Seminar 1 & 13
Governing to realise the right to education of every child
Ced Simpson, NZSTA & Tina Maree Thatcher, Principal Karapiro School
We are here because our children have the right to education (Education & Training Act 2020 Sec 32-3)
But, what does it mean for school leadership? What are the implications for policy and practice? For Maori? For Pasifika? Inclusive education? For kids and parents in general? This workshop will draw on the law, possible policy statements and what things can, could and should look like in schools
Seminar 2 & 14
Determination and Termination
Ngaire Cooper, NZSTA
As a board there will be times when you may need to navigate an employment process to make a determination on a matter of discipline/conduct from a staff member or potentially terminate a staff member.
So, what should you expect from your Principal and what process do you need to follow to keep the board maintaining its good employer status and your obligations under the various legislation and collective agreements?
Seminar 3 & 15
Reshaping complaints: A starting point for
community feedback
Michael O'Brien, NZSTA & Alan Curtis, NZSTA Provider
The primary purpose of a boards concern and complaints policy is to encourage open communication. But does it? How can a board reshape its approach to complaints and ultimately restore everyone’s mana?
During this session we’ll look at an effective complaints process that is focused on different outcomes. Outcomes that foster communication and strengthen community engagement
Seminar 4 & 16
Staffing your school - The board as the employer
Lisa Dunn & Amol Shejwal, NZSTA
Ask yourself…..Do your school’s employment processes ensure that you are operating within the law and reflect best practice? Do you operate within a positive governance management partnership? Who’s involved? Have you checked your delegations?
What does your Employment and Appointment policy say? Are there issues or unique circumstances that need to be considered?
This session will cover the Board and Principal’s roles and responsibilities, the recruitment and appointment process, relevant collective agreements, job descriptions, letters of offer, employment contracts and professional standards. Attendees will leave with a customisable appointment flow chart and checklist.
Seminar 5 & 17
Why every school should have a Code of Conduct for staff
Grant Hay, NZSTA
Hands up if your school has a code of conduct for staff? Keep your hands up if it is the Teaching Council code of Professional Responsibility? Can the Teaching Councils Code of Professional Responsibility be applied to any staff that are not teachers? Say Teacher Aides or Support Staff?? How does the Teaching Councils Code of Professional Responsibility fit as a set of rules for your school.
Key reasons for having a Code of Conduct – it is specific to your school, it embraces the character of your school and its expectations, Special Character schools will have some specific items that they may include in this that mainstream schools would not. Religious beliefs or tikanga???
Seminar 6 & 18
Law: What is it good for?
Maynard Scott, NZSTA
Love it or loathe it, the law will be a constant companion with you on your journey as a board member.
This session, for non-lawyers, is designed to empower you and demystify law. After an explanation of law is made in NZ, and how different laws interact with each other, you will learn some of the key tricks of the trade on how to read, understand and apply law using the five laws you will deal with the most:
• Children’s act 2014
• Education & Training Act 2020
• Employment Relations Act 2020
• Health b& Safety at Work Act 2015
• Official Information Act 1982
• Privacy Act 2020
Seminar 7 & 19: Masterclass
Resetting the education agenda
Michael Dreaver
E tipu e rea – in our children lies our future. Who does the education system really exist for?
The education system continues to be in a flux of change and ongoing initiatives – all the while continuing to forget who the system is for. The role of politics and ever-changing legislation is a key contributor of this change. Funding and resources are a constant challenge in the sea of demands for principals, teachers, students and of course school boards.
Resetting the Education Agenda is a workshop opportunity for members to contribute to an NZSTA position for a new education agenda. What might this look like now and into the future?
Seminar 8 & 20
Wellbeing - Creating a reconnection to who you really are
Leigh Patuawa
Author of The Handbook Towards Happiness and CEO of Soul Learning, Leigh Patuawa has created a programme designed for delivery into schools, the corporate world and communities to support hauora and wellbeing.
