The Whiteboard

Term 1 2020

In this edition:

• NZACS/CSI Joint Leaders’ Conference 2020

• NZACS/BTI PD for 2020 | regional and online learning

• Celebrating the contribution of research to improving pracit

• What does 21st Century Learning look like in a Christian School?

• Executive news • From the chair • NZACS strategic plan

2020-2022 • Term 1 Prayer diary

Photo:

Photo at the ACSI Round Table in Singapore, where the MOU between NZACS and ACSI was signed.

From the Chair Welcome to the new year, 2020 already! As a school, we are excited to be

on a brand new journey as we look to serve our community more. I love the coincidence, if there is such a thing when you walk under the sovereignty of God, that this is the year 2020 and Hamilton Christian School has the clearest vision for where we are headed and what He will do through us. This is a year of 20|20 vision.

As an association, we have a lot on and as an executive, we are incredibly excited about it. In 2019, we sought to build on our strategic objectives to ensure that we are on the right path to support and add value to all member schools. Our new strategic plan, which was presented and discussed in draft at the last AGM, is recorded in its final format over the page.

This year, we are also looking forward to connecting with many of our colleagues from across the ditch as we co-host our Leaders’ Conference. This is going to be an amazing time of fellowship and inspiration. We have two incredible keynote speakers, Beth Green and Lynn Swaner. Both are leading researchers, presenters and authors in Christian Education. Please book early as we this is looking to be another very full event with people joining us from Aussie, the Pacific and the USA.

Lastly, time for introductions. As you know, last year said farewell to Sarndra Rauzi after six years of service as secretary to our association. This year we welcome Del Miller as her successor. Del is familiar with NZACS as she was instrumental in the operation and planning for our very successful teachers' conference last year at Bethlehem College. She has been in Christian Education for many years having served Bethlehem College in many roles. Welcome Del, we look forward to having you onboard.

If there is any way that the exec can help you or your school to serve your community as a Christian School, please be in touch. Have a fantastic year!

Shaun Brooker | Chairperson, NZ Association for Christian Schools

NZACS Executive News

The NZACS Exec met in November. Here’s a summary of decisions made:

• NZACS Strategic Plan | 2020-22

The strategic plan was finalised and may be viewed on the NZACS website: https://www.nzacs.nz/about/strategic-plan

• NZACS Regional Coordinators

The NZACS regional coordinator position description and guidelines for their election were agreed upon, and may be downloaded from the NZACS website: https://www.nzacs.nz/schools-organisations/support-member-schools

• 2020 NZACS/CSA Leaders’ Conference

A date has been set (19-21 Aug) and speakers finalised. Watch the NZACS website for further information as it becomes available.

https://www.nzacs.nz/development/conferences/192-nzacs-the-way-teachers-conference-2019

• 2021 NZACS Teachers’ Conference

A conference committee has been established and is considering possible speakers/topics for the 2021 Teachers’ conference, which will be located in Christchurch.

The aims of the New Zealand Association for Christian Schools are to further the interests of Christian schooling by:

• Providing high quality support to member schools

• Providing schools with professional development based on a Christian worldview

• Providing effective leadership development

Strategic Plan 2020-2022

Strategy 1. Relationships | To build strategic educational connections and relationships for the support of schools through the following means:

a. Support regional coordinators

b. Develop ACSI connection

c. Build relationships with organisations that may mutually be beneficial to NZACS and its member schools (CSA, CEN, proprietorships, APIS, AIS, Kahui Ako, Oati, CECEAA and others as appropriate)

Strategy 2. Professional Development | To offer or promote professional development through the likes of conferences, regional PLD and online material, in support of:

a. Leaders (current, aspirational and those new to Christian education)

b. Teachers (current and those new to Christian education)

c. School Boards and Boards of Trustees

Strategy 3. Resources | To source or develop and provide resources that support Christian education to flourish within Aotearoa New Zealand through:

a. Pilot projects such as supporting bi-cultural understanding and leadership development

b. Building relationships with organisations that could provide resources to all schools (see strategic aim 1)

