EDITOR
Liz Millar was nominated for the NZPF Life Membership award by her Wellington Regional Principals’ Association. This is what they said in their supporting dissertation: ‘As a principal in the region, Liz had played a central role for Wellington educators. At the same time, she made a considerable contribution to the wider New Zealand education landscape. She has been described, among other things, as a trusted, strategic, focussed principal and an absolute credit to the teaching profession. She always demonstrated a wide-ranging understanding of Ministry structures and processes and kept abreast of the latest educational research and best practice. Her sharp intelligence ensured she could easily grasp the latest initiatives and would willingly share this knowledge with others. Liz represented the nation's principals in a more formal way, for eight years, as a member of the NZPF executive committee. She was highly regarded by the membership and was considered an immensely valued participant on the national executive. She regularly led debate on professional matters, curriculum, leadership and PLD. With her boundless energy and enthusiasm, Liz still found time to organise two NZPF conferences. She brought with her a group of Wellington principals whom she organised into a most effective and successful conference team. The conferences won wide acclaim for their programmes which combined international and local experts of political and educational relevancy and status. Liz always showed an uncanny knack of sensing exactly what the membership was looking for professionally, and she delivered for them. She served as principal in several Wellington schools and in 2005 took time out to become the Director of the Principal Leadership Centre. In this role, she continued to encourage principals to adopt the philosophy of ‘Quality leadership through
Former school principals Liz Millar and Ernie Buutveld are congratulated on their NZPF Life Membership awards by President Whetu Cormick
Liz Millar and Ernie Buutveld, Life Membership recipients 2019
continuous evaluation, reflection and improvement.’ Liz was a champion for this approach, which was achieved through clusters of principals and teachers sharing their reflections on each other’s practice. This practice was linked to improved learning outcomes for children. Liz went on to become the Regional Director for Te Ariki Professional Development Project, which resulted from this work. The work was conducted in partnership with the late Dr David Stewart. Liz later became a Regional Director for the Project. In 2008 she made the decision to take up her final principal-ship at Ngaio School. Her service to the children of Ngaio concluded in 2017. Whilst leading the school, she invested her time, effort and energy into building a strong community of learners and a strong, capable team of teachers. At her farewell, speaker after speaker lined up to express their appreciation describing her as passionate, experienced, dedicated, compassionate, a role model and a superb leader. They wanted to thank her not only for providing an outstanding education for the children of Ngaio School but for the contribution she made to the wider educational community. Liz is no stranger to being honoured for her exceptional work on behalf of principals in New Zealand and was granted the NZPF Service with Distinction Award in 2013 for school leadership development across New Zealand. Liz retired from the profession in 2017 with the best wishes and admiration of the many colleagues who knew her and those who knew of her. She was the ‘trusted’ go to person, the person sought out to provide critique and analysis, the leader who inspired and empowered, the leader who laughed but most of all, the leader who put students at the heart of everything she did. President Whetu Cormick presented Liz with her award endorsing all the comments made by her Wellington colleagues.
Ernie Buutveld with the Government having just introduced national standards. The Marlborough Principals’ Association nominated Ernie Ernie recognised that the plan behind the new policy was Buutveld for the NZPF award of Life Membership and had this economic not educational and that there was no crisis in to say in their supporting dissertation: education as the Government attested. He recognised that the ‘An expansive thinker who applied creativity to every standards were not designed to improve children’s learning but discussion, Ernie Buutveld was well known for his reflective style to be a measure for school performance. and cool head. He led Havelock Primary School in Marlborough The challenge was not in thinking through the policy for twenty-five years and his teachers remember him fondly, and seeing its connections to the Global Education Reform especially for the professional conversations and critique of Movement, it was how to communicate these ideas to the public. practice which helped them establish meaning and purpose for NZPF did not, at the time, enjoy strong media relations or what they were doing in their classrooms. Ernie encouraged expertise, so Ernie faced an up-hill battle to gain any media continuous improvement not only for the children in his school, traction. In the end, the best advice he could offer his colleagues but for the teaching staff too. He also looked for alternative ways was to resist and slow down the process as much as possible, to support cognitively impaired youngsters and travelled to whilst continuing to embrace a broad curriculum. Many did Europe to study the Reuven Feurerstein philosophy which held exactly that and the profession never did fully embrace the policy. that intelligence is modifiable, not fixed. Moreover, they did their best to keep on delivering a rich and This accumulated knowledge was generously shared with broad curriculum. colleagues and Ernie also concerned himself with the growing Ernie’s reflective and inclusive leadership style and willingness volume of students in schools, presenting behavioural challenges. to share his knowledge for the good of others, gained him A devotee of inclusion, he challenged himself and others to immense respect and affection. He served his colleagues both develop an approach for schools to help teachers manage children locally and nationally with pride and generosity. with behavioural challenges more effectively. He engaged the President Whetu Cormick acknowledged Ernie’s service to Ministry in his discussions, out of which emerged the very his principal colleagues noting the extreme challenges he faced popular Positive Behaviour for Learning programme (PB4L). as NZPF President when national standards were mandated This programme has, over the years, benefitted thousands of in 2009. It was a time when we needed a reflective thinker like teachers and young people. Ernie, he said, a cool head who would steer us safely through By 2002 it was time for Ernie to step up and serve his colleagues the worst storm since Tomorrow’s Schools. He wished Ernie at a national level through being elected to the NZPF national well in his new role coaching and mentoring principals in the executive. In 2009, he took over leadership of the organisation South Island. for education as President. He could not have choseninnovative a more difficultfurniture time,
innovative furniture for education
Creating inspired learning spaces Scholar Furniture is your go-to online education furniture store. We provide an extensive range of quality education furniture with an easy shopping experience. Alternatively, reach out if you want to discuss any larger projects you may have coming up.
SHOP DIRECT ONLINE
Need help? Feel free to call or email us on www.scholarfurniture.co.nz
0800 453 730 | sales@scholarfurniture.co.nz
Connect with us