26 June 2020

Post date: Jun 26, 2020 12:26:35 AM

This week it's a homage to our Worser Bay School team!

I've been thinking this week how fortunate I am to lead a team that 'practice what we preach!' We knew we were going into a tricky year space wise, we knew that we would have to change things around, breathe in and make the best of.... no point focusing on what we can't change.

So we made a very deliberate move to concentrate on all those things within our means of control and influence - and there is plenty of scope in this realm!

Then - the world changed for a while - and our staff didn't just 'cope' with the change.... they excelled!

I see this time and time again. I get told this by you, our parents as well.... so I'm not dreaming it all up! Just this week, another email "I have thanked the teachers but I truly believe I cannot express how grateful I am for all the work and support implemented during those times and want to praise the whole team again for taking it all in their stride."

If we want to keep moving the school forward, do the best by our children, whānau, colleagues, we have no choice but to 'live it' and put our best foot forward. We won't always get it right - none of us will - but as long as we demonstrate tenacity in the mission!

In this flexible environment, we need to have staff who can manage surprises "Sorry - you can't teach your class today, # is sick, # is on a course, # is doing parent catch ups..... so you will need to go there, you will need to change to that group, and you will have to pull a genie out of a bottle!" That's what life can be like on any given day! (Actually, that was Thursday last week in that dreadful rain!) But - because our staff know all the children, have strong relationships across the school..... the ship could sail, sail forth on a calm-ish sea - with plenty of collaboration and a 'can do' attitude!

We have agreed ways of working as a staff:

• • Talk straight, listen hard

  • Assume good intent

  • Share the load

  • Be solutions focused

  • Openness to change

  • Test each other's thinking

  • Demonstrate a Growth Mindset

At every team planning day, these are held up in bright lights, quarterly, and we measure ourselves against them. Kids love the fact we have goals too.

The big goal right now is to wind up to the last day of Term 2, end on a high and feel like we are on a roll and have accomplished great things in the first half of 2020.

So from me - to the team - thank you for your mahi, for your care and your aroha.