Supporting Rural Schools through Change

I don’t know about you, but this year started at a ‘run’ and shows no sign of slowing down! As RTLB we are trying to come to grips with new Operating Standards and Procedures as well as supporting our teachers to implement not one, BUT two new curriculums. RTLB navigating the contract changes to only accept cases from Year 2 as well! With the additional weather that the gods have decided to throw our way over ‘summer’ in Aotearoa! Our resilience is certainly being tested. 

Needless to say, we have experienced a lot of change in a short amount of time. This somewhat echoes what our rural schools face on a regular basis. A very ‘real’ and current challenge faced by many rural schools is being able to retain their Principals and dedicated teaching staff. When a leader changes, they are often replaced by a new ‘fresh face’ who may not be familiar with the intricacies and connections of the long term rural community they are moving into. Does Gypsy day affect the school roll? How many of the school staff are also volunteer firefighters? How far away are the Police if you need to call them for emergencies? Who is related to whom and how?

As RTLB who work in a school during times of change, we often find ourselves as the person who ‘holds this knowledge’ that can guide the new Principal without also transmitting local biases or conflicts because we have been the ‘constant’ through the last few Principals. Nowhere in the Liaison Agreement does it mention this, but in rural schools, it is often a reality. This of course provides a challenge for Cluster Managers who may want to give RTLB experience working in the different environment of rural schools as Liaison RTLB, but also wants to support the school through a period of change.

Anecdotally, we know that behaviour is becoming a more prominent focus within schools as it can impact the whole class and school culture. Alongside this, diagnoses and understanding of neurodiversity is also on the rise. However, the access our rural schools have to much needed support is limited. Many of us have been in schools where we have suggested accessing Learning Support Funds for a Learning Assistant in the classroom, only to be promptly told by the Principal that there isn’t anyone to do the work within a 100km radius. In an urban setting, you may be able to simply state that it is “outside your scope of practice” and refer to another agency; rural schools however don’t have that luxury and by default, as RTLB working in rural schools, we become excellent problem solvers. RTLB who work in rural schools rely on their systemic knowledge and the importance of working through a process from least to most intrusive; consequently moving fluidly throughout He Pikorua. This can look very different in a rural setting where you need to travel 130km to get there, in comparison to the urban school 3km down the road from the RTLB office.

Rural schools, during times of change, need to be able to ‘tap into the intangible knowledge’ that experienced RTLB hold. As a consequence, many of us who have worked in rural schools for an extended period of time are fortunate enough to move from the ‘partnership’ space into the ‘relationship’ space. Sometimes that means being the only adult from outside the community that has visited all week; it looks like keeping an eye on the playground so the sole charge teaching principal can use the wharepaku in peace without notes being slipped under the door.

2026 is shaping up to be a marathon, not a sprint. For RTLB working in rural schools, this means listening and showing up where it is needed and building confidence with school staff so you are seen as a person who can grasp the waka oar when the winds of change blow… and at the moment, for many of our rural schools,  it certainly is blowing!

Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu 

With feathers, the bird flies.