New Zealand Catholic Education Office - CathNews New Zealand

New CEO for Catholic Education Office

denisohagan — Mon, 04 May 2020 08:00:23 +0000

Dr Kevin Shore has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of the NZ Catholic Education Office. (NZCEO)

Shore will be Chief Executive of both NZCEO and the Association of Proprietors of Integrated Schools (APIS).

APIS serves a network of 70 non-Catholic "special character", faith-based schools - private schools that have been integrated into the state education system, with allowances made to preserve their unique cultures and traditions.

Shore's leadership has been in both state and state-integrated schools over the past 25 years.

He is currently the principal of St Peter's College, Palmerston North, and previously Principal of Cullinane College, Whanganui.

He told Stuff his new role was much more political than any he'd held before -advocating for schools across the country to ensure their needs are met, and negotiating and consulting with ministers and government officials.

"But I love learning every time I get a new job. Every community is different, and I enjoy the challenge of getting to know them and finding out how I can help them."

"This is the same, only it'll be with many schools and the community."

He brings significant expertise

Shore has a Doctorate of Education, a Masters in Educational Administration, a Post Graduate Diploma in Technology Education; and an NZ Civil Engineering Certificate.

Following his doctorate, he has been published in a number of professional journals as he focused on growing leadership in our schools.

In 2015 Shore took part in a special equity-focused leadership course at Harvard University in 2015.

He has a strong commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi.

He is committed to equity in education and supports the practice of akonga and whanau because of the way it aligns with the social justice focus of our school communities.

More recently he has been a member of the Ministerial Joint Task Force for reducing the burden of administration and compliance in schools.

Kevin has a solid commitment to the mission of Catholic and other faith-based schools.

He is replacing Mr Paul Ferris QSM, who is retiring at a date to be set later this year.

Mr Geoff Ricketts, chair of the NZCEO Board, said he was looking forward to welcoming Kevin to the role: "I am was sure he will build on the excellent leadership given during the past 25 years, first by Sir Brother Patrick Lynch and then by Paul Ferris."

Source

New CEO for Catholic Education Office

Hipkins says state integrated schools play important role

admin — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 07:01:31 +0000

Proprietors and principals of state integrated schools met with the Minister of Education Hon Chris Hipkins and Associate Minister Hon Jenny Salesa last Thursday.

Salesa started the morning's discussion by expressing the government's commitment to working collaboratively with state integrated schools.

Hipkins then talked about the significant funding challenges faced by the education sector.

He provided reassurance to those present by saying that he saw state integrated schools as playing a vitally important role in the New Zealand education system and affirmed the government's commitment to support the growth of state integrated schools.

Much of the discussion centred on the relationship between the government and state integrated schools.

This included:

How the schools can play a greater role in sharing the educational aspirations of the government
What key actions the government can take to support the work of proprietors of integrated schools

The Minister reiterated the need for dialogue and collaboration between the sector and the government in ensuring complementary and sustainable growth.

At the meeting's conclusion, the director of the New Zealand Catholic Education Office, Paul Ferris, (pictured above with the Ministers) commented that "it was a welcome opportunity to meet with the Minister and his Associate Minister in what we felt was a positive step."

Ferris said those attending were reassured by the Minister's responses to the many questions fielded.

But the subject of funding was inevitably a fundamental part of the wider discussions.

Source

Supplied: Association of Proprietors of Integrated Schools

Hipkins says state integrated schools play important role

Carol Coddington new deputy CEO of New Zealand Catholic Education

admin — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 08:01:55 +0000

Carol Coddington has been appointed as the new Deputy CEO, of the New Zealand Catholic Education Office (NZCEO).

She replaces Susan Apathy, who will retire later in the year.

Coddington was the Principal of St Dominic's Catholic College in Auckland for 22 years and has had numerous roles in Catholic leadership and wider networks of schools.

She is excited to have a new opportunity to lead and contribute to the success of Catholic Schools across New Zealand.

"While I will greatly miss my time here and all those I have worked with at St Dominic's, I feel the time is right to pass the baton on to a new leader and take on fresh challenges.

As a Principal, I have had a strong focus on the Special Character of the College and the way it lives its Dominican tradition and charism," Coddington said.

Details of when Coddington will take up her Wellington based-appointment will be worked through in the next month.

She will divide her time between Wellington for work and Auckland, where her family are based.

