We know times are tough right now!

An item for my Kiwi readers.

GCSN Upcoming Events and Workshops                                                     View this email in your browser Kia ora, E rere ana ā mātou mihi ki a koutou katoa. We hope Term 1 is going well for you and your school. We know times are uncertain with Omicron now present in our communities, disrupting school as ‘normal’ and hybrid learning once again becoming a reality for some. Our thoughts and well wishes are with you as we all navigate the challenges ahead. We are excited to be introducing Janelle Riki-Waaka (Tainui, Ngāti Hauiti), GCSN’s new Programme Manager. Janelle specialises in developing cultural competencies, Te Tiriti o Waitangi education and digital technologies, driven by her dedication to improving education journeys for all tamariki, with a particular focus on enhancing success for Māori children. Unfortunately the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt school and life for many New Zealanders with Omicron spreading rapidly throughout our communities. In the face of uncertainty and rising case numbers hybrid learning is likely to return as a reality for many students soon. As we learnt during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, during periods of online learning maintaining connections between akonga, kaiako and the school community is important to ensure that student and staff wellbeing remains high. Student and staff wellbeing online is an important factor contributing to the health of the wider school community. Our Digital Wellbeing resources may be useful during this time. Covering Technostress, Cybersafety and Digital Citizenship, these comprehensive, evidence-based resources can help you can learn about how each of these issues impact your own wellbeing and that of your students. These modules are designed for kaiako and whānau, with specific tools available that you can download from the GCSN website. Access our Digital Wellbeing resources here Kia ngātahi ai te tū, e pakari ai te tuarā.  Stand united, stand strong. The GCSN Team Introducing Janelle Riki-Waaka (Tainui, Ngāti Hauiti)  Janelle Riki-Waaka is one of two Kaiwhakahaere (Directors) of Riki Consultancy. She is a highly experienced leader and consultant, specialising in areas such as developing cultural competencies, Te Tiriti o Waitangi education and digital technologies. With more than 20 years experience in the education sector, Janelle has become highly regarded in these fields. ​ Janelle has had vast experience in designing and delivering quality professional learning programmes in all things digital in our schools and kura. She was the South Island Team Leader in the Learning with Digital Technologies for many years and more recently a Project Lead in the Kia Takatū ā-Matihiko Ministry of Education PLD programme. She is also the current Co-Chair and Kaiwhakahaere Māori for the Digital Equity Coalition Aotearoa. Janelle brings a Te Ao Māori approach to all that she does ensuring that we are tiriti-honouring and have equity at the heart of our actions and decision making. When asked about she would like to bring to GCSN, Janelle replied: I am super excited about this new role and working alongside Gabrielle and the team at GCSN. I’m really looking forward to connecting with everyone who is doing amazing mahi and striving for equity in our Ōtautahi communities. We are in the process of planning some amazing PLD opportunities by working alongside our partners to co-design sessions to meet your needs. Watch this space in the next few weeks as we share some exciting new opportunities to engage in digital kaupapa. E mihi ana. To learn more about the people behind GCSN, check out Our Team  Contact Us | Visit Our Website Copyright © 2021 Greater Christchurch Schools’ Network All rights reserved.

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