterly catch-
up
Peak Bodies / Secretary catch-up
17 Nov 2022 Conference planning
4 Nov Staffing implications of Vaccination
Order (MOE) Peak Bodies / Secretary catch-up
PB4L Conference Planning NZSTA Study Awards
9 Nov Area and Secondary Study Grant 18 Nov Staffing implications of Vaccination
Panel Order (MOE)
Peak Bodies catch-up - Exemptions 19 Nov Implementation of electronic school
process board elections
10 Nov Police & Education Partnership Draft Guidance for the Covid
Protection Framework
NZPF Quarterly catch-up
23 Nov Curriculum Voices Group
11 Nov Bullying Prevention Action Group
Peak Bodies and Education
2022 Conference planning
Agencies - Engagement on Te
Staffing implications of Vaccination Mahau
Order (MOE)
4 New Zealand School Trustees Association
From the
CEO’S desk
Tēnā koutou katoa
As we head into the final weeks of the school year, I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the
efforts of our member boards in taking care of their staff and students and wider school communities
in what has been a prolonged period of change and uncertainty. Our advisory and support staff
continue to receive high numbers of enquiries – and we thank you for your patience as our team seek
to provide response and/or further information in line with recent government mandates.
NZSTA is in the business of providing knowledge, and we do this primarily via our digital channels. This
year, we have been reviewing our platforms to ensure our knowledge, learning resources and events are
easily accessible and provide exceptional learning and engagement opportunities. Our new website,
learning centre and resource centre will be launched in term 1 2022.
The triennial school board elections are being held in 2022, and planning is well under way with our
project partner the Ministry of Education including changes in regulations and timing. School board
elections are New Zealand’s largest democratic event, and we look forward to engaging with boards
and communities throughout the country to promote the great work boards do and to attract great
candidates.
NZSTA’s annual conference is always a highlight, and our staff have been confirmed to deliver the
plethora of topics for Conference 2022. It will be held in Christchurch from 22–24 April 2022 and we all
look forward to seeing many of you again. You can access more information here1 .
As this is the final issue of STAnews for the year, I want to finish by thanking you for your engagement
with and support for NZSTA this year. As the recognised ‘voice of school boards’, we continually strive
to meet and exceed your needs. I hope we have done just that over the year.
This year, because of the demand over the last term, NZSTA will remain open with a skeleton staff
from 23 December 2021 (pm) until 11th January 2022. We will re-open at full-time capacity from 12th
January. The 0800 line will be open 9am - 3pm (excluding statutory) during this time.
Please take care of yourselves, your whānau and loved ones and all the very best for the festive season
and 2022.
Ngā mihi nui
Elise Adams
NZSTA Chief Executive Officer
1
https://www.nzstaconference.co.nz/
STAnews 5
6 New Zealand School Trustees Association
The fence at the top of
the cliff
Education is the most powerful weapon you can use
to change the world. - Nelson Mandela
Everything that happens in society eventually comes to rest in our schools. This is true of the good
stuff like our ideas about equity and respect for ourselves, each other and our environment. It’s also
true of the other stuff where we fall short of those ideas – poverty, prejudice, self-centredness.
Like most things, this is a mixed blessing. It leaves us with the responsibility for dealing with issues that
are often beyond our immediate control. It can seem overwhelming, but at the same time, it gives us
an unparalleled opportunity to create a genuine change for the better – one child at a time.
This is the essence of education whether it’s formal lessons or the ‘university of life’ – we are always
learning. That’s why it matters that our schools don’t just say the right things about everyone being
equally important or respecting our environment and the people around us but that we show them
through our actions. The experiences we give our children and young people are as much a part of
their education as the lessons our teachers plan for them.
All I want is an education, and I am afraid of no one. - Malala Yousafzai
Our children do come to school with society’s problems in their backpacks – and when times are hard,
those problems weigh heavier for them and for us. This year has been another hard one, and hard
times throw our values into the spotlight. It is easy to become distracted, even overwhelmed, by the
other challenges that we know our students face. It can be difficult to balance our compassion for
those other challenges against the need to focus on doing our own work to the best of our ability.
It’s important in the hard times as much as the good times that we keep the main thing the main
thing. For school boards, our main thing is giving our students a solid education that will help them
overcome the challenges that hard times bring and build a future beyond the hard times.
A country so rich that it can send people to the moon still has hundreds of thousands of its citizens who
can’t read. That’s terribly troubling to me. - Charles Kuralt
Education is recognised around the world as a long-term path out of poverty and hardship. It can
create that pathway for anyone regardless of ethnicity, (dis)ability, neurodiversity or personality. We
are the fence at the top of the cliff. We provide the hope and the promise of a better future for each of
the students entrusted to our care.
Brains come in different types and they’re all normal. - Simon Baron-Cohen
This does not excuse us from exercising compassion or understanding the challenges our students
face in their lives outside school. In fact, that is critical to our success. We need to be mindful of the
challenges that prevent our students from learning effectively and adapt our approach to counter
them. Whether it is hunger, bullying, a physical disability, a brain that works differently or access to
digital devices and the isolation of pandemic lockdown that is preventing our students from learning,
we need to work with them to resolve it. Keeping the main thing the main thing means exercising our
compassion and understanding in the interests of their education. We cannot afford to be distracted
from our mission or settle for only relieving poverty or distress, because if we do, the fence at the top
of the cliff fails.
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short;
but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. - Michelangelo
We cannot be all things to all people. We will never be able to do as much as there is to do. This is even
clearer to us in times of crisis. But schools are not in this alone. There are other people with expertise
in fields like healthcare, social work, community development and counselling. That is their ‘main
thing’. And yes, there never seem to be enough of them, just as there often don’t seem to be enough
STAnews 7
of us, and that is an ongoing challenge. We can give time and energy to helping in those other ways
outside of our role as board members. We can collaborate to create joint approaches that work better
for us and our students. But as board members, we cannot lose our focus on learning and teaching.