NZCEO chief executive, Paul Ferris said finding a replacement was a challenge, given the depth of experience and extensive skill set Apathy had brought to the role.

But he was confident that Coddington, who was selected from a strong field of applicants, would manage to meet those expectations after a short time familiarising herself with the role.

"Carol brings to the position a strong network from the sector and connection to classroom teaching and learning.

She is well qualified to take on the wide-reaching and extensive communication from NZCEO and APIS, through both written and digital communication.

I'm looking forward to working with Carol, whose collegial style and ability to mentor and encourage others to lead will be important in her new role," Ferris says.

Ferris said it will be with great sadness that they farewell the outgoing Apathy, who has been with the NZCEO for 17 years.

"Susan has brought great vision, dedication and humanity to what can at times be a challenging role.

She has seen significant changes during her time and leaves a legacy of care and support for the whole integrated school movement, high quality publications and a passion for the work the office does to support schools."

Source

Supplied: New Zealand Catholic Education Office
Image: stdoms.ac.nz

Carol Coddington new deputy CEO of New Zealand Catholic Education

Nationwide celebration of Catholic Schools Day

admin — Mon, 16 May 2016 17:01:37 +0000

The Catholic community celebrated Catholic Schools Day 2016 on Monday 16 May.

The theme of Catholic Schools Day 2016 is "Extending Horizons of Hope, Changing Lives"

Chief Executive of Catholic Schools, Paul Ferris, said, ahead of the annual celebration, that there is much to celebrate.

"A network of schools across the country of 66,000 students has a responsibility to show its strengths and share them with the wider community - that is the rationale behind Catholic Schools Day 2016," Ferris said.

"Integrated schools are seen as a successful partnership between the State and the Church."

"Over the past 41 years they have built a reputation for being excellent schools because of their aspiration for excellence and their care for the whole child."

"Excellence is probably a frame of mind rather than a destination."

"We have to keep that focus and make it central to the celebrations on May 16."

"It is our hope that this celebration for schools will be an opportunity to affirm their success, reflect on their effectiveness and commit to being a witness to the Gospel in the community," said Ferris.

"The Catholic Church has a long tradition in education, with the Church being responsible for the first formal places of learning in the Middle Ages."

"Today, the Catholic School is at the heart of the Church's mission and is an important part of preparing young people to participate in a complex world where religious belief is often less valued."

"Both Catholic primary and secondary schools are an integral part of the parish community it resides in and both parish and school are inextricably linked with helping us live the good news and proclaim it through the way we live our lives."

Source

Supplied
Image: nzceo.catholic.org.nz

Nationwide celebration of Catholic Schools Day

New CEO for Catholic Education Office

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 16:01:20 +0000

The New Zealand Catholic Education Office (NZCEO) has announced that that Paul Ferris is its new CEO.

He replaces Brother Sir Patrick Lynch who announced his retirement last year.

Ferris took up his position on February 1.

He has come from a strong background in school leadership in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.

Ferris was a Principal for 36 years in both state and state-integrated schools, and has been part of the evolving story of state-integrated schools and the part they play in the New Zealand schooling system.

More recently he has been a contractor to the Ministry of Education as a Commissioner and Limited Statutory Manager in a number of schools in the Southern Region.

While the Principal of Kavanagh College, Dunedin, he received a number of awards for his leadership both in the school and across the education sector.

He received a Laureate Award from NZCEO, a Leadership in Education Award from SPANZ (Secondary Principals Association of New Zealand), and is a Life Member of SPANZ.

Ferris was an executive member of SPANZ for several years before becoming its President in 2004.

In Dunedin he was the Founding President of the Secondary Principals' Partnership, which was established to find successful pathways for students at risk of losing their place in school, and he was the founding Principal of DunedinNet, a video conferencing collaboration for all Dunedin Secondary Schools.

In the 2012 New Year Honours list he was awarded a QSM for his work in education.

In 2014 he was made a Paul Harris Fellow by the Dunedin Rotary Club, for his services to Dunedin education as a non-member of Rotary.

In accepting the position Mr Ferris acknowledged that following Br Pat Lynch's 22 years of outstanding leadership would be a challenge.

In taking up his new role he noted the support he will receive from a strong board and an agreed transition process, which will ensure there is a seamless passing over of the leadership role.

NZCEO acts as the national office of APIS (the Association of Proprietors of State-Integrated Schools) and individual state-integrated schools, and will continue its support and leadership of all state-integrated schools.

