Tim's update - Week 5, Term 1...

Board Elections this year

All of New Zealand's state and state-integrated schools have a board of trustees. The board of trustees is the Crown entity responsible for the governance and the control of the management of the school. The board is the employer of all staff in the school, is responsible for setting the school's strategic direction in consultation with parents, staff and students, and ensuring that its school provides a safe environment and quality education for all its students. Boards are also responsible for overseeing the management of personnel, curriculum, property, finance and administration.

The New Zealand School Trustees Association states:
“The board is entrusted to work on behalf of all stakeholders and is accountable for the school’s performance. It emphasises strategic leadership, sets the vision for the school, and ensures that it complies with legal and policy requirements. Policies are at a governance level and outline clear delegations to the principal.
The board and principal form the leadership team, with the role of each documented and understood. The principal reports to the board as a whole with committees used sparingly and only when a need is identified to contribute to board work. The board is proactive rather than reactive in its operations and decision-making and does not involve itself in the administrative details of the day-to-day running of the school. The board is encouraged to ask the right questions. Enhancing student achievement is its focus”.

Our election date is set for Friday June 3.  We have five parent representative places available. If you are interested in possibly standing for this role then please approach one of our existing board members. Their details and a parents guide to the role of the board is available on our website under the Board tab in the 'About us' tab. It is also linked on the button below. 

Board of trustees information

School Working Bee March 20

The council have kindly donated the cobblestones (from the revamped Lions Walk on the lakefront) to complete our project for extending the staff carpark into the front of the new office (old dental clinic - see pic below). We just need to load 23 pallets with cobblestones so they can be transported to school for this work to be completed in the Term break. If you can spare some time on Sunday March 20 then we will be meeting behind the Fruit and Veg market on Spa Road (where the cobbles have been dumped).

Friends of the School (PTA) meeting next Monday

Our parent group is having its first meeting of the year on Monday at 7pm in the staffroom. This is a great chance to meet some new people; be proactive in the wider life of our school and partner with the school  in making some initiatives come to life around 'our place' - See you there!

Escaping Educations 'Death Valley'

Below is another link to the actual TED talk that I meant to link last week. This is the actual follow on to the video that was linked and provides further insight into the challenges facing our schooling system and our children within it for this 21st century.