Ko Maurice Inia Rehu toku ingoa. I am the principal at Riverslea School in Mayfair, Hastings. We are a small decile 1a community school. We currently have 53 students as of Monday the first of August.
On return from an inspiring first time principals residency course in Auckland, I happened to be sitting next to Rod Drury CEO of Xero Accounting Software. Our conversation covered many different areas from leadership to national standards, but the final outcome of the 50 minute plane ride back to Napier,
continues to leave a smile on my face. I was given an opportunity of a lifetime. Rod was going to help supply each of my students with I pads. Yes that is what I said. All students and teaching staff with I pads. 60 in total.
On return home and sharing this amazing opportunity with my wife Gina, who happens to teach with me, we celebrated with a bottle of wine. Over the next couple of days we started to explore what the outcomes of this would be and how we were going to implement and manage the changes ahead.
P.M.I.S
How would this change student achievement?
How will we sustain this initiative as the school roll continues to grow?
What will we need to change to manage the infrastructure needed?
How will we get staff, board and community buy in?
PD for staff
Change the format of our teaching day
Sponsorship
Security
Storage
Community outcome
Accountability more than just a toy
So many different aspects of this opportunity are still being thought of and thrown around.
At the end of the day, we need to keep the main thing the main thing. Student achievement, development, wellbeing and growth are paramount. This tool will be there to enhance learning, connect us globally and show that our students are so important that they can have the best ICT tools available.
Thank you again Rod for this amazing opportunity for my students and our community.
This is the start of our journey. Destination ...... unknown......
Maurice Rehu
Excited Principal
Riverslea School.
Hastings