In this workshop she will give an introduction into some wellbeing strategies and activities you can incorporate in your everyday life, including breathing exercises and topics on being balanced, letting go of worries, reconnecting to self, being vulnerable and much more.
Seminar 9 & 21
Online safety - Get in the know
Shelley Hirst, Netsafe
Harmful Digital Communications can take many different forms and arise in many different places and spaces.
Find out what is Tending Now. Equip yourself to understand what is: a harmful digital communication and, how to spot it. Learn what to do when communications involving individuals turns nasty.
Find out what you can do to support individuals to make a complaint to get harmful communications taken down.
Seminar 10 & 22
Stop worrying and start loving Cybersecurity
Gregg Duff, Head of Education and Engagement, Network for Learning (N4L)
The use of technology within schools rises year on year with school internet usage now accounting for 20% of all daytime internet traffic across NZ. With increased access to online learning comes an evolving threat landscape that raises safety and security considerations for your school.
As a Board member, here’s three quick facts you should know:
Fact 1: Section 127 of the Education and Training Act 2020 emphasises the school board’s obligation to ensure places of learning are safe for their communities.
Fact 2: Education is the most cyber-attacked industry globally and Australia/New Zealand is the most attacked region (Check-Point Research, June 2022).
Fact 3: N4L provide funded services, advice and guidance that’s specifically designed to raise your school’s cybersecurity and online safety (and put you in control).
Whether you’re new to school governance or an old hand, this workshop will demonstrate how you can lead your school to a safer, more secure learning environment both now and in the future (without blowing the budget).
Seminar 11 & 23
Student behaviour management
Cheryl Bunker & Paula Helms, NZSTA
It’s one of the hardest tasks on the board; to attend or chair a suspension meeting.
In this workshop we look at what the board’s role is once the student has been suspended, how to work through this ensuring the board meets its obligations and provides as much mana to the student as possible.
We’ll discuss the steps to follow, what to do when you’re not sure and discuss conditions so you build on your kete of resources. We’ll cover off the regulations and guidelines, so you feel confident if the need arises for you to attend a suspension meeting.
Seminar 12
Student board members and climate change - Student board members only
Rachel Bolstad & Jo MacDonald, NZCER
How can student Board members have a voice in how our schools and education systems are responding to climate change?
How can young people contribute to ensure we are designing curriculum and learning spaces for a sustainable future?
In this interactive workshop we will ignite ideas and strategies about how you can bring student voice to the Board table.
Seminar 24
Climate change in schools: What can boards do?
Rachel Bolstad & Jo MacDonald, NZCER
In 2023 many schools around Aotearoa have been impacted by climate events. This workshop focusses on how schools and BoT can play an active, positive role in responding to climate change and supporting their communities in the transition to a zero-carbon future. By attending this workshop, you will:
- gain insight on how climate change connects with your Governance role and responsibilities
- have a chance to share experiences and learn from other trustees in the room
- leave with resources and ideas you can take back to your schools and communities.
Seminar 25 & 37
Small schools, big issues? Governing well in small schools
Belinda Weber, NZSTA
How do you maintain an uncompromising commitment to excellence for all while also being a part of a small community? For a long time, small schools have been championed for the value they bring to their typically rural communities, but every day we deal with issues arising from the challenges in these same schools.
Together let’s reflect on the importance of community, wellbeing and improving student outcomes as we envisage small schools’ futures. This will be a discussion led workshop – a space to share experiences and take valuable learnings from others in similar positions. Come along and join a group who understand the challenges you face at your board table
Seminar 26 & 38
Presiding members - the continuing journey to becoming a "Great Chair"
Chris France, NZSTA
What do ‘cadence’, ‘trust’, and ‘reading the mood of the board room’ have to do with that journey? Using stories about camels, dusty car trips to Abilene, and a scenario or two we are going to workshop together to identify more tools that will increase your skills to preside over meetings that make great decisions…..because that is what great boards do.
