Another WAY COOL week at SRS

Friday....wow what a week!

Today was the last day of the Principals Master Class, where I have been presenting on Building Capacity.  All the people here took really good care of me and I learn't a lot from them too.  

 These are some of the Principals that were attending the Masters Class - there were close to 80 Principals there, that lead Catholic Schools under the Diocese of Parramatta.

This is me doing my thing.....

This is me with the other two presenters who spoke at the conference.

Woohoo!! SCORED a Penrith Panthers Jersey....can't wait for Sika Manu to sign it for me!!! Legend.

Now I'm back home in our great country NZ....See you all Monday!

Thursday in Penrith - Sydney - Australia

YES - I am based at the home of the Penrith Panthers team......But I am not here to watch league...I am here presenting at a MASTERS PRINCIPALS CLASS  - where all the principals come to learn. 

But before I had to present - I snuck out to visit a school nearby...Loyola Senior High School.

http://www.loyolamtdruitt.catholic.edu.au/This school was amazing.....it provides education and post high-school education training for students in years 11 & 12 and then beyond...they have hairdressing salon, automotive workshop & a cafe all at school for students to learn in.....good coffee too !!!  

I also learnt a lot about the Jesuit history and met the most polite focused students.  Analise and Karnell were my lovely hosts for the morning - Mangere and Manurewa born!!!!

READ ABOUT THIS STANHOPE

I witnessed HISTORY in the making today.....these students from St Agnes school have done an amazing thing.  As part of their CHALLENGE LEARNING they wanted to do something to help acknowledge and celebrate the Indigenous People of Australia.  They went about finding the correct Indigenous translation for their National Anthem - meet with an elder to get it approved and his blessing to go ahead with it.  They have learnt it and now recorded it so all the other schools in their area can learn and use it.  

Stanhope can you imagine NOT singing our Maori words first ......we have had this happening in NZ for many many years....the Indigenous people here.....not yet! but these students - have started it!!!!  

It made me feel so proud of NZ and NZ Schools and how Maori things are celebrated and just part of our identity as KIWIS

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY

 After looking at my week ahead - I have decided to dedicate my blog this week to.... giving everyone an insight into my role as the principal... and leading learning.

This week the senior managers of the school, went on their leadership retreat.  They visited the Center of Leadership at the University of Auckland and learnt the difference  LEADERS, LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT.

Learning about how the VISION and the MISSION drive even the design of the buildings and what it symbolises.
The shape of the albatross which has the biggest wing span - means that the learning can spread a long way an soar high, to benefit all of NZ.

http://www.business.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/about/our-research/bs-research-institutes-and-centres/new-zealand-leadership-institute

Leaders learning how to work together.....look familiar student leaders???

Mrs Bristow & Mrs Allfrey enjoying the view.

Mrs Douglas demonstrating a Nuiean Queen Warrior dance.

Shhhhhhhh Professional Reading Time for the leaders

Passport.....boarding pass.... Im off to Australia - tune in Thursday to find out what I'm doing in Sydney!

Monday - it was a RAIN ON & RAIN OFF sort of day today... BUT I found SUNFLOWERS everywhere in Room 3.  

Thanks to our wonderful senior WET DAY MONITORS ...!

Looks who is back from the other side of the world !!! YAY