Week 8 - Wins of the Week

 Week 8 - Wins of the Week

I've just finished off my contributions to the Principal's Report in anticipation of our next meeting on Monday 20/9 and upon reflection I am really delighted with how much we have achieved in Lockdown.  We haven't missed a beat!  

I participated in an International Forum last night on Coaching and Wellbeing and one of the topics was what are we grateful for in Lockdown.  I love crossing off outstanding tasks from my 'To Do Lists' and I've been fortunate to be able to attend to a number of tasks - Professional Growth Cycle Review, Induction/Onboarding, Local Curriculum Development (to name just a few).  Super important tasks, that in the business of a normal working week often get pushed aside attending to the here and now!  

On a personal front this family time is amazing and it's a considerably slower pace for my busy household.  We've changed around our routines over the past two weeks and have incorporated a family fitness challenge (squats, press ups, sit ups etc...).  I could barely get off the couch for a week! In addition I am stoked that Sean has taken the time to start guitar lessons for my girls (Jaime and Lily).  Lily initially didn't engage with much enthusiasm but we had a conversation about the process of learning and what it means to be teachable!  As is often the way Lily is coming around to the idea and is enjoying the one on one time with her dad.  

My wins of the week 

1#  The Disconnect-Ed Day we have implemented to support staff and student wellbeing is going down a treat with everyone.  Me included! It gives me an opportunity in the week to slow down the pace of all the Google Meets and to have some catch up time - for things like blog posts :-)

2#  I really enjoyed the Six60 Pepeha Singing we did yesterday with Paulette.  I always love Te Wiki o te Reo Māori week and any opportunity to improve my Reo. I really enjoy that this time of year brings about a whole lot of new video, music, apps and games in te reo. Yesterday Ms Paulette Corbett supported our staff with learning Six60’s newest single, Pepeha, which has taken off this week! It’s attracted major radio play and is now sitting at 17th in the top 40 singles chart. The bi-lingual track is a great way to learn both about pepeha, (the connections Māori use to introduce themselves) and it also repeats the chorus in both English and Māori – so is easy to follow.Check out Jeira, who created and shared this video of her engaged in the whakarongo Wero.

3# Stay Interviews. For the last 6 or 7 years I have engaged annually in Stay Interviews with staff at each of the schools I have been Principal at. These are a fairly time intensive process as I meet with the staff in a one on one situation. I use a really simple framework that I read about in a Harvard article one day. It's called the SKS model - suggestions for things we should STOP (S) at NWS, things we should KEEP (K), and ideas/projects/initiatives we could consider STARTING (S). It's always a super rewarding and fascinating process as you get insights into individual teachers perspectives and the schools next steps.

Roll on Week 9 and hopefully our last week of Lockdown!