Monday 16 February 2015

$4.6m School and Year Start grants already paid – deadline soon 

Anne Tolley | Social Development

More than 9,500 children have received assistance for the start of the school year with grants worth nearly $4.65 million being paid to wider family members caring for children, says Anne Tolley, Minister for Social Development. “With the school year beginning, we recognise family carers can do with a little extra help to buy essentials like uniforms and stationery, or other necessities to help children settle into a new school year. ...

Speech to Trans-Tasman Business Circle, Auckland

Hekia Parata | Education

Thank you Alison Harrison for that introduction. I’m delighted to be here talking to you as business leaders, but also as parents, and people invested in the future of our country. Ours is a small nation with a far reach and big ambitions – and the full realisation of those ambitions relies on ensuring that we have a highly skilled workforce and well qualified New Zealanders. ...

Clawing back that school donation

Stuff.co.nz
Parents can be named and shamed in the school newsletter, and students cop it too. Some schools have even refused to sell ball tickets to teens whose parents haven't paid, or cancelled other privileges. Don't let the knuckle-dragging debt-collector ...

Turn donations into fees - Grammar principal

Stuff.co.nz
The principal of one of New Zealand's most elite public colleges is calling for a compulsory school fee. Auckland Grammar School principal Tim O'Connor has written to the Ministry of Education, appealing for it to change the system and let state ...

Fee paying education not in our interests

Scoop.co.nz
Fee paying education not in our interests. Dr Liz Gordon, QPEC spokesperson andeducational researcher, today argued against proposals being aired in the media to allow state schools to charge fees. “In 1877, in the middle of a long recession, New ...

Deputy PM aids American's plan for NZ school 'revolution'

An American equity fund manager who wants to open charter schools in New Zealand was introduced to Ngai Tahu leaders by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bill English.Hong Kong-based Marc Holtzman plans to open charter...

John Paul wants more Maori enrolments

New Zealand Herald
"Our current school roll is sitting at 17 per cent Maori, which is not reflective of the population of Rotorua. "John Paul College caters for all our students and we would love to see more Maori families consider us as an option for their child's ...

Private school 'failed' our autistic son

Stuff.co.nz
The organisation which runs Mt Hobson, Villa Education Trust, is also facing fresh controversy over another of its schools, West Auckland Middle School. Principal James Haggett resigned following Sunday Star-Times revelations he had left Auckland...

Troubled schools sharing same site

Stuff.co.nz
Post-Primary Teachers' Association president Angela Roberts said it appeared the Government was trying to "just keep a lid on" what was happening with charter schools in West Auckland. ... Protesters storm National Party fundraising event · New Zealand ...

Kerre McIvor: The big lesson - losing happens

I was disappointed to read in this paper last week that the Howick Pakuranga Principals' Association is introducing a Fair Play Charter to East Auckland primary schools.Not that I don't think playing fair is an important lesson...

School pleads for return to former site

Stuff.co.nz
The school was returning to pre-earthquake enrolment levels, and neighbouringschools had no capacity for extras, it said. "There is an overwhelming level of support for us to return to our original site, with the correct protection measures in place.".

Million-dollar makeover for Mangere school

3News NZ
Koru School's 27 classrooms are being replaced with 31 new ones and there will be a new library, administration building and hall. "Koru School has faced significant issues resulting from leaky and ageing buildings, and this investment will ensure the ...
$20.5m redevelopment for Koru School Mangere

Turning my back on teaching

Stuff.co.nz
I loved being in the classroom, and there's evidence that I was a pretty good teacher, but I worked too hard. Planning, assessing, marking, coaching sport, managing a form class; all with the expectations of hundreds of parents hanging over my head ...

Principal resigns over exam probe two weeks after new charter school opens

The principal of a new charter school has resigned, less than two weeks after the institution opened, while he is investigated by the Teachers Council over exam entries.A former deputy principal of Auckland Grammar has replaced...

Education and charity sector worry about cost of police checks

Schools and charitable organisations say that a proposed law which would see them pay for police checks could cost them thousands of dollars a year, leaving them to choose between footing the bill or not having volunteers checked. With Peter Reynolds, Chief Executive of the Early Childhood Council and Helga Sonier Engagment and Communications advisor for the Blind Foundation.