Seminar 27 & 39
A matter of ethics??
Sarah Campbell, NZSTA
A scenario-based exploration of board culture and ethical governance.
Using the NZSTA example of a code of conduct as a framework. This session will explore the importance of developing and maintaining a board’s culture. We will examine the need for individual and collective responsibility to create a safe, high trust environment for all board members, where different perspectives and opinions can be constructively shared with a focus on moving toward consensus.
Attendees will work through scenarios to build on their understanding of ethical governance and their ability to positively influence and support their boards culture and develop solutions-focused strategies for when the going gets tough. The session will include reference to the incoming mandatory Code of Conduct, endorsed by the minister of Education and implemented by the Ministry of “Education.
Seminar 28 & 40
Navigating your way through the jungle of jargon: helping new board members navigate information overload
Sarah Thornton, NZSTA
Who is this for: New board members alongside staff representatives, student representatives and existing board members struggling with the volume of content and procedures they need to master.
Becoming a board member can be an overwhelming experience. As well as getting your head around how your own school operates, there is a huge amount of legal and technical jargon to understand. This interactive session will help to alleviate some of the common concerns and anxieties of being on a board by suggesting some shortcuts through the information jungle, using adult learning theories.
Seminar 29 & 41
Student board members - what's in it for everyone?
Cheryl Bunker & Paula Helms, NZSTA
Are student board members really a member of the board?
In this workshop we explore the value student representatives can make to a board. Why a student at the school has joined the board, what their motivation was, what they want to gain from being on a school board? What are some of the challenges they face as well as the opportunities for both the student representative and the whole board; the principal, parent elected members, and the staff representative?
We explore how important the student’s voice is at the board table and the contribution they can make, as well as the positive influences and perspectives they bring to the table.
Seminar 30 & 42
A school culture of community consultation - not just a tick box
Rachael Spencer, NZSTA
A key to being a fantastic employer is to ensure the foundations are strong and stable and ready to build upon. However, if we don’t review the foundations cracks can begin to appear and before we know it things begin to crumble. The key to remaining a good employer is to assess and review your groundwork.
During this session we will walk through key employment policies and procedures that create a solid employment foundation, we will walk through how we as boards can audit these to ensure they maintain relevant, fit for purpose policies and procedures and understand some of the legislation that drives great employment practice. At the end of this you will have so many checklists that your checklists will have checklists.
Seminar 31 & 43: Masterclass
"Preparing the see bed" - Tino rangatiratanga and education in Aotearoa New Zealand
Maynard Scott, NZSTA
Partnership Schools are hailed by some as a manifestation of tino rangatiratanga as promised by Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Critics decried them as nothing more than a free market experiment with tamariki as test subjects. The debate begged and still begs, the bigger question – what does “tino rangatira” look like when applied to schools? This session will cover this question by:
- Exploring the concept of “tino rangatiratanga” through the lens of culture, history, the law and the work of the Waitangi Tribunal
- Contemplating the implications of the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
- Learning from the experience of First Nations people
- Applying Partnership schools as a case study
- Looking at ‘where to next’ for schools in “Aotearoa New Zealand
Seminar 32 & 44
Te Reo Maori Together - A collective approach to revitalisation and normalisation
Lynda Pura-Watson, ERO Deputy CE Evaluation and Review Maori
“I want to be a dentist or a doctor who speaks the reo to the people” student voice from Nihinihi Whenua (ERO, 2022)
Across Aotearoa, many learners, whānau, hapū, iwi, educators and school leaders are united in their desire to support te reo Māori. But what does that look like? What is the impact? And, how can great practice be shared to drive quality te reo Māori learning outcomes in every school?