Sometimes, this means letting go of one thing so we can succeed at something else.
This is when it becomes even more important to return to our planning and reporting framework,
to the priorities and strategies we have worked out ahead of time for making the greatest possible
difference for our students. Our school-wide planning process starts with our purpose and our values.
It captures the combined wisdom of our school community about how to achieve that purpose and
uphold those values, down through the annual planning and budgeting process to the classroom and
how we use our resources to give our students the best education we can, right across the curriculum.
Data is not information, information is not knowledge, knowledge is not understanding, understanding
is not wisdom. - Clifford Stoll
The heart and soul of every school is learning. It can be tempting to roll our eyes and exclaim that our
schools can’t be expected to fix society’s woes or try and protect our students from harsh realities
by pretending they don’t exist or charge off trying to deal with all those harsh realities. But tempting
as they may be, none of these responses serves our students well enough. We have to prioritise, and
when we do, we prioritise the things that support learning.
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails. -
William Arthur Ward
That includes the wellbeing of our principals and staff as well as our students. It means balancing the
need to maintain high expectations with sound judgement of what is realistic. If we need to adapt,
then we must adapt, but always with the purpose in mind – achieving the best educational outcomes
we can for our students.
We need to hold the line, stay calm and keep that pathway of hope for the future open.
Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world. -
Malala Yousafzai
8 New Zealand School Trustees Association
Love your neighbour
This month, we celebrate NZSTA’s Kaumātua Matua Alec Tairua’s 50-year
contribution to education. Matua Alec has been on the Clendon Park School
board since 1989, and before that, he was on the school committee that
preceded the board.
Ka rere nga wairua ki Epeha
Ka titiro ki to Pa Manukorihi
Te Pa o Te Hape te tupuna
Ka titiro ki te rere o Tarehe
Ka rere tera taha o te Awa
Ki nga Tairua te Urupa
Te wahi okioki mo Te Orewai
Ka rere ki te Motatau te maunga teitei
Ka titiro ki raro ki Tau Henare te Tupuna whare
Ka titiro ki raro atu ki Hikurangi te Awa e rere ana
Ko Ngati Hine i raro i te korowai o Ngapuhi nga Iwi
Ko Te Orewai te hapu
Ko Hineamaru te Tupuna Whaea
Ko Ngatokimatawhaorua te Waka
Ko Pipiwai te Marae me te Hau Kainga
E takoto ana tenei waahi i roto i te Maarua o Te Horo
STAnews 9
It all happened for Alec when he and his young ‘native school’. “Surely they could have called it
family moved in to a brand-new house across something else?” he says.
the road from a brand-new primary school. When he moved to Auckland, he says the
He and his wife moved in to the new house on city still had quite clearly segregated areas:
Christmas Eve 1970, and leaving the unpacking, Ponsonby was Samoan, South Auckland was
they immediately took off for a fortnight’s Māori. “Māori Affairs had a lot to say there,” he
holiday – the first one they had taken as a reflects. There were no marae in the area, and
family. A few weeks later, the Presbyterian it was difficult to maintain a Māori connection.
minister, who was chairman of the school Slowly, it developed over time. Ōtara was the
committee, knocked on his door and invited first marae, and there were the churches. Today,
him to a meeting. His children, who were there are four churches and two schools on
foundation pupils, have long since left the Alec’s street, and being educated doesn’t have
school, but Alec is still there as kaumātua and a to mean losing your cultural connection. “We
co-opted member of the school board. have a wonderful culture. We live off the wits of
His role as kaumātua sees him over at the our ancestors.”
school mixing with the staff and children in Looking to the future, Alec talks about the
the playground as well as attending board changes that the pandemic has brought to our
meetings. Alec’s delight is obvious as he talks schools. One to one, face to face is always a
about the children at Clendon Park. “There’s so good thing, but learning from home will become
much talent in these children,” he marvels. a much bigger part of schooling, even once the
He tells stories of children caring for each pandemic is past, he says.
other and helping each other reach the high Asked about his greatest achievements,
bars on the playground equipment. One story Alec turns immediately to stories about his
that still brings him joy is about a pōwhiri at mokopuna, the people he has been privileged to
Hōmai School, a specialist school for children work with at Clendon Park School and NZSTA,
and young people who are blind, deafblind or but ever and always to the children whose lives
have low vision. He describes sitting with other he has touched.
kaumātua from around the region, listening with Lowering the voting age? “Oh yes, they’re more
heads bowed in respect and humility as they mature today,”. “They’ve been through some
listen to a young Indian boy welcoming them to hard times.”
the school in fluent Māori.
“‘Love your neighbour’ has always been my
One of the biggest changes Alec has seen pillar,” Alec says, “and I have been blessed with
over the past 50 years has been the growth thousands of neighbours – all the kids that have
in te reo me ona tikanga (the language and its gone through here.”
culture). Alec’s parents went to Te Horo Native
School, where they suffered from losing their
reo, he says. Alec shakes his head at the term
10 New Zealand School Trustees AssociationKo wai tātou? NZSTA
name change proposal
update
We’re up against some hard deadlines to get remits ready for next year’s AGM on our consultation
about changing the name of our organisation to reflect the new terminology of the Education and
Training Act 2020.
Here are the preliminary results of the survey we are conducting based on the Ko wai tātou? | Who are
we? discussion paper we sent out in September. The survey will remain open through term 4 to enable
as many of you as possible to have your say. In the meantime, the Board will continue with the process
of drafting remits to enable a vote at the AGM in April. Here are the results up to the end of September.
The final vote – and the one that really counts – will be held at the AGM.
