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Director's MessageClick here to choose another archived message.
DIRECTOR'S MESSAGEMarch 2008Ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou Council Elections 2008 The time has come round again for the profession to vote on the four members of the Teachers Council that are directly elected by teachers and principals. The election will take place later this year, but preparation has begun already. The four places that will become vacant are those elected by registered teachers, holding current practising certificates, from the early childhood, primary and secondary sectors, and by both primary and secondary school Principals. Teachers currently holding those positions on the Council are Margaret Smith (early childhood education), Jill Page (primary), Steve Wood (secondary) and Nola Hambleton (principals). Kathy Smith is the Chair of the Council and for a full list of the eleven Council members, visit our website. Council members do work very hard in their role, especially as this is on top of their 'day jobs' which are already extremely busy. As well as attending monthly two-day meetings, all Council members belong to at least one other sub-committee of Council such as the Professional Leadership Committee, the Audit and Risk Management Committee or the Complaints Assessment Committee, and quite often are called on to represent the Council at events. The Council is engaged in significant professional projects to support the quality and status of teachers and teaching in New Zealand. An overview of some of these projects can be read in our newsletter ForTeachers Mō Ngā Kaiwhakaako. These are located on our website and the next edition will be mailed to all teachers with a current practising certificate shortly. It is important that teachers use their right to elect their own representatives to the Council so that teachers continue to influence the strategic direction of the Council to the benefit of the profession as a whole. As professional leader in your school or centre, I would appreciate you encouraging your teachers to become involved in this electoral process, and of course, to ensure that they are eligible to vote by holding a current practising certificate. Later in the year, teachers will be asked to ensure that they are on the correct roll for voting. It is also important that contact details are correct. Teachers can update their address online at http://www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz/mailformaddress.stm. This link can be found at the bottom of the home page on the Council website. Renew practising certificates early this year In connection with the forthcoming Council elections, teachers are also reminded that 2008 is a 'peak renewal' year in the three year registration cycle. From September through to November, practising certificates will expire of many thousands of the 85,000 teachers with a current practising certificate. The Council has systems in place to ensure a smooth process for this busy time, but teachers can assist this by sending applications in early. Applications can be processed up to six months in advance. If, for example, a practising certificate expires in October, a renewal application could be sent in at any time from April onwards. Upon approval, the new practising certificate will be dated from the expiry of the current one. This will help employers, too, by avoiding concerns about timeliness or expiry. Linked to this, teachers must ensure they have registration and a current practising certificate to ensure enfranchisement on the Election rolls to vote for sector representatives later this year. See above for the link to update contact details. In Conclusion The Council wishes to ensure that it is engaging with professional leaders on matters that concern them and on professional projects the Council is leading. Please feel welcome to be in touch on any issues you may wish to raise with me. You may contact me at peter.lind@teacherscouncil.govt.nz. Kind regards Dr Peter Lind Director This document can be downloaded in PDF format by right clicking here and choosing 'save target as' Click on a date below to view archived messages from the director. July 2008 March 2008 | November 2007 | July 2007 | 12 April 2007 | 12 Feb 2007 | 11 Dec 2006 | 6 Dec 2006 | 2 May 2006 | 6 Mar 2006 | 6 Dec 2005 | 31 Oct 2005 | 31 Aug 2005 | 30 Jun 2005 | 6 Jun 2005 | 5 May 2005 | 15 Dec 2004 | 3 Nov 2003
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