Back to school and down to business

I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks.  I've been busy settling into the new school year.  Planning, preparing, updating my first aid certificate and setting up systems and practices for my team so that we have a great year with a focus on the best outcomes for all the children in our classes.  I have a pretty new team this year at school and we are charged with making sure that our youngest students have the best possible start to school.  New Entrant teaching takes really special people and I am really lucky to have a bunch of amazing teachers this year.  Their classrooms are busy and active and the wee people starting school this year are going to have a great start to their school journey.

New Entrant children on an outing in 2016

I don't have a classroom - I joke that I swan around looking important and playing with bits of paper.  In reality my role is extremely varied, challenging and rewarding.  One of my key roles as Deputy Principal is that of SENCO (special education needs coordinator).  This role sees me working alongside children, teachers, parents and outside agencies to support children who are having challenges at school.  I deal with issues as varied as helping parents with children who cling and cry at the beginning of the school day to working with multiple agencies for children with specific learning or behaviour difficulties who need specialist programmes and support to have success at school.  I also run some programmes that support the work that teachers are doing in classrooms to accelerate learning for students in literacy and mathematics.

My other main role is to support the Principal.  Goldfields is very lucky to have a hard working and passionate principal in Sharon Booth.  She has driven the success of our school over the last ten years.  She takes things in her stride and has managed the challenges of rapid roll growth that include building projects and increased staffing as well as the many challenges of an ever changing set of expectations and demands put on schools and teachers.  She amazingly still finds time to study and to be actively involved in the community as a Rotarian and a member of the Cromwell Youth Trust.  Sharon is a true example of a commitment to life long learning.  I will probably get told off for singing her praises in this public forum - I'm prepared to take that risk.

The Cromwell Museum

I am also getting on with my role on the Cromwell Community Board.  I am the Community Board liaison on the Cromwell Museum trust.  I attended my first monthly meeting at the end of January.  I was really impressed by the enthusiasm and passion of the committee.  They are a very focused group looking at ways to continually improve and enhance the museum for locals and visitors.  They have several great projects in the wings that include background tasks, the day to day running of the museum and new initiatives.  They are well underway with website development.  They work really effectively with Te Papa and the Otago Museum to make the best use of advice, guidance and practical help that these organisations offer.  They also have some great ideas for future developments, exhibitions and activities that will involve our community.  The Cromwell Museum had an incredible 1900 visitors in January - wow!  I feel really privileged to work alongside Edith and her team as a Community Board member.  If you haven't wandered into the centre of The Mall for a look at the museum it is probably time you did.

My other liaison role for the Community Board is with the Cromwell Youth Trust.  Their meeting is this week.  I know that the trust has been actively promoting activities for our young people over the summer - the photos that have appeared on Facebook have shown fun outings and activities.  I am looking forward to getting to know the people behind this organisation and to find out more about the trust, how it operates and the plans they have to engage with Cromwell Youth into the future.

The Cromwell Community Board met yesterday.  The third meeting for the Board that was elected in October 2016.  Our meeting was attended by about 30 community members who came to support past Board member Helen Hucklebridge as she presented a petition from 885 Cromwell residents and rate payers in regard to the refurbishment of the Cromwell Memorial Hall.  There is so much apathy surrounding the activities of local government, so it was great to see a community wanting to get involved in an issue.  Helen and Odette Hopgood-Bride decided to make a call for action and I think that the number of signatories and the number of support people in chambers was a surprise to many on the Board and in the community.  Our debate was robust and interesting (some community members present might not agree that it was interesting), new ideas were presented and the logistics and processes were carefully considered.  As a board we are charged with making the best decision with the information we have available.  We have members of the Council management team on hand to clarify processes and details.  We don't all agree with each other and we don't all see things from the same perspective, but when it comes down to it we are a team and we will work together with a decision that becomes a decision of The Board.  Our next meeting is March 7th.