Principals_Report_02_April_2009

							                               Principal’s Report

                                  02 April 2009


1.     General

Appended is a brief report on the visit to our school by Nicky Kendall and Steve
Penney from the James Brindley School, Birmingham, UK and the subsequent
journey to Perth and visit to the Hospital Services School Department of
Education and Training, Western Australia.

I am convinced that this is the beginning of a close professional relationship that
will endure and be of considerable benefit to all parties.

Visit by Kingslea Board of Trustees
On 16 March we were visited by Tina Lomax and her Board Chair together with
representatives from CYFS and Ministry of Social Development. Kingslea is
interested in developing a transition centre similar to the facility we have here for
the transitioning of former inmates of Te Puna Wai. The Board was interested to
get some ideas on design and concept for such a centre which would be years
away and will not be built unless it can be established to the same sort of
standard that we enjoy in this facility.

The Virtual Learning Network
On the 17th March I travelled to Wellington for a day with the Learning Network
people from the Ministry of Education and my mentor Principal colleagues
working on the submission to the Minister for a continuation and enhancement of
the VLN. The proposal is entitled “Connecting our People with our Future through
Education”. There is a more optimistic air in Wellington as the new government
settles in and the doom and gloom that seemed to surround the future of the VLN
has all but gone.

Annual Targets

I will table suggestions for 2009 Board targets and 2008 target reports at the
meeting.




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Youth Day Programme Lunch
On the 23rd March we hosted about a dozen stakeholders working at the Youth
Day Programme and at Whakatata House at Cardale House. Thanks to Lisa and
Frances for organizing that event. I am sure that we have gained much improved
relationships with both stakeholders.

Performance Agreement
I met with Anna Tutton, Chris Bridges and Murray Strong on the afternoon of the
23rd March to discuss my Performance Agreement and am very pleased with the
progress made and the direction in which we are moving to ensure that our
students gain the highest quality educational experiences available to them.
Relevant emails attached.

SPANZ Symposium
On Sunday 29th March I travel to Hamilton for the Secondary Principals
Association of New Zealand (SPANZ) Annual Conference. This is a valuable
opportunity to network with Principals and I have attached the programme for
your information. I return from the Conference on Wednesday 1st April.

New Zealand Translation Service
During my time in Wellington the New Zealand Translation Service will be using
my office and the video-conferencing equipment as part of their accreditation
process for translators from various ethnic groups that have been trained in
Christchurch. The quid pro quo for same is that each of the interpreters has
offered to speak at our professional development sessions about particular
aspects of their ethnicity which may impinge on our work with children. There are
about 10 different ethnicities represented.

Board Meetings
Our next meeting is being held on the 8th May in Invercargill, the organization of
which is almost complete. I would like to host a future Canterbury Secondary
Principals’ meeting at Cardale House.
I then propose hosting a meeting of the Primary Principals’ executive.

A further meeting (involving the Board?) would be of principals’ nominees –
specifically targeting guidance counselors and deans

By having these meetings earlier in the year our goal of reaching out will be
better realised.

General Comment
We are settling well into the year, the roll is increasing and people are going
about their work in a business-like and professional manner.


Chris Parsons
Principal


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2.     2007 Operations – Reporting
Attached

3.     Recommendations/Ratifications

4.     Appendices
           (i)    Staffing use
           (ii)   Roll data

Chris Parsons
Principal




                          Deputy Principals’ Reports

Helen Mantell

eTap
The ILP section of eTap is now fully functioning. I have spent time training staff
and they are now beginning to produce ILP’s from this system.

