The Community Schools Alliance is made up of 43 of the country's 2431 state and integrated schools.

And the former CEO of the New Zealand Catholic Education Office Brother Sir Patrick Lynch has also suggested that "significant changes" need to be made to the proposal.

A report prepared by a task force led by former principal Bali Haque proposes the establishment of about 20 regional "hubs".

All the legal responsibilities and liabilities currently held by school boards of trustees would be transferred to these hubs.

Massey High School principal Glen Denham, a spokesman for the Community Schools Alliance said he worked under such a system in London and it did not work.

"We are a world-class education system. It's not broken," he said.

"What makes us great is that we are a tapestry of different kinds of schools, that you can go 10km down the road and find a completely different kind of school."

Lynch says there has been a need for a review of what is now referred to as the Tomorrow's Schools model.

"However, the recent task force document succeeds in throwing out the baby and the bathwater, given the proposals it has made."

He says not many people would agree that no changes should be made, "yet the task force seems to have forgotten or overlooked some fundamental aspects of today's New Zealand society."

The Catholic schools that have joined The Community Schools Alliance are: Baradene College (Remuera), Chanel College (Masterton), De La Salle College (Mangere), John Paul College (Rotorua), Liston College (Henderson), Marist College (Mt Albert), Sacred Heart College (Glendowie), St Dominic's Primary School (Blockhouse Bay), St John's College (Hastings), St Paul's College (Ponsonby), and St Peter's College (Epsom).

Source

• wn.catholic.org.nz
• nzherald.co.nz
• newstalkzb.co.nz
• Image: Screenshot conversation.education.govt.nz

Br Sir Patrick is leaving the New Zealand Catholic Education Office after 22 years at the helm.

Speakers at the function included Education Minister Hekia Parata and Cardinal John Dew.

Ms Parata praised Br Sir Patrick's "immense contribution to education in New Zealand".

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Br Sir Patrick Lynch said the integrated school system "is a New Zealand invention that suits our needs and what it more, it works".

"In the process it ensures integrated state schools are not political footballs every time parliamentary elections come around," he said.

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The New Zealand Catholic Bishops have been be in attendance throughout the convention which has been attended by teachers, principals, staff, Boards of Trustees, priests, advisors, adult educators and academics.

This year the celebrations have had a greater significance, because four educational leaders in the Catholic network have received Queen's honours this year.

Brother Sir Patrick Lynch received a knighthood for his services to education, in the new year's honours 2015.

He will step down later this year after 22 years as chief executive of NZ Catholic Education.

Three principals of catholic schools have also been acknowledged in the recent Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Elizabeth Horgan of St Joseph's School, Otahuhu, Anne Miles of McAuley High School, Otahuhu and Paul Daley recently retired Principal of Sancta Maria College, Botany were all honoured as Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit for their services to education.

It is also 40 years since Catholic schools were integrated into the State education system.

"Today we have 66,000 students in our 238 schools and an increasing number of adults in tertiary learning programmes, add to that 40 years of an integration relationship with the State and three people receiving honours for their contribution to education, so we have much to be grateful for," said Lynch.

"I'm confident in my time as chief executive of the catholic education office that there is a bright future ahead, invigorated by the faith that new kiwis bring plus the legacy of extraordinary work of all those who've contributed to Catholic education over the last generation."

Speaking of his knighthood Lynch said, "It's humbling to be acknowledged in this special way but I believe the honour belongs to all of us who work in Catholic education, from teachers, support staff, advisors, Bishops, priests, parents, Boards of Trustees, and countless others, many of whom have not received accolades or praise for what often happens behind the scenes and for many over a lifetime.

"It also honours those who've gone before us , especially those who established Catholic Schools, with the goal of providing a quality education for all young people, no matter their circumstances."

At the gathering a portal created in partnership with Microsoft was launched to provide religious education resources and a secure mechanism to encourage members of the Catholic education community to collaborate and share quality resources throughout the country.

Education Minister Hon Hekia Parata also addressed the gathering.

Source

• voxy.co.nz
• Image: screenshot cathedconvention2015.co.nz

The Catholic Education Office is responsible for 340 schools throughout the country.

The Minister of Building and Housing Nick Smith has proposed changes in the earthquake strengthening rules.

Under the new rules high risk zones would keep the existing timeframe.

However education and emergency buildings would be targeted, by requiring those in high and medium seismic risk areas to be identified and strengthened in half the standard time.

"We are prioritising all education buildings regularly occupied by 20 people or more," Smith said.

Lynch says it would cost about $120 million to bring them all up to scratch within the new time frame.

"The Crown's not going to just say 'integrated schools, go away' when in fact we've been looking after ourselves pretty well, thank you very much," he said.

"But when something like this is dropped on you, well, that's what the partnership's about - to talk with one another and say, 'over a 10-year period, what can we do to help one another?'"

Source

• Radio New Zealand
• Radio New Zealand
• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: panoramio.com

The chief executive of the New Zealand Catholic Education Office, Br Sir Patrick Lynch, spoke about an experiment at James Cook High School in south Auckland.

Condoms were given to teens as young as 15 as they went on study break for their end of year exams in 2011.

According to an article on the Stuff website, the experiment has been deemed so successful in terms of lowering teen pregnancy rates that researchers are calling for the approach to be rolled out at schools across the country.

The article reported Br Sir Patrick saying parents should be told if condoms are being given to teens as young as 15.

"It's skidding on thin ice if they are not telling parents," he said.

"We're not talking about 30-year-olds or 20-year-olds, we're talking about minors."

When it comes to reducing teen pregnancy rates, parents and schools must work together, he said.

"You must build a trust environment with the parents."

The condom give-aways were prompted after James Cook High discovered 12 of its girls returned to school pregnant after the summer holidays in 2011.

Three Auckland University nursing students came up with the idea of distributing the free condoms, which were put inside sex education pamphlets.

Among the advice given in the pamphlets was information as to where to get the morning after pill.

Now, four years later, no teens have returned to decile one school pregnant after the summer.

And the school's NCEA academic results have improved by 30 per cent since that time.

But principal Vaughan Couillault said there's more to the academic improvement than a minor intervention in sexual health guidance.

He said the school provides a range of services, with quality teaching being the main driver behind student achievement.

James Cook High has an on-site health clinic offering sex education advice.

New Zealand has the second highest teen pregnancy rate in the developed world.

Sources

• Stuff
• Newstalk ZB
• ABC