It is my pleasure to present the 2017 report for the TTLA in my second year as President.

The TTLA is an excellent team, made up of a very capable individuals with an array of skills that work exceptionally well together for progressing Literacy in the North.

On a side note, the 2016 39^th NZLA Conference took a lot more out of us than I could have appreciated. The tireless effort in implementing this excellent event, as well as our own school/other job roles, and three of us being involved in the national executive saw all of us juggling our calendars at times.

The beginning of the year saw us take on a major event in mid Feb of bringing Barbara Brann from Australia, She visited both Kerikeri & Whangarei

Two workshops were run – Securing Junior Literacy Skills for Year 0-3 & Supporting Older Priority Learners Day Workshop and 7 Keys to Learning—Dinner Meeting.

This was a very big event for us early in the year, numbers were good in Whangarei and very good in Kerikeri. Barbara Brann’s teaching and wise insights were a great start for 2017.

On Thurs 30^th March Onerahi Primary School hosted our second Literacy Spotlight event where they shared about their progress in Accelerated Literacy Learning. Onerahi allowed us to work with teachers at each level of the school. A well attended event. The openness of schools to share their practice is something very special and I look forward to seeing this event continue.

The TTLA also sent 5 committee members to an NZLA Regional Workshop. This day helped more of our team understand the role of the NZLA and saw great discussion with the Auckland, Waikato, Wairiki and Tauranga Literacy Associations.

In Term Two we reinstituted our Seminar Day. We always seemed to be a step or two behind in our planning for this. In the end we made a bold call to offer this day for free and carry the cost…60ish plus people enjoyed Seminar for Success – Melinda Webber and Viv Aitken provided excellent keynotes and we ran 2 workshop sessions. This is something we need to grow again over the next couple of years.

In Term 3 we ran a dinner meeting for Provisionally Registered Teachers where Joy Allcock ran two excellent sessions in Whangarei and Kerikeri on Trouble Shooting Reading Difficulties and Foundations for Learning. Joy connected well with her practical points that teachers could take back to their schools. This event was also a first for us as we partnered with Dyslexia Plus to put on this event. Thanks Sheryn Comrie for making this happen, we look forward to future opportunities.

In Term 4 we ran our Bi-Annual Mystery Bus Trip. Always a great event, relaxed but yet with great learning through chats with teachers, photographing ideas from classrooms and looking at different focus areas in each school. Hora Hora, Otaika Valley and Maungatapere Schools were all excellent choices with a lot of diversity, and where their own journeys are going.

It was wonderful early in the year to donate books to the Whangarei Emergency Department, a place close to my heart. At the end of the year books were put aside to be donated to Womens Refuge. The power of books to provide an escape and to help us relax can never be overlooked.

Goals for 2018 would be to see new additions to our committee to help share out the work. To see us gain Charities Commission Status. To see our events grow in size, especially the Seminar Day and to enjoy the events we are planning.

To the team, I am fortunate to work with so many exceptional people who bring so much to the TTLA in skills, passion and character. Put all our skills together and great things happenJ I have not wavered in wanting to give to this excellent cause that can benefit both our educational community and to the people of Tai Tokerau.

A special thanks to Alison Ayr who is our Kerikeri Ambassador and connector for events in the mid north.

Warm Regards,

Scotty Delemare                                       TTLA President 19/3/2018