ERO is excited by the opportunity to begin a new programme of work focussed on evaluation, research and monitoring of te reo Māori outcomes. Through this work, ERO hopes to support school improvement and provide greater clarity for learners, whānau and schools alike. A dedicated team, Te Pou Reo will work with schools who provide full and partial immersion te reo Māori education.
A new programme of work informed by educators, school leaders and learners
The mahi of Te Pou Reo builds upon what we know from learners, and their schools. ERO evaluation insights guided the way for the research Te Tāmata Huaroa – Surveys of teachers in English medium settings and Nihinihi Whenua – working with students and their whānau. This research supported the creation of Poutama Reo: the improvement journey; a resource which helps English-medium schools understand and improve their provision of te reo Māori school-wide. Te Pou Reo paddles this waka further, with a focus on partial and immersion te reo Māori education.
Supporting te reo Māori together
ERO, The Ministry of Education and schools will work together, in full and partial immersion settings, identifying successes, areas for improvement and next steps. ERO will provide clarity about needs, the school will clarify their focus and the Ministry will provide appropriate suppot all to enable learners to achieve their te reo Māori goals.
Seminar 33 & 45
School boards and the Ombudsman
Taylor Te'o & Bronwyn Dean-Royce, Office of the Ombudsman
Staff from the Ombudsman’s office will present a workshop session about issues commonly faced by school boards and how the Ombudsman can help. This will include an overview of the basic principles of the Official Information Act and general complaints handling.
The session will includes tips and discussion about how school boards can make good decisions and balance the competing interests in relation to requests for information, complaints, and school discipline. New resources available for sharing will also be provided to all attendees.
Seminar 34 & 46
Diversity Works
Maretha Smit, Chief Executive
Diversity and inclusion are about creating an environment where everyone feels valued and respected. It is about creating a sense of belonging that provides the space for everybody to thrive in bringing their most productive, resilient and creative self to their mahi.
For our nation to thrive, our children must thrive and, for this, a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion is essential. However, it has become a buzzword that has been used too often without understanding its meaning. The principles and values of diversity an inclusion have become weaponised in an increasingly polarised society, most often fuelled by social media. And in the process, we leave our children increasingly confused and bewildered.
They deserve better. They deserve to be seen for the unique gifts that each of them brings to this earth. They deserve to belong.
In this workshop, we will explore generational shifts in the pursuit of belonging, how this informs the way in which young people show up in places of work and learning, and the impact thereof on mental health. We will discuss the impact of systemic discrimination and biases, and how this can affect the learning experiences of our students. We will look at the different types of diversity and how to navigate situations where different groups have conflicting needs. And, finally, we will discuss the role of School Trustees in holding educational staff to account in their duty to deliver good outcomes for all our young people.
Seminar 35 & 47
What do we mean by 'Special Character'? Governance in action in a State integrated school
Dr Kevin Shore, Karen Raitt & Rosalie Connors, Association of Proprietors of Integrated Schools
The session will explore how special character can be woven into the whole governance process and will cover areas such as strategic planning, policy, culture, decision making, and te tiriti o waitangi.
Practical examples and scenarios will be explored and there will be opportunities for interaction and Q&A.
Seminar 36 & 48
Professional boundaries and the role of the employer
Lesley Hoskin – Teaching Council Chief Executive
It reflects the profession's commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, ngā uara | our values, Ngā Tikanga Matatika, Ngā Paerewa | Our Code, Our Standards, and focuses on the Principal’s role as a ‘leader of learning’.
In this session we will explore why the PGC has been introduced, its key elementselements, and the role of the Board / employer in the PGC process.
Seminar 49 & 61
More than a letter of complaint - the constant complainer
Lisa Dunn, NZSTA
Oh no……not another one. You’ve received so many you have lost count. The email address you hate to see in your inbox. An interactive seminar using real life scenarios to give you the tools to support and protect your staff, your principal and your board. How to develop a communications plan and flow chart for those who bombarded you with concerns and complaints at all hours.
