Outreach Support and Collaboration

Yesterday, the Principal Convenors of the Outreach Clusters met in Auckland at Edmund Hillary School. They come together about once a term to receive the assistance of the Manaiakalani leadership. These meetings move around the the clusters and yesterday was Kootuitui's turn. There is a lot of serious talking to be done in a day, as well as a little socialising on the night of arrival, but it is a pity that the group do not have longer to visit one or two of the other schools in the cluster being visited. Principals have travelled a long way from the West Coast, Christchurch and Northland and yet they only get to meet the staff and students of one school.

Principals from the Ako Hiko Cluster (above) and the Hornby
Cluster (below) address the students at Edmund Hillary School.

Another thought I have was that there could be some benefit from the other principals of the cluster being visited meeting with this group. These people do not have to travel far and could perhaps spare an hour or two participating in one section of the Convenors' Forum. A form of leadership development or at least a session involving a wider number of the school leaders who have opted into the outreach programme. There could be huge benefits to offering a part of the Leadership
Forum day to all school leaders
when the forum visits their cluster.

A third thought from yesterday is that no secondary principals were present. I think there is an issue that all the Principal Convenors are from the primary sector.  In NZ, it is a disadvantage for our children that in our system the sectors are separated and that primary teachers and principals don't have a full understanding of how secondary schools work and vice versa. Secondary schools are different and need to be represented at the leadership level. In fact, the need for secondary school participation is nowhere more plain than for one of the clusters which does not have a secondary school member. Our children all pass through primary and secondary school within their educational lives and therefore secondary schools must be brought on board as full participants.

Thanks to Raina for hosting a lovely karakia with the delightful students of EHS, and for organising class visits, morning tea and "meet the staff" at the school.