Interim survey results
Survey results cannot be taken as conclusive, given the small number of responses (39). However,
the responses received do show some clear patterns that the NZSTA Board can use to guide their
approach to renaming the organisation.
Survey results confirm that those responding want to keep the status quo in terms of NZSTA’s
collective focus on school boards within New Zealand. Respondents are uncertain about the role of
school boards and their organisation in the future.
STAnews 11Respondents favoured the following options for a change of name equally:
• Aotearoa New Zealand School Boards Association (ANZSBA)
• School Governance Aotearoa (SGA)
• School Governance Aotearoa New Zealand (SGANZ)
• New Zealand School Boards Association (NZSBA)
• New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA) – i.e. no change
The most favoured options for the Association’s ingoa Māori | Māori name are:
• for it to be decided according to tikanga Māori (37%)
• for it to be a translation of the English name (23%).
12 New Zealand School Trustees AssociationRespondents were in favour of adopting a formal New Zealand Sign (NZSL) name and for that name to
be decided
• by the NZSTA Board (38%) and/or
• by our organisation's Deaf community (29%).
Comments on the survey related to maintaining and reflecting the purpose and/or focus of the
Association, whether there is a need for change at all, including both English and te reo Māori, the
desirability of a unique name and abbreviation, maintaining continuity with the past and avoiding
unnecessary cost or disruption and whether or not Aotearoa should be part of the name.
STAnews 13Mathematics | pāngarau and tauanga | • Inequity: The evidence is that our current
statistics expert report released mathematics and statistics education
The Royal Society Te Apārangi Expert Advisory system as a whole perpetuates, indeed
Panel report on mathematics and statistics grows, inequity … we do expect that all
was released in September this year. The report ākonga students will have an opportunity
concludes that: to develop a positive relationship with
mathematics and statistics in order to
The current state of mathematics and develop the skills and knowledge that will
statistics education in schools is the product realise the opportunities and life outcomes
of a deeply complex system working at such engagement delivers.
multiple levels. Teachers are at the heart of
our education system; they have met all the You can download the full report1 from the
requirements placed on them to be fully Royal Society’s website.
qualified and cannot be blamed for how Collective bargaining
the system works. It is the Panel’s view that The importance of the voice of school boards
if Aotearoa New Zealand wants equitable has always been an integral part of the
outcomes and enhanced achievement for collective bargaining process, and as we get
our ākonga students, we need substantial, closer to bargaining initiation, the engagement
considered investment in mathematics and between the unions, the Ministry of Education
statistics education, and change at virtually and NZSTA has begun.
all levels of the education system …
Every 3 years, the collective agreements enter
The report includes 14 recommendations to a period of renewal with the unions and the
the Ministry of Education centred on four Ministry of Education engaging in collective
themes: bargaining to discuss and mutually agree
• Slippage: This theme describes how year on upon the terms and conditions for employees
year many of our ākonga students fall away working within the education sector.
from the trajectory described by the current Our role has always been to act as a witness to
Mathematics and Statistics curriculum … the collective bargaining process and to provide
• Teacher disciplinary and pedagogical insight as well as recommendations on behalf
knowledge: This theme refers to teacher of school boards, who are ultimately beholden
knowledge of mathematics and statistics to the agreements made in the collectives.
itself and the teaching of mathematics and There are 12 collective agreements that NZSTA
statistics. In Aotearoa New Zealand very is involved in for bargaining, and 11 are nearing
few primary teachers have specialised in their expiry date of 2022. These non-teaching
mathematics or mathematics teaching and collective agreements are the first to enter into
only 14% of Year 5 teachers have specialised bargaining with their initiation dates towards
• Leadership: This theme recognises the the end of the year:
need for a more centralised approach … • Support Staff in Schools
[including] fixing the problem of significant
numbers of under-prepared teachers … • Adult and Community Education Staff in
simplifying the selection and delivery of Schools
suites of excellent supporting material … • Kaiārahi i te Reo, Therapists, ATSSD, Special
[and driving] professional development and Education Assistants
classroom support in hard-to-staff schools
• School Caretakers, Cleaners and Canteen
and disciplines, and to navigate change in
Staff
fast-moving areas where resources may date
quickly. • Secondary and Area School Groundstaff
1
https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/assets/Pangarau-Mathematics-and-Tauanga-Statistics-in-Aotearoa-New-Zealand-Digital.pdf
14 New Zealand School Trustees AssociationWe encourage school boards and principals to may be particularly difficult for these students,
send through feedback on the above collective and some flexibility may be necessary to ensure
agreements around suggested improvements that their transitions are successful. We are
or any interpretation/application issues you aware of some instances where unsuccessful
might want addressed. transitions back to the school environment
You should have recently received a short have resulted in additional stress for all parties,
survey about collective bargaining, or you can even resulting in students being stood down
provide feedback to bargaining@nzsta.org.nz or excluded in some cases. When discussing
return-to-school processes with your principal,
For more information, please see Board Matters please take a moment to confirm that all
– Term 4.2 practicable steps are being taken to ensure
Primary Principals’ Collective Bargaining that the pathway back into the classroom is as
(PPCB) smooth as possible for these students and their
whānau.