Strategy 4. Promotion | To promote Christian education in the wider community for the purposes of:

a. Increased pupil numbers in Christian schools

b. Attracting existing and training Christian teachers into Christian education

c. Attracting existing Christian leaders into Christian education

d. Increasing the articulation of the value of Christian education

NZACS Strategic Plan 2020-2022

Professional Development

NZACS & BTI offer PLD for

teachers new to Christian

Education (or those who want

to refresh their vision &

practice)

Reimagining Education: Living and Learning the Biblical

Story The WHAT? You are invited to

explore the implications for teaching

and learning which is contextualised

within the Biblical narrative.

Christian education is often

understood as content (Biblical

Studies) and practices (prayer, songs,

and scripture reading) but at its heart

it is so much more than these. Within

two face to face days (Term One and

Term Three) you will explore the

question, “What might teaching and

learning look like when it is shaped by

a biblically rooted understanding of:

God and His mission, people and their

image bearing vocation and creation

as the context for God’s grace?”

The HOW? This PDL is facilitated

by Dr Marion Sanders through two,

face to face interactive workshops in

regional groups.

The WHEN? The first of the days

will in late March and the second day

will be in August/September.

COST? $250 +GST per teacher

Register your interest! email secretary@nzacs.nz

Regional and Online PD - 2020

BTI is offering PLD particularly for Intermediate, Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary Teachers who know there has ‘got to more than this’ to Christian Education.

Exploration! Collaboration! Connection!

Explore how theoretical ideas about Christian education

influence practice in your subject space, in your context or

with your age range.

Connect your passion for Christian education with the

reality of your teaching context.

The WHAT? BTI is inviting participation in a community of

learning designed to enable teachers to explore, collaborate

and connect how Christian education priorities, principles and

pedagogies can be woven into the reality of the educational

spaces in which we teach. Facilitated by Peter Maslin, this PLD

explores how Christian teachers can make curriculum choices

to shape learning experiences which enable their students to

“clothe the biblical worldview with visible lives” (Greene, 1998,

p. 275).

The HOW? Using the Digital Learning Platform,

COLLABORATE, you will join a network of likeminded Christian

teachers who are passionate about exploring how to better

enable the Christian story to be lived in learning. Before each

face to face online session (FTFS), participants will be provided

with an article chosen for its potential to stimulate, challenge

and inspire transformative pedagogies. Between sessions

(FTFB) you will explore, collaborate and connect with people

and ideas as you develop transformational pedagogies.

Subsequent sessions will involve opportunity to share how you

worked with the ideas and how they are influencing their

teaching – and more importantly – students’ learning.

The WHEN?

• FTFS - Once a term - late Feb, early June, early September

and early November.

• FTFB - Once a fortnight, meet in self-selected interest

groups

COST? $150 +GST per teacher (for the year)

Register your interest! Email P.Maslin@bti.ac.nz

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In addition to an annual donation, RICOH will donate $1,000 to NZACS each time a member school signs or re-signs a significant contract with RICOH. Donations will be used to promote the Association’s aims, e.g. providing schools with professional development based on a Christian worldview.

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Celebrating the contribution of research

to improving practice Finally, Daniela

Brown’s Photo-yarn

research curated

senior secondary art

student voice in

terms of their

perception of the

relationship

between teachers’

pedagogy and the degree to which it empowered

or disempowered them as learners.

Of Daniela’s presentation (recording available),

one attendee commented: ”Daniela’s work is very

important and critical in the effectiveness of

anything we are attempting in Christian Education.

The emphasis on pedagogy is fundamental to the

authenticity of the community. The methodology

used that allowed the student voice to be

expressed was quite profound and highlighted the

absolute importance of the learning community

being a countercultural one focused on real

formation in the individual and the community.”

The connection between the presenters and their

God-given passion was very clear. The

presentations initiated some vibrant

conversations and discussion which will no doubt

continue to be explored so that professional

practice across sectors is improved.

