New NZEI president seeks quality public education for all kids

<h3 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Lynda Stuart&comma; new president of NZEI Te Riu Roa&comma; says she is driven by a belief in quality public education for all New Zealand children&period;<&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Ms Stuart&comma; principal of May Road School in Mt Roskill&comma; Auckland&comma; has been an active member of NZEI for her entire career &&num;8211&semi; more than 30 years &&num;8211&semi; and was elected to the two-year term during the most recent school holidays&period; <&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;I want to ensure a quality public education system is retained and enhanced in New Zealand as I believe that this is the only way that we can meet the needs of all of our children&period; Ensuring that equitable outcomes are the focus for educational policy is at the heart of all that I do&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Ms Stuart says going into an election year will mean that NZEI members will need to continue their advocacy for education&period; &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;There have been some great wins over the years&comma; but we need to challenge those policies that are not in the best interests of tamariki and educators&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Ms Stuart has been president of the Auckland branch of NZEI&comma; a counsellor for NZEI and has represented NZEI on education focus and advisory groups and in public forums&period; She has been an active media spokesperson for NZEI and quality public education&period; She has also represented NZEI at international conferences and is a member of the Education Council&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>As a principal&comma; she is a strong believer in working in partnership with boards of trustees&comma; staff&comma; students and community&period; &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Students deserve the very best teaching and learning <a class&equals;"wpil&lowbar;keyword&lowbar;link" href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;2015&sol;10&sol;developing-opportunities-at-school-with-a-view&sol;" title&equals;"opportunities" data-wpil-keyword-link&equals;"linked" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank">opportunities<&sol;a> available to them&period; That drives me in all of my work&period;’’<&sol;p>&NewLine;