Primary principals now have their own
representation through PPCB. It is an Disability assist dogs
incorporated society in its own right and is The Human Rights (Disability Assist Dogs Non-
supported by the New Zealand Principals’ Discrimination) Amendment Bill is currently at
Federation (NZPF). Some primary principals may Select Committee.
wish to belong to both. Boards are reminded
that the rules on concurrence prohibit boards The Bill would replace the term “guide dog”
from paying membership fees for their with the broader term “disability assist dog” to
principals without prior approval from the make it clear that, if any individual, organisation
Ministry of Education. or business discriminates against a person
on the basis that the person has or uses a
Transitioning back to school disability assist dog, for example, by denying
Boards are responsible for ensuring that the service to that person, it would be considered
school is inclusive of students with disabilities discrimination against that person under the
or specific learning support needs. Amongst the Human Rights Act.
other lockdown-related issues that boards and We do not anticipate that this change will have
principals are dealing with, please be aware that any significant impact for boards.
transitioning back into a regular school routine
2
https://www.nzsta.org.nz/latest-news/nzsta-board-matters/
STAnews 15Call for remits to the
NZSTA Annual General
Meeting (AGM)
For discussion at your next board meeting
The NZSTA Annual General Meeting 2022 will be held on Saturday 23 April 2022 in Christchurch.
Every member board is entitled to propose items of business to be voted on at the AGM.
To qualify as a member board, you must have paid your 2022 NZSTA membership subscription by the
closing date for remits – 5.00pm Monday 7 February 2022.
If you want to submit a remit or constitutional notice of motion to the AGM suggesting a policy
direction or constitutional change for the Association:
• Use the remit/notice of motion form found here1.
• Your remit/notice of motion should be clearly and precisely worded.
• Use the explanation section on the form to give a plain-language explanation of the background and
purpose of your remit/notice of motion.
• If you propose a change in the NZSTA Constitution, your explanation should cite which existing
clause is affected – for example, “Replace clause 3(a)(ii) with the following …”.
Mover and seconder signatures required
• Another NZSTA member board must second the proposed motion.
• Your form must be signed by the presiding members of both the moving and seconding boards.
• Both boards must be financial members of NZSTA.
• Forms that have not been properly signed are unconstitutional and cannot be accepted.
Remits must be received by NZSTA National Office no later than 5.00pm Monday 7 February 2022.
All members of an NZSTA member board are invited to attend the AGM. Every member board is
entitled to one vote on business considered at AGM and may nominate one person (your AGM
delegate) to speak and vote on your board’s behalf. Forms for appointing your chosen delegate will be
sent out in February 2022.
Please email your completed remits to feedback@nzsta.org.nz.
Alternatively, you may post a hard copy to
Office of the President
NZSTA National Office
PO Box 5123
Wellington
Attn: AGM Remits
If you have any questions about the AGM or the remit process, please contact the office of the
President, phone (04) 471 6419 or email feedback@nzsta.org.nz.
1
https://www.nzsta.org.nz/assets/Uploads/2022-AGM-Remit-Form.pdf
16 New Zealand School Trustees Association2022 AGM Remit OR Constitutional Notice of Motion
Use this form to submit your remit or Constitutional Notice of Motion to the
NZSTA Annual General Meeting to be held on Saturday 23 April 2022.
♦ Remits should suggest policy direction for the Association. Constitutional Notices of
Motion should suggest changes to the constitution.
♦ This form must be signed by the presiding members of the moving and seconding
boards.
♦ Both boards must be financial members of NZSTA as at the final date for submitting remits
and notices of motion.
♦ Remits and notices of motion must be received by NZSTA National Office no later than
5.00pm, Monday 7 February 2022.
Your Remit/Constitutional Notice of Motion*:
*please delete as appropriate
What do you want to propose to AGM? Please use a separate form for each item.
Explanation:
Why is this important to you?
Moved by: (Name of School) School Board
Signed: (School Board Presiding Member signature) (Presiding Member)
Seconded by: (Name of School) School Board
Signed: (School Board Presiding Member signature) (Presiding Member)
Notes:
1. Both boards must have paid their annual membership subscription for the current membership year by 7 February for this
form to be valid.
2. Please email your completed form to: feedback@nzsta.org.nz. Alternatively, you may post a hard copy to
Office of the President
NZSTA National Office
P O Box 5123
Wellington Attn: AGM Remits
If you are unsure whether your remit has been received please PH 04 471 6419 to confirm
STAnews 1718 New Zealand School Trustees Association
The COVID-19
Vaccinations Order –
what it means for boards
In October, the Government introduced the COVID-19 Public Health Response
(Vaccinations) Order 2021 for anyone providing on-site services at schools and
kura. Since this announcement, NZSTA advisors have fielded hundreds of calls
from boards worried about the implications they face as employers of school
staff. In many schools, your principal will have been managing this process
without the need for direct involvement by the board.
This article provides a summary for boards of the key points. It is current at
20 November 2021 (the time of going into production). You will find the latest
information on the COVID-19 Information for Boards page 1 on our website
Please check in with your principal about their health and wellbeing and offer
any additional support you can as this has been a difficult time for many of
them.
The Vaccinations Order at a glance What does the Vaccinations Order mean for
boards?
On 25 October 2021, the COVID-19 Vaccinations
Order came into effect. As the employer of all school staff, your board
is responsible for ensuring your school complies
This Vaccinations Order makes COVID-19
with the Vaccinations Order (again, most of
vaccinations mandatory for anyone working
this will be actioned by your principal on your
on site at a school who may come into contact
behalf). This includes:
with students or who will be present when
students are also on site. It applies to: • supporting staff to get vaccinated (note that
you cannot direct staff to be vaccinated)
• all school staff (teachers, support and other
on-site staff) • keeping a vaccination register
• contractors • proactively engaging with staff who
demonstrate reluctance or refusal to be
• volunteers and unpaid workers
vaccinated
• anyone else engaged to provide on-site
• updating any policies that are impacted by
services
the Vaccinations Order (including consulting
• early childhood centre staff and home-based staff on any changes).
educators.
Does the Vaccinations Order apply to school
board members?
Board members are not included in the
All education staff who may have Vaccinations Order. However, you may find
contact with children must have had it applies to you if you are an employee,
their first jab by 15 November 2021 contractor, volunteer or unpaid worker at the
and be fully vaccinated (i.e. had two school and you are likely to have contact with
jabs) by 1 January 2022. students while carrying out this work or if you
will be present at the school at a time when
students are also present.
