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- President’s Report:
- NSWPPA Schools for Schools Initiative:
- COVID Pandemic:
- Membership of the NSW Primary Principals’ Association:
- The Business of the Association:
- Term 1 State Council Meeting:
- Primary Principal Council Meetings:
- New Build Principal Induction:
- NSWPPA emails being sent to junk.
- Bright Spots for your Consideration:
- And finally…..
As Term 1 2022 comes to a close..
Good afternoon colleagues,
I stand in awe of the work of the NSW Principalship, your leadership teams, and your staff to achieve all you have this term. It is all credit to you for leading as you have. 11 weeks this term! Each of you has a narrative that really needs to be recorded for future reflection.
I reflect on 2021 and I think we could have hand on heart said we made it through that and were optimistic for a different 2022. Alas the past 11 weeks have been another challenge in more ways than one: the COVID cycle, cohorts learning from home, staffing crisis, programs being paused, flood waters, relocations and extensive clean ups, the sheer workflow across our desks, IER reform, Curriculum implementation and many a site specific issue. It is indeed miraculous; we can all proudly say it is Week 11 and Term 1 is drawing to a close.
For many in our flood impacted areas the work at home and in communities continues. Schools identified by Health and Safety have been connected to the hundreds of schools who stepped up to support colleague Principals, their staff, students and communities. Big hearts and much generosity. This initiative captures the essence of being known, valued and cared for. The connections made during the recovery period this year and next will be long standing and treasured. Schools really are the fabric of society and YOU have much to be proud of.
NSWPPA Schools for Schools Initiative:
Schools for Schools | Principals for Principals | Staff for Staff | Students for Students | Communities for Communities
The NSWPPA Initiative: Schools for Schools emails were sent yesterday to Principals / coordinating Executive or designated teachers from the admin@nswppa.org.au account. Please check your ’junk’ or 'other' inbox if you didn’t receive it.
The ravaging destruction our communities have experienced has been hard to comprehend. Last week again, the flood waters returned. Evacuations and another clean-up for many again.
Our hearts go out to everyone impacted. It is with the greatest respect I acknowledge the courage, resilience, clarity, purpose and selflessness of our colleagues during this time. It has been inspiring and incredibly heart-warming to see colleagues reaching out to one another and standing alongside them with such strength.
This initiative has been strongly supported by schools across the state. Some 345 schools are supporting 97 flood impacted schools | staff | students and communities. THANK YOU to those of you who have been hosting amazing fundraisers and initiatives with your school community. It truly is a tribute to the culture of your schools and the acknowledgement you have afforded the education community.
I have liaised strongly with Deputy Secretaries, DEL’s, ED’s and PSL’s in the areas impacted. I have spoken to and heard from many of our colleagues who have personally and professionally been impacted – schools lost, homes lost, families relocated, loss of businesses, loss of staff’s treasured resources, schools with significant damage, isolation, relocating as well as the trauma the flood has caused for entire communities.
Health and Safety provided the NSWPPA with a list of schools impacted and the ED’s talked me through the scope of impact. We have supported schools in Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 according to the advice. Impacted communities are ready for us to reach out to them.
The Department will manage the replacement of assets. For some, this will take time as rebuilds will need to happen. The Department will replace the requirements to set up a school.
Our initiative is about people – Principals, Staff, Students and Communities.
Every community will have different needs. It is the Principal of the school that will determine the need of their communities. As I have said before, the best support we can offer is to transfer our fundraising contributions to the school we have been allocated. Principals will provision the funds according to the need presenting to their community. These colleagues are incredibly grateful for and humbled by your support.
I’ve discussed many ways the funds could be used, not limited to but could include:
- School canteen |morning tea| lunch for students relocated
- School uniform| shoes for students
- Excursion payments during 2022|23
- Morning teas |BBQ for communities |staff |families
- Coles | Woolworths vouchers for groceries for community |staff
- Allocate funds to teachers who have lost all personal resources
- Employ additional staff to set up systems and structures as schools are reopened
- Wellbeing initiatives for staff and students
THIS is a bright spot to celebrate the gift of offering and yielding – reaching out and connecting, accepting help when it is offered. It is also about lessons in life – how to show respect, kindness and care towards students, staff and communities across NSW.
A HUGE thank you to the NSWPPA Business Manager Lisa Beare for her INCREDIBLE work matching schools and fielding requests and enquiries. Invaluable work for the Association.
We have all been managing the cycle of COVID both in our schools and at home. The impact has seen many schools needing to split classes, park programs, return to cohorts learning from home and face daily disruption to school routines. Schools have however been the shining light in every community across NSW.
Membership of the NSW Primary Principals’ Association:
We have welcomed many newly appointed Principals to the Principalship. I encourage PPC Presidents and Delegates to follow up with new and relieving Principals to join the Association using the salary deduction form.
Once you have emailed back your membership form to admin@nswppa.org.au please look out for an email from noreply@schoolzineplus.com. This will enable you to personalise your account. A lot of information is behind the login and not available on the public facing page.
The business of the Association is reported by Delegates at local PPC meetings. The voice of the Principalship is put forward by the PPC Delegates and taken to the appropriate DoE personnel.