Close relationships with successive Ministers of Education, the Ministry of Education and other government agencies have characterised the success of NZCEO, and Ferris looks forward to continuing these relationships.

Source

Supplied
Image: gg.govt.nz

New CEO for Catholic Education Office

NZ Catholic Education Convention 2015

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 19:02:10 +0000

The triennial NZ Catholic Education Convention, which brings together those involved in Catholic education in the broadest sense took place in Wellington this week.

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

NZ Catholic Education Convention 2015

Govt money needed for earthquake prone Catholic schools

admin — Mon, 18 May 2015 19:02:32 +0000

Chief executive of the Catholic Education Office in New Zealand, Brother Sir Patrick Lynch, said his office has opened discussions with the Government about funding to assess and remediate earthquake prone Catholic schools.

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

Govt money needed for earthquake prone Catholic schools

Brother Sir Patrick Lynch to step down as CEO

admin — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 18:00:27 +0000

Brother Sir Patrick Lynch, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Catholic Education Office, will step down from his role later in the year, at a time to be determined, announced Geoffrey Ricketts, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New Zealand Catholic Education Office, last week.

"Applications to replace Brother Patrick will now be sought by the Board of the New Zealand Catholic Education Office," said Ricketts.

Lynch has been in this CEO role since 1994.

Prior to that he was the principal of De La Salle College, Mangere, Auckland for 16 years, during the last three of which he was the President of the Secondary Principals' Association of New Zealand (SPANZ).

He was awarded a New Zealand 1990 Commemorative Medal and in 1991 he was awarded a QSO.

Most recently, in the 2015 New Year's Honours, he was made a Knight Companion of the Order of Merit, for Services to Education over a 50 year period.

Ricketts said, "Brother Patrick has had an illustrious career in New Zealand education, not only in the integrated schools sector but also within the wider educational environment, both nationally and internationally."

"This continuing wide ranging achievement has now been officially recognised with his most recent honour."

Lynch expressed his gratitude for having been able to serve the integrated schools sector of New Zealand for the last 21 years

He said he "leaves the role with a great deal of admiration for those in the sector who have enabled Catholic and other integrated schools to become confident in themselves and well thought of by the wider New Zealand community."

he praised the 15 Ministers of Education he has worked with and the successive Governments, all of whom have actively supported integrated schools.

"There is no doubt," he said, "that the mosaic of diversity now apparent within the New Zealand education system is one of the country's great strengths. Nobody has a monopoly over enlightenment and by working together great strength follows."

Lynch said he was grateful to the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference who persuaded him to take on the role of CEO.

He acknowledged the many people whom he has worked with in the Education sector, staff and colleagues, religious groups, the wider avenues of Government and the public sector, along with business and the NGO sectors.

The Catholic education system in New Zealand consists of 332 integrated schools containing 86,000 students.

Source

Supplied: New Zealand Catholic Education Office
Rosmini College

Brother Sir Patrick Lynch to step down as CEO

Judge bans Principal's attacker from St Joseph's school grounds

admin — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:30:56 +0000

The man accused of assaulting Peter Ahern, the principal of St Joseph's School in Upper Hutt, has been told not to enter school grounds.

Daniel Wilson, 39, appeared in Upper Hutt District Court on Wednesday 19 December, where he was remanded on bail until January.

Wilson, the uncle of a pupil at the school, is not to enter St Joseph's grounds or to approach Ahern and one other person.

Wilson went with another person to the school last Wednesday to voice concern about a man who had been seen visiting the school.

Parents had learned that this man, who is in his 60s, had been convicted of paedophile offences more than 20 years ago.

According to Ahern the meeting had been amicable until, at its conclusion, the assault happened.

Ahern needed stitches for a split head and had bruised ribs after the incident, likened to a 'home invasion" by the school's board of trustees chairman Mark Petersen.

Source

Judge bans Principal's attacker from St Joseph's school grounds

Protocols will be drafted to ensure schools informed

admin — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 18:30:47 +0000

The Catholic Education Office head Pat Lynch says some protocols will be drafted to ensure parishes inform schools if one of its volunteers or members has been convicted of paedophilia.

He was responding to concern that pupils from an Upper Hutt Catholic primary school went to a prayer group that included a convicted paedophile

St Joseph's Primary School in Upper Hutt says the nearby parish knew about the man's convictions but never warned the school.