1
https://www.nzsta.org.nz/advice-and-support/covid-19/
STAnews 19Each case must be treated on its own merits,
Note: NZSTA encourages boards, as balancing whether or not there is a significant
leaders, to model high expectations risk of harm from transmitting COVID-19
in our standards of behaviour. throughout your school community against the
Therefore, we encourage your board responsibility you have as a good employer –
to have a robust discussion about the which includes behaving fairly and in good faith
Vaccinations Order in the context of regarding their employment with you.
your role as a good employer:
The main legal responsibilities to be considered
• What message does it send to are set out in:
your school community if you are
• section 127(1)(b)(i) of the Education and
not vaccinated when others in your
Training Act2 – the board must ensure that
school community must be?
the school is a physically and emotionally safe
• What impact might this have on place for all students and staff
board-staff relations and school
• section 30(1) of the Health and Safety at
culture if the board chooses to
Work Act3 – the PCBU must eliminate risks
remain unvaccinated while carrying
to health and safety, so far as is reasonably
out the mandate for employees to
practicable
be vaccinated?
• section 45 of the Health and Safety at Work
• As school leaders, are the choices
Act4 – a worker must take reasonable care
you are making as a board setting
that his or her acts or omissions do not
a positive example?
adversely affect the health and safety of
other persons.
Parents collecting or dropping off their
children If a staff member refuses the vaccine for
ethical or religious beliefs, can this be raised as
People who are simply picking up or dropping
an issue of discrimination?
off children at school do not need to be
vaccinated. Public health protocols for the This would have to be considered on the
region still apply – wearing a mask, 1–2 metre particular issue or context. A recent High Court
distancing from others. decision ruled that the Vaccinations Order did
not infringe on an individual’s right to be “free
What about parent helpers, volunteers/unpaid
from discrimination” under the New Zealand Bill
workers and contractors?
of Rights Act.
Any members of the community who come into
Our government is required to ensure public
contact with students as part of their role or are
health measures are in place to protect public
on site when students are present are covered
health and safety, which includes taking steps
under the Vaccinations Order. This means they
to prevent, treat and control the COVID-19
must be vaccinated and provide evidence of
pandemic’s impact on health. An individual’s
their vaccination status.
claim to discrimination is therefore balanced
What can boards do about teachers, support against the benefit of the vaccine and the risk
staff or on-site providers who are not of being unvaccinated.
vaccinated?
You can find more information on the New
Ultimately, the board (and the principal acting Zealand Human Rights Commission website5 .
on their behalf) has an obligation under the
What if a staff member cannot be vaccinated
Employment Relations Act to continue to
for medical reasons?
act as a fair and reasonable employer. This
means ensuring you have acted in good faith Current information is that there are only a very
throughout this Vaccinations Order process, small number of people in this situation.
including: To make this claim, a person must provide a
• providing early and proactive communication medical certificate as proof, and this certificate
about the Vaccinations Order’s requirements must be provided by a suitably qualified health
practitioner and endorsed by the Ministry of
• exploring all viable options – for example, if
Health.
the staff member can fill their role remotely,
the board has an obligation to allow them to
do that.
2
https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/0038/latest/LMS274508.html
3
https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2015/0070/latest/DLM6544135.html
4
https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2015/0070/latest/DLM5976914.html
5
https://www.hrc.co.nz/resources/human-rights-relation-covid-19/
20 New Zealand School Trustees AssociationOnce proof has been provided, the principal What happens if a staff member refuses to
(acting on the board’s behalf) then needs to reveal their vaccination status?
determine if they are able to provide the person If a staff member refuses to provide their
with off-site duties that can be managed vaccination status, boards must record them
without risk of transmission (including, possibly, as being unvaccinated until such time as they
online teaching from home). If not, the person provide evidence otherwise.
will be placed on paid or unpaid leave.
Can staff refuse to reveal their vaccination
The principal may also assess that the health
status on privacy grounds?
and safety risk is manageable if the person
undertakes regular COVID-19 tests and follows Again, the Vaccinations Order overrides any
hygiene procedures such as mask wearing. Privacy Act right to not provide medical
Medical retirement may also be an option in information. It is an offence to refuse to provide
some circumstances. this information, and any refusal could result in
disciplinary action.
What if it is a staff member’s personal choice
not to be vaccinated? Boards can also request a staff member’s
vaccination status from the Ministry of Health.
Everyone continues to have that choice. The
Vaccinations Order does not remove a person’s
choice to be vaccinated or not. However, it does NOTE: It is the board’s responsibility
specify that some work can only be carried to ensure vaccination status
out by people who have been vaccinated. If a information is collected, stored and
staff member who may come into contact with accessed properly and securely in
students or who will be present when students line with Privacy Act requirements.
are also on site (the mandate criteria) is not The school must treat any record of a
vaccinated by the key dates of 15 November person’s vaccination status with the
(single vaccination) and 1 January 2022 (double same confidentiality as it currently
vaccination), the board must ensure that the does with Police vetting information.
terms of the Vaccinations Order are met by This applies to staff, parent volunteer
ensuring that person is no longer in contact or contractor status. You can
with students face to face and is only on site at find more information, including
the school when students are not on site. a template from the Ministry of
Education in He Pitopito Kōrero dated
What is deemed ‘proof of vaccination’
15 October 2021 8.
and whose responsibility is it to check the
vaccination status of teachers and support
staff? Can staff challenge the Vaccinations Order if it
Boards can accept any proof of vaccination is not included in their employment agreement
that provides assurance that an employee has or contract?
been vaccinated. Ideally, this will be an entry No. A Public Health Order (PHO) overrides
on the My COVID Record website6 , but it could employment agreements/contracts. Any
also be an email, immunisation card or SMS directives included in a PHO override any other
that the staff member has received from their contract or agreement.
vaccine or medical provider or the Book My Can staff request paid leave to get vaccinated?
