Newsletter
Kia ora koutou,
We hope you managed to get some spring sunshine on you, spend time with whānau, friends and recharge the batteries?
We know that schools/kura have been, and continue to, provide a safe sanctuary for our ākonga during this time of uncertainty. It seems like it has been a very long year for everyone. Our RTLB are always mindful of the wellbeing of kaiako and aim to make our partnership a positive and effective one where you feel empowered and well supported. Thank you for continuing to welcome our team into your schools/kura. We value the trusting relationships we build with you and your staff.
Vision: To ensure success for all ākonga through collaboration and inclusive education.
He waka eke noa
Mission: We strengthen and empower kaiako to enhance educational outcomes.
Overview of newsletter content:
- Staffing
- RTLB Support in term 4
- RTLB Professional Learning
- Teacher aide rate (LSF) update
- In-Class Support (ICS)
- He Pikorua-New framework
- Incredible Years Training (IYT)
- Teacher Aide PLD at the beginning of 2021
- Compliments & Complaints
Staffing
We have a stable staff and are fully staffed to support your schools/kura.
We are excited that Kim Jarvis has returned to us on a part-time basis and will continue to be part of our team in Term 4 and through into 2021.
We have very reluctantly accepted Martin Van der Kley’s resignation at the end of this year. He will be focused on his retirement and will enjoy the slower pace of life. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Martin for his 20+ years of RTLB service and the many ākonga and kaiako he has positively impacted over this time. His wealth of knowledge and experience along with generosity of care will be greatly missed.
New Staff for 2021
We are very excited to announce 3 new appointments to our Te Paeroa RTLB team for 2021.
Fiona Barnes-Permanent Position
Fiona is currently the Team Leader of Y0-2 at Linwood Avenue School. She comes with a leadership lens and believes first and foremost in developing safe and trusting relationships with students. Fiona has a strong focus on literacy (structured literacy and an ex reading recovery teacher) and also Te Ao Māori. She is currently studying at the Wananga to further her knowledge.
Anne Batchelor-Permanent Position
Anne is currently the team leader of Year 5&6 at Beckenham Te kura o Pūroto
She comes with a strong lens of Te Ao Māori and has been an Across School Teacher in Culturally Responsive Practice in the Dunstan Kāhui Ako in Central Otago prior to being at Te kura o Pūroto.
Jane Morrison-1 year Fixed Term Position
Jane is currently the Team Leader of Year 1-4 at Heathcote Valley School. She is a PB4L coach in her school and has vast experience of supporting, modelling and coaching teachers. Jane has led and implemented a successful transition to school programme, working with local ECE, whānau and Ministry of Education Early Intervention.
We look forward to welcoming these stunning appointments in 2021.
2021-Waitlist
We have 30 RTLB, 13 of them will be studying next year. They will be completing the required training for all RTLB; Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching. When our RTLB are completing the diploma they have a lower caseload to ensure they have time to complete their papers. Due to this reason, we may have a waitlist throughout the year. Our Liaison RTLB will work closely with you to help prioritise requests for support if this happens.
Term 4 Support
During Term 4, we are aware that there are a lot of competing events such as swimming, camps and productions/celebrations of learning. We continue to support you and your kaiako with learning and behaviour challenges. We also want to be realistic about expectations we have of kaiako and the RTLB team during this time of the year. Our team will discuss with you about the end of year processes that were developed at the end of last year, in terms of ‘closure’, ‘carry over’ and ‘transitions’. We continue to refine these processes and ensure we are providing the best possible support whilst also balancing a realistic expectation of what can be achieved from our teams in this very busy last term. I have attached the Te Paeroa End of Year Processes.
RTLB PLD: Literacy Focus
Last term, our team spent a whole day immersed in literacy PLD. We covered 5+ & 7+, the Science of Reading and Liz Kane's-Reading Success for All. The afternoon was spent refining our skills on using the Language of Inquiry & the GROW model.
Learning Support Fund (LSF) for Teacher Aides
Our South Island Cluster Manager network has discussed the need to be more consistent in the teacher aide rate being paid across our clusters. Our BoT has agreed to adopt the $22.63 per hour from the beginning of Term 4 2020, and that future changes in LSF are aligned with the MoE; Learning Support U1&2 rate. LSF will remain a contribution towards teacher aide hours.
In-Class Support Nominations
Thank you for your massive effort in placing these nominations in. We moderated the nominations in the first week of Term 4. This year we received 324 nominations for 130 places. There was an improved quality of applications; plans that support learning were of a higher quality and there were more schools only sending in the information requested. Thank you for making the process of moderation easier.
By Friday 6th Nov (5pm):
MoE will email confirmation of students allocated ICS 2021 to schools.
MoE will email confirmation of unsuccessful and ineligible students to schools (schools responsible for advising family).
By Tuesday 17th Nov:
MoE will post confirmation letters of students allocated ICS 2021 to parents/ caregivers.
He Pikorua - Our new practice framework (MoE & RTLB more ‘joined up’ service)
He Pikorua has been developed by the Ministry of Education and the Resource Teachers Learning Behaviour (RTLB) to support their work with mokopuna, whānau and educators in schools, kura, early learning services and kōhanga reo.
Mokopuna with learning support needs, and their whānau, are central to our practice framework for learning support staff that is now live online. (He Pikorua link)
The shared practice framework has been developed to bring together existing Learning Support and RTLB practice frameworks.
Our team will be involved in PLD in term 4 and throughout 2021 to ensure we are providing the right support at the right time and the right place for each student with learning support needs. I have attached a copy of the framework.
Incredible Years Training For Teachers (IYT)
Our Te Paeroa Cluster IYT team is about to complete their presentation of our 2020 IYT programme. This was particularly unique because it was the only one we were able to do this year due to the Covid situation. Those enrolled in our second programme unfortunately missed out, so will be given priority next year.
We are excited to announce that we will be running at least one programme next year, beginning in Term 1. This amazing community of practice for teachers, with an emphasis on increasing student self-management and social/emotional skills, is highly interactive. It includes ongoing coaching in the classroom provided by the facilitators, and provides teachers with evidence-based strategies to help improve the way behaviour is managed in their classroom. IYT philosophy sits nicely beneath the PB4L umbrella and is funded by the MoE.
Due to the popularity of the programme, we are confident that the 16 places will be filled up quickly. Our criteria, apart from teachers leading a class of students between the ages of 5 and 9, are that teachers will have completed at least one year of teaching experience.
To support our planning for next year, we would appreciate the following:
Discussing with your management team the possibility of one or more of your teachers applying to do this training
Registering names, together with contact details and year level as soon as possible with Jo Falloon (jof@rtlb34.school.nz)
We will be sending more detailed information, including enrolment forms and information leaflets as soon as we are able during Term 4.
Teacher Aide/Learning Assistants
We will be holding our annual PLD for teacher aides/learning assistants at the beginning of 2021. We are currently organising dates and topics. We will send out information soon.
Compliments & Complaints
If you have any concerns or complaints about our RTLB working in your school, please do not discuss this with other RTLB in your school. This places them in very uncomfortable situations. Addressing any issues with the RTLB concerned would be the first step and then contacting me if it is not resolved.
Ngā manaakitanga
Michelle Maule
Cluster Manager, RTLB34
Te Paeroa
clustermanager@rtlb34.school.nz
Cellphone: 0272766713