Parents of local primary children will be well aware school holidays are an extra day longer this year, with schools closed today - but for good reason.

This year’s North Otago Primary Principals’ Association Teaching and Learning Conference runs every two years, and is happening in Ōamaru this Friday and Saturday.

This is the ninth time the conference has run, and organising committee chair Deidre Senior says there are more than 220 teachers, teacher aids, and administrative staff attending. 

"This is a huge event. We have some high-quality presenters and bringing them all together on a teacher only day means that we are able to access all these people collectively.

"While it is a teacher only day - schools are required to be open for a particular amount of days each year - so a teacher only day now, just extends our days at the end of the year," she says. 

This is the highest number of participants since the first conference in 2008.

“This year we have a record number of teacher aids/learning assistants attending, and for the first time ever we have our administration staff attending, who are sponsored by the provider of the student management system that all of our schools use.”The three keynote speakers are neuroscience trainer Kathryn Berkett, Farm4Life founder Tangaroa Walker and Nanogirl co-founder Dr Michelle Dickinson . '''

Teachers become the pupils during an art class with local legend Donna Demente, in her Grainstore Gallery on Friday. Photo: Supplied

There is also “an exceptional line up of workshop presenters”, including NZ Writing expert Murray Gadd, Maths expert Rob Proffit-White, as well as regional and local experts, Deidre says.

The conference is being held across three venues to accommodate numbers, and attendees will be packing out the Ōamaru Opera House, Brydone Hotel and The Business Hive.

It's not only the teachers and school staff who will benefit, all workshops and speakers means a flow-on effect for the children, she says.

"Our keynotes in particular have messages that we think are important for everyone.

"Kathryn Berkett will discuss the importance of understanding how children’s brains work and what that means for teachers.

"Tangaroa Walker’s message is one of overcoming challenges and supporting others, while we have brought in Dr Michelle Dickinson as a way to support the importance of teaching science and how accessible it needs to be to students.

"At a time when the government is stressing the importance of literacy and maths, it’s still important for teachers to be exposed to good practice."

The workshops also have hands-on activities teachers can take back into their classrooms, Deidre says. 

Workshop facilitator Arnika McPhail at Ōamaru's The Business Hive on Friday morning. Photo: Alex Regtien.