Vaccine 7 website.
Yes, but whether or not to grant it is up to
Your principal will manage this process on your the board. Where it is not possible for staff
behalf. to schedule appointments outside of normal
working hours, schools should allow adequate
paid time off work for staff to get vaccinated
during work hours. No leave of absence should
be recorded, and staff should be paid as usual.
What happens if the issue results in staff
shortages?
It is the board’s responsibility to ensure the
school always has sufficient staff to supervise
and teach students. This includes allowing for
staff to have paid time off to get a vaccination
during school time.
Your principal will already have been in contact
with your regional Director of Education if the
6
https://mycovidrecord.health.nz/
7
https://bookmyvaccine.covid19.health.nz/
8
https://mailchi.mp/education/covid19-update-15-oct
STAnews 21normal processes are not meeting the situation. apply. In this situation, it would be prudent to
We are still in the early stages of discovering seek advice from NZSTA.
what steps schools are taking to prevent or Where can I find up-to-date information as
deal with staff shortages. We do know that a things are changing so quickly?
number of schools still have students and staff
working remotely even after schools come out You can find up-to-the-minute information as it
of lockdown. We will bring you more information becomes available from
about this as we can. Please watch your email • the NZSTA website: COVID-19 Information for
for further updates from our team via Board Boards 10
Matters 9
• the Ministry of Education website: Latest
My school is currently in a surplus staffing COVID-19 updates 11
situation (due to roll drop). How does the
• the Ministry of Health website: Unite against
Vaccinations Order interact with the surplus
COVID-19 12 .
staffing process?
NZSTA understands the complexities of
Schools are still obligated to follow the same
employment relations and processes and
applicable provisions set out in the respective
we encourage you to access our detailed
collective agreements.
information about initiating an employment
This means the requirement to go through a process 13 if you need it.
needs analysis for teaching staff still applies.
NZSTA supports the Vaccinations Order. Your
If the needs analysis has determined that a
board’s ultimate role is to ensure every student
teacher who refuses to be vaccinated is going
can reach their highest possible standard in
to be surplus, they must be advised that
educational achievement and that your school
they should still get vaccinated to avoid any
is a safe place for all.
potential issues with accessing the employment
protections afforded by the respective Having a fully vaccinated workforce contributes
collective agreement. to both of these outcomes. It’s the right thing
to do for our tamariki.
However, the general guidance is that the
collective agreement provisions continue to
9
https://nzsta.org.nz/sitesearch/NZSTASearchForm?term=Board+matters§ion=Search&action_goSearch=Search
10
https://www.nzsta.org.nz/advice-and-support/covid-19/
11
https://www.education.govt.nz/school/ministry-bulletin-for-school-leaders-he-pitopito-korero/#latest-COVID-updates
12
https://covid19.govt.nz/
13
https://www.nzsta.org.nz/advice-and-support/covid-19-employment-matters/
22 New Zealand School Trustees AssociationWe make painting and decorating projects
ea sier for you.
School life is busy enough creating the best learning environments, let alone
managing a painting project. Not only can we help you to protect your building
assets, but we can also help you create a vibrant school environment.
Resene School Services are designed to help you manage your school painting and decorating projects, and
save you time and money, while minimising disruption to your school. Our services are free, so you can use us
as much as you need, without worrying about the cost. We have assisted thousands of schools with their
painting and decorating projects. Let us help you with yours.
Why do so many schools choose to use Resene?
• Full support available at all stages of the project.
• Complete range of paint systems and coatings including:
– Decorative finishes
– Protective coatings designed to protect surfaces in aggressive environments
– A range of weathertight and durable textured coatings
• Technical expertise
• Extensive colour range and colour services to help you choose
• Sustainable product range and our commitment to making new sustainable technologies available
• Proven track record in working with schools
• Quality products produced in manufacturing facilities with ISO:9001 and ISO:14001 certification
• Written warranties
We are the leaders in providing professional advice, high quality products and superb colours – three vital
ingredients in any successful coating project. Whether your project is large or small, we can help you and
your school team with your painting and decorating projects. It’s your choice how much assistance you
would like us to provide.
Everything you need in one place
To get started on your next painting and decorating project, contact us today at schoolservices@resene.co.nz
or visit our online school service hub at www.resene.com/schoolservices to find out more.
STAnews 23Te Kura Summer School - an option for NCEA students affected by COVID-19
disruptions
Registrations for Te Kura’s popular Summer School are now open (8 November 2021).
With the continued disruptions caused by COVID-19, Te Kura is anticipating increasing
numbers of students looking to top up their credits for NCEA and University Entrance
over the summer break.
Chief Executive Mike Hollings acknowledges that students have faced many
challenges over the past few months and may be feeling some uncertainty about their
results at the end of the year. Some have already reached out to Te Kura and have
been relieved to discover that there are backup options available.
Mike says that, last year, more than 1,900 students took advantage of Te Kura Summer
School to complete their studies, enabling them to go on to further study, training or
employment.
“Registration is free for most ākonga (students), and we have a range of NCEA internal
standards on offer. It’s great to see from the feedback we get that, for ākonga,
summer study can be life changing, and our research shows that many ākonga who
come to us learn about Summer School from their own schools and kaiako (teachers).”
Te Kura Summer School has benefits for both students and schools. If a student
has a 2021 NZQA registration, any credits achieved by the February deadline are
transferred to their previous school of enrolment and can count towards their 2021
Record of Achievement. Courses are delivered online, so with access to a device and
connectivity, students can learn anywhere, any time.