Article submitted by Dr Bev Norsworthy, Chair of

Graduate Studies and Research

Toward the end of each academic year, BTI has

dedicated an afternoon in which staff share with

colleagues the research they have completed or

presented during that year. This year, the

invitation to present included Master of

Professional Practice students – two of whom are

teachers in NZACS member schools. Attendees

enjoyed lunch together and then had a

stimulating ‘feast’ of presentations with which to

engage. These included research on: Child

Mental Health (Dr Nikki Kiyimba), Social Work

Field-based Experiences (Dr Dominic Chilvers),

Christian Higher Education and the Life of the

Christian Scholar (Dr Andrew Butcher),

Distributed Leadership and the Role of Peer

Coaching (Jocelyn Flett), Sustainability

Education (Rachelle Hulbert), and Will Potter’s

Teaching Career (Dr Jacqui Byrne). Master of

Professional Practice graduate Semisi Pohiva

shared his research into Therapeutic

Jurisprudence and how his faith influences his

work as a criminal defence lawyer.

Kate Elder’s research, shaped by the work of J.

K. A Smith, captured senior secondary students

in a Christian school in terms of what constituted

effective teaching practice. Feedback from

attendees found Kate’s presentation “well –

grounded in the literature” and a very nice mix of

theory and insights from her teaching practice.

Also, while her work reaffirmed essential

characteristics

of effective

teachers, her “4

conclusions

made a great

summary of the

environment we

need to create

to make our

special

character work”.

The NZACS Executive invites association members to contribute articles and reflections to our ’The Whiteboard’ publication. The purpose of such articles is to promote thought and information for other association members. The thoughts and position of the contributions reflect the beliefs of the author and not necessary the beliefs of the

executive.

What does 21st Century Learning

look like in a Christian School?

Article by Peter Ferrar, Cornerstone Christian School | Nov ‘19

The title of this article is a question that has

challenged me for the last couple of years. It

would take me more than a book to write some

of my thoughts, but I’ll try to summarise a few of

them here. I’m 50 now and grew up in a world

which didn’t change that much, and where

school and textbooks had looked pretty much

the same for the previous fifty years. I’ve got a

house, a job and a stable family with a couple of

(gorgeous) kids. I’ve trusted in God most of my

life, raised as a Pentecostal, then Baptist and I

now attend a charismatic Open Brethren church.

I’ve read through the Bible a number of times,

and I know who I am in Christ. I just missed out

on being a baby boomer, but I’m certainly no

millennial. The rapidly changing world does not

need to impact on my life at all. I can effectively

operate independently of it (I don’t even need a

smart phone, although I love that technology).

These things can make us reluctant to change

the way we view education. It’s always worked

in the past, so why change it? Furthermore, my

school is extremely successful in academic

measures, so therefore what we are doing is

considered highly effective. So we definitely

shouldn’t be changing it – should we?

Unfortunately, I do not think these things really

cut it. I’m not in the process of educating 50-year

olds like myself. I’m preparing 5-18 year olds for

the life ahead of them. They’ll be having families

when I’m pushing up daisies, so it’s not about

me, it’s about them and what they need. I don’t

want to be effective based on academic

measures which have lost much of their

relevance. ERO may like it, but that doesn’t

mean it is what the kids actually need.

I’m an avid reader of researchers and writers

such as Fullan, Sahlberg, Fadel, Claxton, Hattie,

Collins, Gardner, Treadwell, Maxwell, Hybels,

Wiseman, Lenzioni, Gilbert etc. I love

considering modern pedagogies and leadership

philosophies. These days, they all point to the

same single concept: the world is a completely

different place than it was at the turn of the

century (remember the “millennium bug?”) and

it will change massively in the next few years.

The rate of change is completely

unprecedented, and the future is unpredictable.

Any YouTube search on “what will the future

look like before 2025” or “the future of learning”

is inherently either scary or exciting, or just plain

rubbish, depending on your viewpoint.