- Sample letters,
- Communications Plan and Flow Chart,
- The Ombudsman.
Seminar 50 & 62
Bullying and interpersonal conflict
Ana Noble, NZSTA
Bullying and particularly interpersonal conflict between staff affect many schools and can lead to some highly challenging situations. This is an issue that arises quite regularly and it can be very difficult for Principals and Boards to know what to do as they can be quite complex. There are times when there are signs this is occurring and, more often than not, Principals don’t act quickly enough or appropriately.
These issues sometimes begin at quite low levels but, if left unchecked, become quite serious, especially if the employer either has no idea it’s occurring or if they think it will just resolve itself or “go away”. Unfortunately, these matters can lead to the break-down of the employment relationship with one or both employees and create some real risk for the school to manage. There are often reasons behind the conflict occurring so understanding how this situation can arise (leadership/culture/lack of job clarity) and how to minimise the potential for conflict to occur, but also learning what steps an employer should take will help ensure they are meeting their good employer obligations.
Seminar 51 & 63
Building authentic sustainable partnerships with key Maori stakeholders in your rohe and beyond
Andrea Webster, NZSTA
We will look at –
- The Why (Education & Training Act 2020, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Government)
- The What (Take a look at what is happening in the sector – case studies
- The How (Whanaungatanga, connections, rules of engagement)
Seminar 52 & 64
So, what does governance "do" anyway?
Anna Gallien, NZSTA
Realising the powers and purpose of your governance role by taking the confusion away. This session removes the jargon and steps you through policy in simple terms. We’ll look at key tools to help you gain a governance mindset and use scenarios to help you build this skill
Seminar 53 & 65: Masterclass
CEO or board member - Who am i? Ko wai au?
Bruce Hart & Partick Ikiua, NZSTA
CEO and board member – what are the leadership roles played by the principal? How do they intersect? How do they co-exist?
Designed particularly for presiding members and principals this workshop will explore the role of the principal as a member of the board.
Board and principal – where do the responsibilities lie? What are the pros and cons of principal membership of the Board? How can the governance and management spaces both be protected? What is the principal’s contribution to the board? What should be in the principal’s report to the board? Should the principal ever be excluded from board discussions? Should there be a relationship between the principal and the presiding member?
Seminar 54 & 66
Understanding the NCEA and what the upcoming changes mean
Jann Marshall, Deputy CE - Assessment, NZQA
Are you a relatively new Board member eager to find out how our national secondary qualifications, the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) work? This presentation will outline the structure of NCEA, how NCEA works, what you need to know as a Board member. It will also look at the upcoming changes to NCEA and what these will mean for schools, teachers and students.
Seminar 55 & 67
Evaluation - The art of knowing
Kathy Lye, Director, Review and improvement ERO
Find out more about how ERO works with schools using evaluation to improve equity and excellence for all learners. How does evaluation enhance the role of the board in identifying key priorities, synthesising evaluation findings and understanding and contributing to ERO’s reporting process. Find out more about how your board can engage with a evaluation and make a bigger difference in promoting outcomes for learners.
Seminar 56 & 68
Te Rito - Engaging Families and Whānau in their Child's Education
Myles Ferris & Graeme Barber
The Te Rito programme is being restarted with a focus on its original intent- to enable data to securely follow ākonga and learners throughout their education. The staged rollout will commence in Term 3. This workshop will provide Boards with more information regarding the benefits of Te Rito and what they need to know to support their staff before during and after the rollout.
Seminar 57 & 69
New Zealand Curriculum refresh / The redesign of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and what boards need to know
Rose Carpenter & Mandy Bird, Te Tᾱhuhu o te Mᾱtauranga/Ministry of Education
A five-year programme to refresh The New Zealand Curriculum and redesign Te Marautanga o Aotearoa is underway, aimed at ensuring all ākonga experience rich and responsive learning.
