Christchurch Bays Cluster Collaboration Model Kim Alexander Principal Redcliffs School, currently located at Van Asch Deaf Education Centre, Sumner, Christchurch
The Bays Cluster is a thriving cluster of five full primary schools located in the eastern bays area of Christchurch: Heathcote Valley; Mt Pleasant; Our Lady Star of the Sea; Redcliffs, and Sumner Schools. Between us we have around 1400 students. We are part of the eastern sports zone and have previously been part of a larger ICT cluster. In 2008 we formed what had been an informal network of five neighbouring schools, into the Bays Cluster. For the principals, sometimes it’s the simple things, such as: the support for each other; sharing resources and ideas; having the same dates for starting and ending the school year; texting each other on snow days to see who is opening or closing; to be able to ask for advice or help in a quick email and it doesn’t matter how simple the question is; taking a common stance on a problem or issue; to consult with each other over enrolment procedures; just to know someone’s got your back. Vision and planning: The Bays Cluster purpose is:
One of the guiding principles of the ‘Shaping Education – Directions for Education Renewal in Greater Christchurch’ (Ministry of Education, 2012, p.17) document is Supporting the Wellbeing of Communities. This fits well with the purpose and practice of the Bays Cluster. Each year we develop an Annual Plan for the cluster to pre-plan main events and activities.
Kim Alexander, principal of Redcliffs School
Shared activities and events: Annual Bays Cluster Cultural Festival Annual Bays Cluster Rock Band Night ■■ Annual Bays Cluster Speech Competition ■■ Pooling funds to employ a Cluster Sports Co-ordinator (with financial assistance from Sport Canterbury and Westpac) ■■ Bays Cluster Orchestra ■■ Cluster Sports tournaments and events ■■ Cluster Parent information evenings, for example; Cybersafety, Nutrition ■■ Cluster teacher only days ■■ Cluster staff meetings, including trips to each school ■■ Staff social gatherings ■■ Combined Board professional development ■■ Leadership teams meet to share National Standards ■■ ■■
To collaborate and share best practice in order to create opportunities for the Bays community of students, families and staff, that will enhance learning, progress and achievement. Early in our development we established a simple Strategic Plan, which helped to clarify our thinking about the purpose and benefits of operating as a cluster. We knew we wanted to create opportunities for our students and staff (and us principals) over and above what we could each do in our own separate settings. By sharing resources, expertise and workload the on-going benefits for our students are endless.
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implementation progress and discuss early trends 2012: 2 day Tech-Fest for students ■■ Combined principal professional development ■■ Administration staff meetings ■■ Extension Maths class at local high school ■■ Principals regularly arrange for us all to meet with experts, businesses of interest etc, for example last year we joined an emergency texting service for our school communities ■■ Recently we met with the senior staff of our local high school; Linwood College, to plan more collaborative involvement with them. The planning from that was forward thinking and was then also used to make a submission to the draft ‘Shaping Education – Directions for Education Renewal in Greater Christchurch’ document. ■■
Why does the Bays Cluster work so well? Similar and neighbouring communities Communities know each other well (combined sports clubs, community groups etc) ■■ We share similar issues, environments, and community values ■■ We try hard to be collaborative, supportive and loyal to our cluster schools (and beyond), not always easy in the competitive environment schools have to operate in! ■■ Principals get along together well, and this is vital for on-going successful collaboration, there is a lot of good natured bantering, mixed with respect for one another – an understanding that everyone has something of value to contribute. ■■ ■■
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We are not just a principals’ group; we have developed into a cluster with wider involvement for students, staff, board and whanau.
Who benefits and how: Principals – collegial support, advice, sharing the workload for organising events, professional development, the passing on of new information and practical knowledge, pooling resources, sharing student achievement data for comparisons and trends. Boards – shared professional development, networking, created opportunities for sharing and collaboration. Students – increased range of opportunities, specialist classes, sporting events, cultural events, Bays orchestra, wider socialising, the sharing of teaching expertise and resource both directly and indirectly benefits the students in our schools. Staff – networking, visits to each other’s schools, shared PD, shared resources, ideas and experiences, our admin staff share knowledge and support. Communities – shared events, information evenings, sense of loyalty and community, a culture of excellence in our local state schools, a sense of pride in the high quality of education available. Support during earthquakes: The earthquake events of February and June 2011 significantly affected our schools, as we are located near the epicentre of those aftershocks. For the principals the support we could offer and
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It brings together a trade expo with comprehensive professional development. As well as a broad array of workshops and educational exhibits, teacher or subject groups can hire meeting rooms to hold their own meeting/training session with the added attraction of workshops and educational exhibits alongside. The daily entry fee is a mere $30 per teacher – usual registration fees make attendance for large numbers of staff at educational conferences impossible and this expo excludes no one.
