School staffroom swapped for Parliament’s Grand Hall

School staffroom swapped for Parliament’s Grand Hall

The school staffroom was swapped for Parliament’s Grand Hall when twenty teachers from schools and early childhood education centres throughout New Zealand lunched with Education Minister, Hekia Parata, and heads of education and family organisations.

The Minister presented the NEiTA Foundation’s regional awards to 12 ASG Excellence in Teaching recipients and eight Cognition Education Excellence in Leadership recipients at a celebratory luncheon held at Parliament today (subs 3 May).

Among the twenty regional recipients were a number of firsts for the NEiTA Foundation, which has run its awards programme in New Zealand for 17 years.

Husband and wife teaching team Mr Francis Pye and Mrs Kelly Pye of Frankton Primary School who brought their three-month-old daughter with them to the awards ceremony. The Pyes are the first husband and wife teaching team to reach the regional awards.

Mrs Aroaro Tamati of Te Kōpae Piripono Māori Immersion Early Childhood Centre in Moturoa, New Plymouth, is the first Māori immersion teacher to receive a regional award

Special education teachers Mrs Erin Cairns, principal of Invercargill’s Ruru Special School and her daughter Ms Maree (Cairns) Edwards of Halswell Residential College in Wigram are the first mother and daughter teachers to receive regional awards in the same year.

NEiTA Foundation chairman, Mr Terry O’Connell, says teachers are integral to a fair and progressive society.

“Recognising excellence in the profession can only assist in recruiting the best students to teaching as a career. Of equal importance is retaining the wealth of dedicated teachers we already have, and offering encouragement for others to improve their practice,” says Mr O’Connell.

All 20 teachers and leaders today received specially designed plaques, together with prizes for their schools. The final phase of the awards process takes place in October when ten of these teachers and leaders will be presented with national awards and professional development grants. These awards will be presented in their local schools and centres, giving their students and others in the community the opportunity to celebrate.

The NEiTA awards are jointly supported by ASG Education Programs New Zealand, which assists parents to plan for their children’s future education, and Cognition Education, a leading independent educational services company whose mission is to enhance lives through education.
Ends

The NEiTA Foundation’s Excellence in Teaching and Leadership Awards
2012 Regional Award Recipients

Early Childhood
Teaching
Mr Patrick Boyle Rotorua East Kindergarten, ROTORUA
Ms Vicky Brown Macandrew Bay Playcentre, DUNEDIN
Ms Cheryl Kingi Kerikeri Kindergarten, NORTHLAND
Mrs Carla van Beek Frimley Park Kindergarten, HASTINGS
Leadership
Mrs Carol Hartley Mangere Bride Kindergarten, MANGERE, Auckland
Mrs Aroaro Tamati Te Kōpae Piripono Māori Immersion Early Childhood Centre, Moturoa, NEW PLYMOUTH

Primary/Intermediate
Teaching
Ms Maree Edwards Halswell Residential College, CHRISTCHURCH
Mr Ray Kelly Marshall Laing Primary School, MT ROSKILL, Auckland
Mr Francis Pye Frankton Primary School, HAMILTON
Mrs Kelly Pye Frankton Primary School, HAMILTON
Leadership
Mrs Erin Cairns Ruru Special School, INVERCARGILL
Mrs Chris Riley Tawhiti Primary School, HAWERA, South Taranaki
Mr Andrew Shortcliffe Hastings Intermediate School, HASTINGS

Secondary
Teaching
Mr Gareth Bell Freyberg High School, Roslyn, PALMERSTON NORTH
Ms Joanna Morris Karamu High School, HASTINGS
Mr Glen Parr St John’s College, Hillcrest, HAMILTON
Mr Perenise Tapu McAuley High School, OTAHUHU, Auckland
Leadership
Mrs Susan Hassall Hamilton Boys’ High School, HAMILTON
Mrs Kathleen Seaward Marian College, CHRISTCHURCH
Mr Mark Shanahan Waitakere College, HENDERSON, Auckland
ends

© Scoop Media