“Our qualified kaiako are already gearing up for Summer School and will be available
online to support ākonga with their learning. Our intake team is available to answer
any queries from ākonga, whānau and schools.”
To learn more about Te Kura Summer School, please phone 0800 65 99 88 option 1,
email summerschool@tekura.school.nz or visit www.tekura.school.nz.
24 New Zealand School Trustees Association2021 STAnews articles
Title/topic Issue # Date Page
2020 NZSTA Study Award report – Kristen Pari 306 March 9
2020 NZSTA Trustee Study Award report – Jonathan Brooks 309 June 14
2021 summary (Presidents Pen) 314 Nov/Dec 3
2021 STAnews articles (Index) 314 Nov/Dec 24
A warm welcome to kōanga | spring (From the CEO’s desk) 312 September 5
Advisory and Support Centre (Snippets) 306 March 13
All about elections! (Snippets) 311 August 20
All students have the right to attend school full-time (Snippets) 305 Jan/Feb 10
ANZELA mini-conference 310 July 27
Appointment of school auditors for 2021 to 2023 307 April 17
Appointment of school auditors for 2021 to 2023 308 May 22
Are your policies and procedures robust? (Snippets) 307 April 14
Aupaki Kāhui Ako – creating links to hapū 307 April 15
Ava Simeon petition (President’s Pen) 311 August 5
Board elections regulations changes (Governance support resources) 308 May 20
Board Matters to replace Membership Matters (President’s Pen) 311 August 5
Board task checklist for term 3 (Snippets) 311 August 20
Boarding allowance petition 311 August 18
Boys’ career aspirations more limited by gender than girls’ (Snippets) 307 April 13
Building partnerships and relationships (From the CEO’s desk) 310 July 7
Call for remits to the NZSTA Annual General Meeting (AGM) 314 Nov/Dec 16
Climate disclosure reporting (Snippets) 309 June 19
Collective bargaining (Snippets) 314 Nov/Dec 14
Compassion, determination and innovation (President’s Pen) 305 Jan/Feb 4
Conference 2021 (President’s Pen) 308 May 4
Conference 2022 – save the date! (President’s Pen) 311 August 4
Conference dinner photos 309 June 12–13
Conference photos 308 May 6, 18–19
Conference prize winners 308 May 23
Consultation with member boards (President’s Pen) 311 August 5
Copyright licences 308 May 22
Copyright licensing (Snippets) 310 July 22
COVID-19 reminder 305 Jan/Feb 21
The COVID-19 Vaccinations Order – what it means for boards 314 Nov/Dec 19
COVID-19 vaccine rollout to students 312 September 14
Dear NZSTA … 309 June 18
Decile reviews (Snippets) 312 September 18
Disability assist dogs (Snippets) 314 Nov/Dec 15
Disruptive innovation (From the CEO’s desk) 307 April 7
Drawing the future: career aspirations of Kiwi kids aged 7–11 308 May 10
Edmonton Primary School staff care package 314 Nov/Dec 27
Emergency planning (President’s Pen) 312 September 3
Fixed-term employment agreements (FTEAs) (Snippets) 308 May 14
Fixed-term employment agreements in schools 311 August 16
From the CEO’s Desk 313 October 5
From the CEO’s Desk 314 Nov/Dec 5
Get on board! (2022 triennial school board elections) 312 September 9
Governing isn’t politics and politics isn’t governing (President’s Pen) 306 March 5
Have you seen this? School governance – a guide for NZSTA member boards 305 Jan/Feb 23
Have your say – school board elections (Snippets) 308 May
STAnews
14 25Fixed-term employment agreements in schools 311 August 16
From the CEO’s Desk 313 October 5
From the CEO’s Desk 314 Nov/Dec 5
Get on board! (2022 triennial school board elections) 312 September 9
Governing isn’t politics and politics isn’t governing (President’s Pen) 306 March 5
Have you seen this? School governance – a guide for NZSTA member boards 305 Jan/Feb 23
Have your say – school board elections (Snippets) 308 May 14
Having the big conversations (President’s Pen) 307 April 4
He Whakaputanga – the Declaration of Independence 311 August 15
Health and safety – the board’s responsibility 305 Jan/Feb 22
Help stop mobility parking abuse 312 September 19
Helping ERO build a new operating model (Snippets) 305 Jan/Feb 12
Holidays (Parent-Teacher Interview Leave) Amendment Bill (Snippets) 308 May 14
How does a code of conduct help? (President’s Pen) 307 April 4
Human rights (Snippets) 308 May 15
In the garden of human rights 308 May 16
Inclusiveness 310 July 8
Information sharing and privacy (Snippets) 308 May 15
Inquiry into school attendance (President’s Pen) 311 August 5
Introducing our new professional learning and development (PLD) structure 305 Jan/Feb 13
Ka pū te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi | The old net wears out and the new net
goes fishing 310 July 11
Ko wai tātou? (President’s Pen) 311 August 4
Ko wai tātou? NZSTA name change proposal 314 Nov/Dec 11
Leadership strategy launched (Snippets) 306 March 11
Leaning into the future (Presidents Pen) 313 October 3
Learning development (Snippets) 310 July 22
Love your neighbour (Matua Alec Tairua) 314 Nov/Dec 10
Matariki and renewal (From the CEO’s desk) 311 August 7
Mathematics | Pāngarau and tauanga |statistics expert report released
(snippets) 314 Nov/Dec 14
Meaningful consultation for 21st century schools 312 September 7
Middle Leaders Programme pilot (Snippets) 308 May 15
National Excellence in Teaching Awards (NEiTA) 310 July 23, 28
New complaint and dispute resolution panels (Snippets) 305 Jan/Feb 11
New complaint and dispute resolution panels (Snippets) 306 March 12
New planning and reporting framework for boards (Governance support
resources) 308 May 12
New ways of working – winning hearts and changing minds (President’s Pen) 310 July 4
New Zealand Curriculum refresh 307 April 20