St Joseph's parish says it did not warn the school as there were no rules requiring it to do so.

The Catholic Education Office says that while that's true, it would have been prudent to keep the man well away from children.

Continue reading

Protocols will be drafted to ensure schools informed

Catholic schools - Metro says they're hot, academic says maybe not

admin — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 19:29:16 +0000

"Maybe they're putting brain juice in the communion wine. Whatever it is, our results suggest that if New Zealand is going to get serious about the ‘long tail of failure' in schools, we need to look closely at why Catholic schools are doing so well," says the editor of Auckland's Metro Magazine, Simon Wilson.

Catholic schools of all kinds dominate the top places in the latest Metro analysis of Auckland schools: boys' schools, girls' schools and co-ed schools; high decile and low decile schools. Wilson says these results are a stark contrast to a generation ago when Catholic schools were often at the bottom of performance standards.

But Waikato University Education professor Martin Thrupp said it was misleading to assume Catholic schools are better.

He says statistically modeling is a very sophisticated task, something that even academics have struggled with and the way Metro does it is "so crude and they're wrong to do it."

"Just because the school is top of the pops in the league tables doesn't necessarily mean it will be right for your child. They might not fit the culture of the school," he said.

"I wouldn't pay it too much attention myself, there's other more rounded forms of information like ERO reports."

The CEO of the New Zealand Catholic Education Office thinks that the Christian faith accounts for the academic success of Catholic schools.

Brother Patrick Lynch says that fundamentally a Catholic school "emphasises spirituality, faith, values, attitude, that builds a culture with the families to provide the youngsters a reason for living.

"Once you get those parameters in place it's easier to concentrate on high expectations - when you've got good leadership in schools you've got a better chance of actually delivering a better set of outcomes."

McAuley High School, a decile one school for girls in Otahuhu, has topped the tables this year. The magazine warns that this is not the same as saying it had the highest proportion of success in exams; it was the school most likely to improve its students' performance in exams

The highest proportion of success in exams according to Metro, belongs to three schools: St Cuthbert's College in NCEA exams, ACG Senior College in the Cambridge exams, and ACG Parnell College in University Entrance.

There are ten deciles and around 10% of schools are in each decile. Decile one schools have the highest proportion of students from low socio-economic backgrounds whereas decile ten schools have the highest proportion of students from high socio-economic backgrounds.

Source

Catholic schools - Metro says they're hot, academic says maybe not

Decision on attendance dues could save integrated schools $3m a year

admin — Thu, 03 May 2012 19:30:37 +0000

A High Court decision that collection costs are "associated charges"could save integrated schools $3 million a year.

The 330 schools charge attendance dues to cover the cost of making their properties conform to state-school building codes.

The attendance dues are allowed to cover other charges associated with land and buildings, including insurance, and until 2009 it had been accepted for nearly 30 years that the cost of collecting could also be included as "associated charges".

But in 2009 the Education Ministry said the attendance dues could not include the cost of collecting them.

Source

Stuff.co.nz
Image: Prunescoop

Decision on attendance dues could save integrated schools $3m a year

Sex education - no room for extreme approach

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 19:29:08 +0000

Media reports about the explicit nature of some school sex education programmes have drawn numerous responses and a diversity of opinions, many of them expressed with considerable intensity.

The CEO of the The New Zealand Catholic Education Office, Br Pat Lynch, says they are dismayed that some teachers of the national curriculum sex education have taken an extreme approach in their classrooms. "The curriculum itself does not support such an approach, and requires teachers and schools to take account of the wishes of parents and the developmental stages of the individual students in the class," he said.

"Students are entitled to feel safe in classrooms, and the alleged incidents are likely to have made at least some of the students in the classes feel distinctly uncomfortable and embarrassed which is not a healthy learning environment."

Br Pat said sexuality education, which is obviously very necessary, must always be approached with sensitivity, prudence and discretion on the part of teachers, with personal agendas kept out of the equation.

Catholic schools are provided with support materials to enable staff to teach sexuality according to the beliefs of the Catholic Church. Understanding Sexuality is the professional development programme for teachers of Sexuality in Catholic schools. It is mandated by the National Centre for Religious Studies. In Catholic schools it is recommended that the sexuality programme be taught by Religious Education teachers, and if appropriate, in combination with Physical Education teachers.

Source

New Zealand Catholic Education Office
Image: Taranaki Daily News

Sex education - no room for extreme approach