Perth Visit
The visit to Hospital School Services in Perth was extremely worthwhile in terms
of comparing practice both there and with that of James Brindley School in
Birmingham. There were a number of similarities and differences between the
schools, but by the end of the week I felt that we in New Zealand do the job
extremely well. Some points of interest for me were:
Home teaching: JBS have lots of students who stay on the roll a long time. HSS
have few students at home. We fit between with the large emphasis on transition.
Specialist Teachers: By using part time teachers and economies of scale, both
JBS and HSS are able to provide specialist teachers to most students.
Liaison Teachers: HSS have teachers that may not teach. Their role is to work
with schools to find strategies for teachers to keep students, usually mental
health, at school.
Clear professional boundaries: HSS teachers will talk to schools only about the
education of their students. In meetings with schools, a health team member is
present to answer questions related to health.
Mental Health: All 3 schools have increasing numbers of mental health students.
HSS would only be teaching these students in CAMHS run programmes. In the


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units we visited, they appeared to have students with very high needs who would
be in the programme short term, often with the requirement that parents be
committed to attending meetings (relationship counseling, parenting skills, etc).
At JBS, although there were similar units, a high needs mental health student
could be taught at home.
Relationship between Health and Education: HSS have brokered a Memorandum
of Understanding between Health and Education at the highest level and have
Service Protocols with each of the CAMHS teams they work with.
Enrollment: HSS have brokered a change to schools enrollment requirements to
ensure responsibility for education of sick students, remains with the school.
There is a lot to digest, investigate and eventually use to improve our practice
and I look forward to continuing to work with JBS and HSS.
 I would like to thank the Board for the opportunity to be part of the visit, which
has been excellent professional development. Thank you.

Mental Health Liaison
On Monday 23 March we hosted staff from the Youth Day Programme,
Whakatata House and the Psychologist from the children’s wards at Christchurch
Hospital. It was an opportunity for us to meet them and for them to understand
where and how we work.

Mid Year PD Days
We are proposing to have two days of Professional Development on 23 rd & 24th
July. A dinner for staff and Board is planned for the 23rd.

Liana Johnston

DUNEDIN
The Dunedin roll has 10 students at present, 6 at YSS, 3 at MYDP and 1
community based.

YSS Day Programme
As reported by Kate, there are currently 6 students at

Dunedin Hospital
Despite increased numbers of patients at the hospital at present, there are none
that have been eligible to be admitted to our roll. Kate has continued to visit the
nursing staff and play specialists weekly to ensure a continued awareness of our
presence. Kate provided a well planned information presentation about SRHS
role and admission criteria, to the new nursing staff. Frequently students are in
and out of hospital so quickly that it could potentially be very easy to “miss”
eligible students if it were not for the assistance of the nurses and play specialists
keeping us informed.

MYDP
Three students are attending the MYDP this term and fortunately so, given some
of the extreme learning needs of two of the students. These students are likely to

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continue next term with additional students being added. This will make the
teaching there very interesting as the very low literacy and numeracy skills of
some students make them hugely dependent on teacher time. An interesting
challenge. Maybe some peer tutoring?
There has been a new social worker appointed to work at this programme.

Community
The one Dunedin community student is a long term year one student from 2008.
It is interesting to note that all of our students this term have come from both Day
Programmes. No school or hospital referrals.

Staff
It is fantastic to have Kate appointed as a permanent teacher. Her enthusiasm
and passion for teaching is directly reflected in the exciting lessons and
environment she creates for her students. We regularly meet to work on her
Induction and her Advice and Guidance programme which will see her work
toward gaining full teacher registration.

Teaching Kits
Given the lower student numbers earlier in the term Kate and I identified the
need for “Grab it and go” units on topics frequently required by our students e.g.
telling time, place value, fractions, decimals & percentages and healthy eating.
We have been collating resources and developing these units in addition to
totally reorganising the office to make everything more easily accessible.

INVERCARGILL
Invercargill has 9 students at present all of whom are community based and most
of whom have been referred via the hospital.

PYS
There continues to be no students at this programme. But both Valerie and I
have continued to have contact with the Senior Team Leader. I plan to visit the
new Residential Unit next week.

Invercargill Visit
I have a planned visit to Invercargill for 31 March. During this time we will work
on ILPs in eTap and I will visit the new PYS residential unit.


eTap
It is great to have this up and running. I have been entering Curriculum plans for
our teachers and will continue to do so. This has been a great way to really get to
know my way around the programme.


Liana Johnston
Deputy Principal Otago and Southland


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