Northland and Hawke’s Bay road trip, May 2021 (photos) 309 June 8
NZSTA Board Member Study Awards 309 June 23
NZSTA draft strategic plan as at 31 March 2021 309 June 4
NZSTA operations (From the CEO’s desk) 306 March 6
NZSTA School Board Member Study Awards 311 August 23
NZSTA School Board Member Study Awards 312 September 17
NZSTA School Board Member Study Awards 313 October 19
Off-site courses, work experience and visits (Governance support resources) 306 March 14
Opt in to religious instruction (Snippets) 305 Jan/Feb 12
Parent payments to schools (Governance support resources) 306 March 22
PLD framework for school boards 305 Jan/Feb 14
PLD update 306 March 17
PLD update 308 May 17
Primary & secondary: planning for distance learning (MOE resource) 306 March 25
Primary Principals’ Collective Bargaining (PPCB) (Snippets 314 Nov/Dec 15
Privacy access requests and Official Information Act requests – what’s the
difference? 313 October 15
Proactive release (Governance support resources) 305 Jan/Feb 15
26 New Zealand School Trustees AssociationPrimary & secondary: planning for distance learning (MOE resource) 306 March 25
Primary Principals’ Collective Bargaining (PPCB) (Snippets 314 Nov/Dec 15
Privacy access requests and Official Information Act requests – what’s the
difference? 313 October 15
Proactive release (Governance support resources) 305 Jan/Feb 15
Professional growth cycle – what is the board’s role? 305 Jan/Feb 17
Pūaotanga – staffing issues in primary schools 311 August 21
Recognition of service certificates available for NZSTA member boards 306 March 27
Recognition of service certificates available for NZSTA member boards 313 October 14
Reconnecting (From the CEO’s desk) 308 May 7
Relationships and consent (Snippets) 310 July 22
Reminder: NZSTA draft strategic plan (Snippets) 311 August 20
Reminding organisations of their privacy responsibilities (Snippets) 311 August 20
Reports from ERO on the impacts of COVID-19 (Snippets) 305 Jan/Feb 12
School auditors (President’s Pen) 312 September 3
School housing – healthy home standards (Governance support resources) 309 June 20
School rules (bylaws) consultation 311 August 19
Sensitive claims of abuse in state schools 307 April 13
Sharing personal information safely 309 June 22
Southland regional visit (President’s Pen) 311 August 4
Stay well, be kind (President’s Pen) 312 September 3
Stop calling us volunteers! 306 March 20
Student information sharing: Te Rito project and privacy 310 July 24
Student representative elections 309 June 15
Student representative elections 2021 (Snippets) 311 August 20
Student representative resources (Snippets) 311 August 20
Stuff relaunches School Report database for secondary schools (Snippets) 312 September 18
Succession planning – planning for success 312 September 11
Suspension meetings at COVID-19 Alert Levels 2 and 3 (Snippets) 307 April 12
Te Kura Summer School 314 Nov/Dec 23
Te Mahau – the new Education Service Agency 310 July 15
Te Tiriti o Waitangi 311 August 8
Teaching, School and Leadership Practices survey (Snippets) 308 May 15
Term 3 workshops (Snippets) 311 August 20
The fence at the top of the cliff 314 Nov/Dec 7
The NEGs and NAGs – where are they now? 313 October 7
The Ombudsman – navigating fairness for all in education 309 June 16
The power of disruptive innovation 307 April 8
The Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards 2021 (Snippets) 306 March 12
The privacy principles: Principle 4 Collecting personal information about
students 306 March 18
The role of the privacy officer at your school 312 September 13
The whole is greater than the sum of the parts (From the CEO’s desk) 305 Jan/Feb 5
The work we do (From the CEO’s desk) 309 June 7
Then and now – NEGs and NAGs 313 October 9
Timeframe for notifying privacy breaches (Snippets) 312 September 18
Transitioning back to school (Snippets) 314 Nov/Dec 15
Understanding – the fifth habit of highly effective board members 308 May 8
Understanding privacy breaches 307 April 18
Updating the physical restraint framework (Snippets) 305 Jan/Feb 11
Using the NELP to develop strategic objectives 313 October 17
Visiting the regions Te Tai Tokerau and Hawke’s Bay (President’s Pen) 309 June 4
We’re glad you liked it! (Snippets) 309 June 19
What’s in a name? 309 June 9
When is enough enough? 306 March 7
Why we are here 305 Jan/Feb 7
Why New Zealand schools must be prepared for ransomware attacks 313 October 11
STAnews 2728
Harakeke Ideas Fantastic Care
Packages
Edmonton Primary School What could we do for our Edmonton
has a beautiful Pa Harakeke amazing staff that would be
at the entrance of our school, from the heart and that We first thought of
it was planted by my cousin’s meant something for what they use every
Primary School
whanau when it was first everyone? day at school but
opened, 3 years ago we What would we put into the
pulled it all up and planted care packages that was made then it changed to
weaving harakeke. with aroha and a keepsake? what would help for
their well-being.
Staff Care Package
New Zealand School Trustees Association
So, I started to weave
waikawa baskets from
the pa harakeke at
school and asked our
principal Margaret
Samson how many staff
we have she said 31,
but we made 33 which
took me from the 27th
of August till the 12th of
September.
In between I was making
Kawakawa Balm, Lemon
Cake and Margaret made
home peach pie. We also
have gluten free staff, so I
made vanilla cake and
chocolate brownie.
Handmade soaps by Roi.
Also ordered online Hand
cream, body wash, tissues,
hand sanitizer, face masks,
lily candles and other
goodies.You can also read
