Principals engage

Principals from throughout the country took part in a three day conference in Wellington late last month that was aimed at engaging them in a number of important aspects of their career.

The ‘Engaging in Wellington’ conference began with a speech by secretary for education Karen Sewell. Participants then engaged with the New Zealand Curriculum through keynote speaker, Australian education and learning consultant, Dr Julia Atkin.

Engaging with the curriculum (Julia Atkins presentation)

A workshop was held to discuss the various aspects of engaging different types of students and a speech was given by PPTA president Kate Gainsford.

NZCER chief researcher Cathy Wylie spoke to principals about a number of issues including moraleand stress levels, staffing, and funding concerns. Delegates rounded up the first day with a dinner with minister of education Anne Tolley at Parliament.

The principals engaged with schools through a series of site visits and heard about working with communities through a presentation by district court judge John Walker.

They engaged with bureaucracy though a panel discussion featuring NZQA deputy CEO Bali Haque, New Zealand Teachers’ Council director Peter Lind, Dr Carol Mutch, Associate Director of the School of Professional Development at the Christchurch College of Education, Ministry of Education group manager Mary Chamberlain and Edgewater College
principal Allan Vester.

The conference wrapped up with a speech on engaging leaders by chief executive and secretary of foreign affairs and trade John Allen.