Board Update - November 2024

Kia ora koutou Cotswold Mātāhae whānau

We held our 7th Board Meeting for the year on Wednesday 6th November.

 

This meeting was a little briefer than usual given the recency of Chris’ car accident. The Board would like to extend thanks to Paula Fleming-Connell for stepping into the Acting Principal role and all other staff who have been taking on additional tasks while Chris takes the time needed to recover.

Andrew Simpson presented to the board the attendance information from Term 3, highlighting the impact of a number of proactive interventions in place to support whanau to get their children to school. These include daily focused efforts to welcome children to school, special morning teas to check in with ākonga, providing kai through the breakfast club and Full Bellies and contacting whānau to see if we can support them to attend more regularly through identifying and removing barriers with whanau. As a result of caregivers support and staff efforts Cotswold Mātāhae saw attendance rates over 90% on most days of the term (well above the governments national target of 80%).

 

Cameron Anderson presented information from Mana Ake (a service providing support to Canterbury kids, promoting well being and positive mental health. They can support children at school and at home and provide advice, guidance and workshops for parents, whānau and teachers). Of note this year 25 individual requests for Mana Ake support occurred. This is a 78% increase on 2023. Anecdotal feedback is really positive of the support provided. Teachers and whānau generally request supports from Mana Ake and no referral is made without whānau consent.

 

While it has been mentioned elsewhere, the decision to bring the grant application process in-house has been reinforced by the success of Chris McShane’s efforts. These grants have significantly reducing the cost to parents for activities like the Swim Safe programme and Year 6 Camp. Likewise, the ongoing and fantastic efforts by the PTA team and all school whānau who support them to raise funds for the myriad of things they help fund (including ipads, sports and kapa haka uniforms, and celebration kai). Please continue to support their endeavours this term.

A reminder that part of our school funding is based on a Ministry calculation reflective of the socio-economic factors affecting our school whānau.  Given this we are not eligible for some additional funding and therefore send a request to whanau for a donation. The board agreed to the donation having only a minimal increase of 10 dollars per child for 2025. It has been pleasing to hear the option of contributing to the school donations in instalments has made this easier for some. Every donation significantly improves support for our ākonga, funding things like teaching and learning resources and learning assistants. Currently around 48% of donations are made.  

As always it is wonderful to hear of the huge variety of academic, cultural, and sporting endeavours our ākonga are engaging in with the phenomenal support of our wonderful staff, who continue to offer above and beyond the call of duty.

The Board would like to extend a big thank you to our Cotswold Mātāhae whānau for everything you do to offer our children a great school experience.

 

Nathan Gillespie on behalf of the Cotswold Mātāhae Board of Trustees