The Business of the Association:
The work of the NSWPPA Executive, Chairperson and Reference Group members along with the work YOU did with your PPC’s in relation to the Inclusive, Engaging and Respectful Schools Strategy has ENSURED our Association have been ‘in the room’ every opportunity we’ve had. We have successfully created the space for professional learning and resourcing to be set up ready for schools to access. Our voice has been valued and heard. There is however MUCH to achieve this term – the work begins on how we ensure schools are strongly supported to deliver. We have created time to work collaboratively with personnel leading this reform to ensure the resourcing required is in our schools is accessible and whole of government supports are aligned. We are hopeful we have created the space for our staff to be strongly supported – this is a shared responsibility. As I said the work in this space begins.
The State Council agenda this term was reflected in the quality of the delegates reports across the state. I have to say the guest speakers provided us with clarity and they invested in responding to many questions from colleagues in the room. In planning for Term 2 State Council, we have captured the feedback from those in the room as well as the work that is heading our way. The work of the Chairpersons and their Reference Groups, Standing Committees and Working Parties members is to be noted. Significant heavy lifting is done by these colleagues. Their work is not only covered at their termly meeting but they also invest many hours between these sessions with their Executive Liaisons and myself.
It is timely too for me to acknowledge the work of the NSWPPA State Executive. This term has been extraordinary. We have collectively covered a significant amount of work – the business of the Association has forged ahead and we can be incredibly proud of the footprint we continue to make in representing the voice of primary principals across NSW.
Primary Principal Council Meetings:
Despite competing priorities this term, so many of you were in attendance either in person or via zoom at your Primary Principal Council (PPC) Meetings and Conferences this term which was incredible. The energy in the rooms has been tangible. The agendas your PPC Executives offered were truly fabulous. Thank you to our 43 Delegates who presented the business of the Association at these meetings. YOUR voice matters – the Delegate is your conduit to raising matters and having a voice. It has been exceptional to see so much positive feedback offered.
Likewise, keynote speakers at your Conferences have really personalised the learning and focus of your PPC colleagues. The Executive and I have felt very privileged to be in attendance.
New Build Principal Induction:
Earlier in the week Craig Petersen | SPC President and I attended the New Build Principal Induction forum with the newly appointed Principals, their DELs and their ED’s. Tom Moth |Director Educational Leadership |North West Strategy |School Operations Readiness |Met North School Performance Directorate led the induction. I congratulate these newly appointed colleagues.
Both NSWPPA and NSWSPC have designated Standing Committees for these Principals to access. The NSWPPA Working Party is led by Tracy Anderson | Principal Bayanami PS and I am the Executive Liaison for this group. The membership comprises of Principals currently in new builds or those who have undertaken a rebuild. If you are wanting further information from the Association, please reach out to Tracy via email tracy.anderson@det.nsw.edu.au
NSWPPA emails being sent to junk.
It seems that a number of emails coming from the NSWPPA are going to your junk email boxes. We are working with the department on this however it is a good idea to check your junk emails and put the following domains on your safe senders list.
@schoolzineplus.com (noreply@schoolzine.com and nswppa@schoolzine.com)
@nswppa.org.au (admin@nswppa.org.au)
@cvent.com (this is the email domain for our Professional learning bookings)
This should mean that your NSWPPA emails will land in your inbox. If you have your focused and other inboxes on they will probably then go to you others.
For more information on your inboxes and safe senders you can find it on the department’s email personalisation page.
Bright Spots for your Consideration:
Please note these dates in your diary for the start of term 2…details will head your way at the start if term 2…
Coming soon:
FLOURISH Master Class: Save the date: Friday 29 July (hybrid model)
The NSWPPA Anxiety Project: EOI for schools Term 2 Week 2 - information release.
I want you to take a minute to reflect and magnify your wins this term and your successes. Never underestimate the strength of the Principalship. It is the courage and resilience you have within you that’s been the difference. We need to acknowledge the chronic disruption we have experienced in our schools and despite that our workforce has simply risen and there is much to celebrate. Our workforce has held the line and exemplified making the impossible possible.
It is, however, time to pause, breathe, step away and rest. Recovery will come when we allow ourselves the time and space to do so. Please focus on you – close the gate on Friday afternoon and take a breath – you have been the difference this term. Let the well-deserved break rejuvenate you – reconnect with family and friends and be present. Let’s hope we see sunshine and spend time laughing and enjoying the company of others.
We can’t predict what term 2 will look like but we do know we will have a heavy workload. We also know we are agile, and we make a difference. We are stronger together.
It is now time to look after ourselves for a sustained period of time.
On behalf of the NSWPPA Executive – Rob Walker, Bob Willetts, Michael Burgess, Jude Hayman, Trish Peters, Norma Petrocco, Michael Trist, Stuart Wylie, Greg McLaren, Gregory Grinham, Mark Pritchard, Lisa Beare and Margaret Charlton, I acknowledge and appreciate your incredible work this term, personally and professionally and wish you all the very best as we head into a much deserved break.
Robyn
Robyn Evans
NSWPPA President