Included in the NZ-ED Show, sponsors CORE Education, well known for their Ulearn12 and Learning@School events will be running a top-quality seminar series with 15 sessions over the three days. Daily keynote speakers such as Nigel Latta and Debbie Mayo-Smith. NZ-ED Show represents the best opportunity you will have this year to view an array of educational suppliers while also attending workshops. Modelled on overseas events such as those hosted by UK BESA, who run the BETT and annual UK The Education Show, this inaugural expo offers a new concept: intending to advance the professionalism of the education supply and service sectors to forward our common goal – quality, best practice education and equipment for New Zealand schools.
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get from one another was vital. We were in regular contact with one another right throughout the times our schools were closed, and shared any information we had. We met up a couple of times for a catch-up and kept up the flow of communication, support and any humour we could muster during such a tough time. After June, when Redcliffs School had to relocate for the first of two times, we were able to do so quickly, and open only one week after other schools. This is because we moved to temporarily site-share with Sumner School and already had a close working relationship, due to our Bays Cluster collaboration. A most stressful time for Redcliffs School was made bearable by the welcome, openness, willingness and flexibility of Sumner School; from principal, board, staff, students, PTA and our wider communities. When we moved in morning teas, flowers and messages came from the other Bays Cluster schools – it made a huge difference to us. Future direction: The Christchurch educational environment is now in a period of significant change and re-shaping. Land and building damage, and shifting demographics will all play a large role decision making for future direction. The Bays Cluster schools are affected, and we cannot hope to stay in a bubble and return everything to the way it was pre February 22nd 2011. We are confident that our particular area of the east will renew and thrive in the long-term future, given the majority of the residential land is zoned green, and the desirable attractive coastal surrounds and beautiful properties in our suburbs. But we know that there is great deal to be done in our communities before life will return to any semblance of normal. The Bays Cluster schools will play a key role in helping our wider community connect, collaborate and support its learners. We agree with the pivotal statement in the ‘Shaping Education – Directions for Education Renewal in Greater Christchurch’ (Ministry of Education, 2012, p.13) document:
By renewing the education system, we will rebuild Christchurch’s reputation as an educational destination and confirm the region as a great place to live: a place where families want to settle, confident that their children will have access to quality educational opportunities that will provide a strong foundation for their lives. We are positive about the future and our strengths as a wellestablished collaborative cluster doing great things for our children. Our on-going model of creating cluster events, sharing resources, skills, strengths and knowledge, and of pooling funds and resources, is creating opportunities for long term success for the children of our community. As school leaders we need to lead and support our boards, staff and communities to think through some big picture thinking: ■■
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How can we support and collaborate with wider education provision in our cluster community? What do we want schooling in our cluster community to look like in 10 years’ time, or 20 years’ time? What facilities do we want or need across the cluster community that will benefit the wider community including our school children? How can we enhance and rebuild our community environments, and schooling, so that we become a desirable residential area once again?
Education is a cornerstone of community
Establishing Your Own Cluster? If you would like more information or advice on how to go about establishing a schools cluster then don’t hesitate to contact one of us. We’re happy to discuss further what has worked well for us and what the advantages can be. Collaborative schools clusters are a great model for principals, staff, students and community. They can be a catalyst for school improvement; they’re a platform for sharing and celebrating your successes, strengths and talents; and they’re also a big help in the challenging and tough times!
Communities identify with their schools, particularly with schools that welcome community input and collaboration and share the use of their facilities. The identities of communities and schools are often intertwined: good local schools can have a strongly positive impact on how people feel about their neighbourhood.
Stuart Cameron: principal@sumner.school.nz Margaret Coleman: margaret@ourladystar.school.nz Chris Nord: chris@mtpleasant.school.nz Greg Lewis: principal@hvs.school.nz Kim Alexander: kim.alexander@redcliffs.school.nz
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