Most modern writers, including OECD

researchers, don’t see the need for rigorous

testing, traditional assessments and subject

based education. The world doesn’t need these

things as much anymore. What the world is

crying out for is such character traits as curiosity,

creativity, citizenship, inspiration, self-

motivation, ingenuity, resilience, perseverance,

collaboration, problem solving, critical thinking

etc. These thoughts began with the “Knowledge

Wave” in the 1990s and led to our NZC Key

competencies; and every other first world nation

has got their own version of these (they’re all

different too, which is interesting in itself).

At Cornerstone Christian School, we are starting

to move down a road of Deeper Learning as

espoused by Michael Fullan with a fair chunk of

STEM projects, Gardner’s multiple intelligences

theory, play based learning and student

agency (or we prefer the word empowerment)

thrown in. We are trying to move from blocks

of writing starting the day, to blocks of student

led projects being the norm; and guiding the

learning emanating from this naturally. Kids

working on stuff that is directly interesting for

them, rather than doing what we tell them.

Hopefully, this will be much more engaging for

them and lead to more authentic learning. This

is all very exciting and is part of our response

to the question: “How do we really prepare our

kids for the world they are moving into?”, but I

come back to my first question: Where is God

in all this cool stuff?”

I am a little at odds with the concept that to

“teach Christianly”, you have to start with God

and the Bible and then develop your view of the

world from that. I believe that education is all

about people, and more particularly, young

people. Particularly in the secondary years, I

believe that we need to start with them first, and

what is going on in their heads and their lives

already, and then gently weave in the Almighty

and how much he loves them.

The huge drop-out rate of young people from

Christianity once they leave home, I believe,

reflects that we have been trying to push our

construct onto them rather than, when they are

ready, letting them develop their own theology

and gently guiding this. Philippians 2:12-16

encourages us to work out our salvation with

trembling. We have to work it out for ourselves,

since we are all so infinitely different from each

other and special. So are our kids; they will

work it out for themselves, despite us, once

they get to the age where questions develop

naturally. The gospel needs to “work” for them

in their heads if they are to cling to it after they

leave us.

I’m not suggesting watering down the gospel,

I’m suggesting guiding and empowering the

young people to critical examine their faith and

make it their own as they grow into adulthood.

Robust discussion

Do you (or does someone you know) have an area of passion or expertise that you would like

to share, or around which you would like to encourage robust, helpful debate? We are keen

to have members contribute articles or viewpoints. If you have a topic you would like to see some discussion around, or a viewpoint you

would like to share, please contact:

secretary@nzacs.nz

$100 per article will be paid for selected articles. Selection is at the NZACS

chairperson’s discretion. The recommended article length is 600-700 words.

Encouraging this, rather than insisting they

swallow our particular version of it. Anyone

who doubts that there are many different

versions of our faith only needs to look at the

vast number of different churches out there –

are we saying that only one of them is right?

Or could they all be right within their own

context? The kids will come to this conundrum

themselves once they’ve grown up – best to

front foot it, I think.

So my answer to the title question is the same

as my answer to “How do we prepare young

people for the world they are entering into?” –

It is to empower them to be the creative and

special people God made them to be, and at

the same time, while they are learning all

about the world, to weave ideas of God into

their construct so that it all makes sense for

them. Particularly when they are post primary,

we don’t start with God – we start with them,

including all the weird ideas they will get from

time to time as they grow up and move

through puberty. We help them to grasp who

they are and grow in their understanding of

God and His importance in their lives. I

believe this approach leads to much more

solidly thoughtful Christian young people and

more effective citizens of our world.

Peter Ferrar

Regular prayer focus:

Hamilton Christian School (Y1-13, 400 students) Hamilton Christian School. This term marks the beginning of a new chapter for Hamilton

Christian School. We are now an integrated school and have quite a journey ahead of

us. The MOE has given us scope to grow by 500 over the coming three years. We have

new staff, finalising new land and about to embark on an incredible journey of building

a school that will serve the Christian community of Hamilton for many decades to come.

God is so faithful!

Please pray for culture. We have an amazing culture, one that seeks to love one

another, one that is built on service and discipleship. As we struggle less for

management units, non-contacts, resources and opportunities, please pray that we

continue to build on that culture rather than becoming entitled and serving wherever

management units and non-contact lead.

