2018 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards
The Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards are now open. There are four awards categories: Excellence in Engaging, Excellence in Leading, Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and Excellence in Governing. Plus, this year’s Focus Prize celebrates outstanding inclusive practices that enable all children and young people with additional learning needs to succeed.
Entries close 5pm, Friday 23 March 2018.
Catholic Youth Festival 2-3 December 2017
The Aotearoa Catholic Youth Festival, hosted by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, takes place in Auckland on the weekend of 2-3 December 2017.
Festival organisers expect over 500 young people to attend.
http://catholicyouthfestival.nz
https://www.facebook.com/catholicyouthfestival.nz
NZCEO’s Speaker Series – Oranga Tamariki CEO Speaks
NZCEO’s final speaker, Gráinne Moss, talked about the Ministry for Vulnerable Children Oranga Tamariki, https://www.mvcot.govt.nz/ and its work. This presentation will be available on the NZCEO website in the New Year.
Gráinne spoke about the setting up of Oranga Tamariki, its work to date, the crucial involvement of young people in shaping the vision and values of the organisation and the importance of VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai or ‘Voice of the Young and Care Experienced – Listen to Me’, a the independent connection and advocacy service for care experienced children and young people, established on 1 April. See https://www.voyce.org.nz/
Answering a question about her message to schools, Gráinne suggested: find out about children in care in your school, give them special attention, plan for their needs, and stay connected – if you discover they are shifting let your social worker know – they may hear it first from you; try really hard not to use exclusion as children who are not in schooling tend to make little progress in their journey to competent adulthood; if you are not getting the services and support you need from your social worker raise this with Oranga Tamariki (email the CEO if necessary), and if you are getting good service let them know that too; prioritise disadvantaged children for leadership roles, and watch them grow!
Cans for Christmas
This project has united Catholic primary and secondary schools in the Auckland diocese from 2015, when to 4000+ cans were collected, to this year, when 19,000 cans were collected, with two Wellington schools now included. See www.cans4christmas.com.