The first step in the curriculum refresh began in Term 1 this year with schools and kura required to teach Aotearoa New Zealand’s Histories and Te Takanga o Te Wā.
The refreshed New Zealand Curriculum will be called Te Mātaiaho, and it will be released this year, along with updated English and Maths curriculum area content. All curriculum areas will be released over the next two years, and from the beginning of 2026 all schools using Te Mātaiaho will be required to implement the new curriculum. The Ministry is releasing the curriculum areas in phases, as they are developed.
Similarly, the redesigned Te Marautanga o Aotearoa will be available for full implementation from the beginning of 2026. Kaupapa ako are being developed and released in phases throughout 2023 -2025 led by curriculum experts, with tumuaki, kaiako, ākonga and their whānau, hapū and iwi involvement.
The curriculum changes are happening alongside the new planning and reporting requirements for boards. As curriculum areas and kaupapa ako are redesigned and released in phases, boards with their principals, tumuaki and kura leadership, will be able to become familiar with the content, and plan how to implement the refreshed curriculum and redesigned marautanga through their school curriculum and marau ā-kura from 2026. Developing and delivering a high-quality school curriculum and marau ā-kura is at the heart of what schools do and will support your board’s work towards the updated objectives in the Education and Training Act (2020).
Come along to this session to hear about the refresh of The New Zealand Curriculum and the redesign of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, how you can be involved, and how you could be preparing for, and including the development and implementation of the refreshed curriculum and redesigned marautanga in your school or kura three-year Strategic Plan.
Seminar 58 & 70
Working in partnership to support Tamariki & Rangatahi that are exposed to family harm: School wellbeing alerts
Insp Anne Wilki & Insp Seema Kotecha, NZ Police
Family harm is a sensitive indicator of other underlying stressors experienced by many families/whānau and exposure to family harm can result in poor long term outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi.
Schools are often the one safe place for some tamariki but a lack of information sharing means not all tamariki will receive the sort of support they need to thrive.
The South Auckland Social Wellbeing Board in partnership with NZ Police and the Ministry of Education has been testing a family harm alert which allows schools to receive information in relation to those students and allows for a proactive approach to support them within an educational setting.
Seminar 59 & 71
Strategic leadership for schools
Dale Bailey, CEO, Springboard Trust
Are you doing enough to support strategic thinking & leadership within your school?
This session will explore the insights the Springboard Trust has gained from working with over 800 New Zealand principals. It will discuss key ideas that strengthen strategic leadership within schools. Springboard Trust, a charity that supports school leaders to develop their strategic leadership, has a proven and trusted reputation in the sector. Springboard uses on the job learning about strategic leadership and matches principals with volunteer capacity coaches from the business world. Together school and business leaders develop new plans to enable tamariki mokopuna to thrive.
Seminar 60 & 72
Using braille programming cards to teach coding / robotics
Bruce Jackson & Ronel Schodt, Kai's Education
KaiBot in Kainundrum is a hybrid robot that uses screen-free coding cards, which KaiBot scans and plays out the sequence, detects bugs, and can autonomously charge itself.
With the Kainundrum Lite companion app, students can access tutorials and activities and translate screen-free coding cards to text-based coding. Once mastered, students can pair their robot with Kainundrum.com, a fully-fledged game-based platform where they can develop their own levels, create their own mazes, puzzles, and escape rooms, and share them with friends. They can then code their robot using Blockly/Python to code around these levels.
What new information will attendees leave your presentation knowing? How can it be implemented? Attendees will be introduced to KaiBot and leave the presentation with a deeper understanding of the latest assistive technologies designed for blind students, effective teaching strategies, and resources for coding education tailored to their needs. They will gain insights into the challenges faced by vision-impaired students in the coding education landscape and learn about innovative solutions that promote accessibility and inclusion.
NZSTA Conference 2023
Conference organisers: The Conference Company
Email: nzsta@theconferencecompany.com
Phone: +64 9 360 1240
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