Pray that God will bring families to our school as we serve Him and that our graduates

will serve the community with humility, strength and the heart of Christ.

Week starting Monday 3rd February

Schools, Staff and Students

Praise:

• For God’s provision of new Principals, leaders, teachers and support staff, partnering

together in this journey of Christian Education.

• For every child enrolled in our schools, their families and the opportunity we have to

impact them with the love of Christ.

Prayer requests:

• That God would grant wisdom and guidance to our leadership teams as they step

into this new year and decade.

• That the joy of the Lord would be our strength.

• For our new families and students, that they would settle well into our educational

communities of faith.

• Del Miller – enabling to step into the role that Sarndra carried out so well and learn

quickly where everyone and everything fits in this beautiful tapestry of people.

Prayer is the open admission that without Christ we can do nothing. And prayer is the

turning away from ourselves to God in the confidence that He will provide the help we need.

[John Piper]

TERM 1 2020 PRAYER DIARY

Week starting Monday 10th February

Maranatha Christian School (Lower Hutt, Y1-8, 150 students) Praise:

• Full school roll and provision of staffing.

• Strengthening relationships between Wellington Christian Schools.

• Thanksgiving for the MCS staff, for the congeniality, support and understanding that is

shown towards one another... How good and pleasant it is when God's people live

together in unity (Psalm 133).

• Thanksgiving for the high levels of parent/whānau engagement, specifically for our

active Māori Whānau Group and Pasifika Fono.

Prayer requests:

• For God's continued provision and blessing over all areas of MCS life.

• That Tumanako (Wellington Christian College) will secure a site to commence

operating, creating a Christian secondary school pathway for MCS students.

• That our L.I.F.E Values (Love, Integrity, Faith & Excellence) will be ever-present at

MCS, leading to a positive, Christ-Centred year ahead.

• That the culture of growth in new learning (for all) continues to be nurtured and

developed at MCS.

• That work on our 2020 target to advance student agency is well-considered and

effective for our learners.

Week starting Monday 17th February

Nelson Christian Academy (Y1-8, 200 students) Praise:

• Nelson Christian Academy has undergone some big changes in senior leadership and

God's hand was visible right through this process in 2019. We have been blessed with

really competent spirit-filled leaders who are making a massive difference in our school.

• The school's roll has been bursting out of its seams. The roll cap of 260 was approved in

2018 and we will be reaching that in August 2020 with confirmed numbers; however, we

will still have a waiting list of another 40+ students keen to start their schooling at NCA.

• Our Proprietors have been working hard behind the scenes and, in January 2020, three

new learning spaces plus a teacher workspace will be ready to move into.

• Our staff have been building a "Culture of Honour" which is inspired by the book of

Danny Silk and it has been a great privilege to see how God can move in a school and

create a strong cohesive team of teachers who are really focussed on Him and on

building relationships with one another, students and our very multicultural school

community.

• All of this is very exciting, and brings its share of challenges, but it's definite proof of the

awesome power of prayer and spiritual warfare.

Prayer requests:

• Pray for the Lord’s continued blessing and enabling for the school and staff.

Week starting Monday 24th February Kaitaia Abundant Life School (Y1-13, 200 students) Praise:

• The principal has had successful spinal surgery and is back at school after 3 months

away.

• Deputy Principal, Rhonnie Raynes, did a

fantastic job during this time.

• Successful hangi celebration fundraiser

night, raising funds for our coveted court.

• Weekly input from the Abundant Life Church

to all students.

• Stable staffing and student numbers.

Prayer requests:

• Continued community impact.

• Student, staff and whanau safety and

• blessing on their trips to Samoa and the

Himalayas.

• That we would continue to honour and bless

the Lord in all we do, following His voice and

seeing His will be done in this place.

Photo: Students dropping off baking to thank the local doctors and nurses for all their mahi

in our community.

Week starting Monday 2nd March

Lake Taupo Christian School (Y1-13, 101 students)

Praise:

• For a good and successful 2019.

