Springboard Trust - Learning Event

1. Anne Milne -
Equity is not the end game - sovereignty is.  Recognise the white spaces in education, in a classrooms.  Call it what it is. Recognise white privilege.
Anne refuses to call Communities of Learning (CoLs) Kāhui Ako - giving something a Māori name doesn't make it good for Māori. 
'success and achievement as Māori' - what does this mean?
Local curriculum design - who will this be relevant to?
Rather than culturally responsive, aim to be culturally sustaining. 
It was interesting that Ann put PB4L, Resilience and Growth Mindset into a 'liberal empowerment model' - where movement towards the 'white core' is facilitated if you play by the rules - rather than changing the rules. 
We need to be aiming for cultural pluralism - wider than literacy and numeracy, where our Māori learners can see themselves.
It was much to hear and think about.  One think I will take away to start is to keep having conversations with my own children about concepts such as 'white privilege' and that we are aware of our own 'whiteness'.  Maybe also calling it when we see it - like the time I heard the coach at the rugby club disrespecting some Māori and Pasifika kids - I should have spoken up.  Speak up when we hear people pronouncing children's names incorrectly.

This is something I will need to have sitting in my head for a while to think more about what else is next and how this can apply to our space.





2. Peter Fa'afiu - Leadership in a Diverse World

Peter was at our school last year as a Duffy Role Model.  He's currently Board Director of Amnesty International.  He spoke of the importance of diversity and equity in organisations - survey staff and clients, ensure training is in place, ensure diversity and equity is in strategic planning, ensure it is sustainable.
Importance of clarity and decisiveness and letting go of what we can't control.
Our youth's role models are global - not local.
Local context, global impact.

3. Stephanie Tawha - Principal - spoke of how her Kahui Ako connected with and empowered whānau.  It was interesting to consider what could be done by a Kahui Ako that maybe couldn't be done by a school alone - even if just in the numbers and the broader representation of community.  They had a whānau co-design team that initially met at a 'special place' (restaurant) with minimal staff present and those staff that were there were as manaakitanga - to help serve food etc. 
If we ask for our whānau's voice - we must be prepared to activate it.

4. Brainwave Trust - again reiterated importance of relationships for our students. of safety.
'7 c's' - competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping, control

5.John Hunte and Rach O'Donnell from Glenavon School (approx 300 students) - Whānau engagement, successful transitions.
As a school - consider our why (purpose), how (process) and what (result).
Ensure new families are given key information about our school and expectations (e.g. maybe around importance of attendance).
Formalise enrolment: They shared their flow chart illustrating student enrolment/induction process which made things clear and a next step for us is to create one for Park Estate. 
Formalise communication: This is another smart idea - they've plotted out their communication strategy.  John and Rach emphasised the importance of having key messages that all staff are 'fluent' in and it gets out into the comunity.  John called it something like BBQ talk - so if any of their staff were asked why Glenavon?  There are 4 key messages to share (in their case; seamless education from year 3-8, authentic community feel, high quality opportunities and resources for students and a 'friendly place for kids, staff and community).  They strategically plan for and ensure these messages are getting out into the community.  Apparently this has made a big difference to community perceptions about their school.