• The growth and development of

our kapa haka team and the

opportunities that they have to

proclaim the good news in the

community.

• Thanks for a great staff team.

Prayer requests:

• Wisdom for our proprietors and

Board as they plan for the growth

of our school.

• A successful review by ERO this

year.

• Safety for this term’s outdoor education trips and events.

• For staff as they disciple students.

• That every student would experience the love of God this term and seek to develop

a relationship with Jesus.

Photo: The pastor’s praying for our kapa haka team before the Tuwharetoa festival

Week starting Monday 9th March

Jireh Christian School (Auckland, Y1-8, 185 students)

Praise: • After being open for two years we are settled and have a stable staff.

• Our parent community is very supportive.

• We are part of a unified Community of Learning which has opened up opportunities

and good PLD for our staff.

Prayer requests:

• The purchase of new land to

allow for further growth.

• Roll growth from our local

community.

• Resources to develop our site.

• Revival in every heart – that

they might know him in His

fullness.

Week starting Monday 16th March

Hastings Christian School (270 students) Praise:

• For new staff, students and families

who joined our community in 2020.

• Our school is growing; at the end of

Term 4 we had our highest roll ever

with a long waiting list and we have

applied for a maximum roll increase.

• For a committed staff and the

opportunity teachers have to share

God’s Word and reflect Christ daily in

the classroom.

Prayer requests:

• We continue to explore the possibility of taking international students and will be

preparing the necessary paperwork.

• For wisdom and discernment for our proprietor Board as they continue with planning

for facilities for future expansion and growth, including the addition of a

gymnasium/hall.

• That our 2019 Year 13 leavers will stand strong in their faith as they settle into tertiary

education and work.

Week starting Monday 23rd March Southcity Christian School (Hamilton, Y1-8, 135 students) Praise:

• We thank the Lord for our new open-plan classroom block

• Tremendous growth in demand for schooling at Southcity.

• Awesome unity across the staff and the great sense of ‘family’ within our community.

• A successful ERO visit in October 2019.

Prayer requests:

• Future

direction within

our curriculum

focus.

• Development

of ‘local’

curriculum.

• Management

of growth in

numbers.

• For our maximum roll increase application to be viewed favourably by the Ministry of

Education.

Photo: Students making paper.

Week starting Monday 30th March

Rolleston Christian School (Y1-8, 140 students) Praise:

• In 2019, we opened a new block to expand

our capacity to 225 children.

• 2019 was our most settled year since

opening and we have begun to establish a

deeper understanding of who we are as a

school.

• Growth has been steady.

• We have a fantastic staff and Board.

Prayer requests:

• Exploration of extending year levels to Y10.

• We are expecting ERO to visit this year.

• Continuing to establish ourselves as a school in our growing community.

Week starting Monday 6th April

Bethlehem College Chapman (Rotorua, Y1-8, 107 students)

Praise:

• For the incredible faithfulness of our almighty God and our BC Chapman community

commitment.

• For the privilege and blessing we have had as a BC Chapman community in Rotorua to

have Mr Eoin Crosbie lead our ‘waka’ for the past two years.

• For the commitment of our BC Chapman whanau, community and tireless volunteers.

• For the growth of our Junior School Y1-3 and the ‘Waiting List’ we have for Year 1

moving into 2020.

• To have reached our highest roll count to date - 107 students representing 18 nations.

Prayer requests:

• For our new Principal Larne Edmeades as he takes on his leadership role.

• For an increasing desire for Christian Education amongst families in Rotorua.

• Wisdom in planning for 2020 in relation to our Integrated curriculum and decisions for

the future.

• For new students in 2020 to settle easily and have a genuine sense of belonging.

• For service-learning opportunities we can be involved with in 2020.

Photo: our Term 4 production, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

General Praise:

• Thank God for His love, for His grace and His mercy.

May we continually be filled with gratitude for the work of the Cross.

Prayer requests:

• Rest, refreshment and safety for staff and students over the holiday break.

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