• About the Board • Meet the Board •

The following information is designed to give a brief overview of our legal obligations, who we are, our role, how you can get involved and our strategic vision. Please contact us if there is anything else you would like to know via our email: bot@swannanoa.school.nz

The responsibilities of the Board

Boards provide strategic leadership and direction to their school or kura. Section 127 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (the Act) describes the board's legal responsibilities. The board works in partnership with whānau, the community, principal, teachers, support staff, and the government to ensure the best possible outcomes for all students.

Under the Act we are also obliged to honour and give effect to Te Tiriti by:

· Working to ensure that our plans, policies, and local curriculum reflect local tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori, and te ao Māori.

· Taking all reasonable steps to make instruction available in te reo Māori and tikanga Māori.

· Achieving equitable outcomes for Māori students.

Our Board representatives and how to get involved

All boards are a mix of elected parent representatives, the principal and a staff representative. The Te Koromiko Swannanoa School Board consists of 5 parents including the Presiding Member (Chair) and Felicity Upjohn often joins us as she currently shares the role of principal with Brian Price. Board elections are held every three years with the next election taking place on 7 September 2022. You can find out more information about this process here, plus contact any of the Board with any questions you may have about getting involved.

The school board elections are the opportunity to vote for candidates who will make a positive difference for children’s education. We need more people willing to use their skills and experiences for the benefit of students!

Our meetings and what we do

The Board meets monthly in a meeting which is open to the public. This is usually held on the last Wednesday of each month and covers student achievement, finance, property, personnel matters, policy review and development and all matters relating to the effective governance of the school.

Governance involves setting strategic direction through our vision, core values and strategic goals. Core work of the board includes setting targets and tracking student progress. This also includes regular review of curriculum areas.

The board monitors financial expenditure of the school and sets a yearly budget. We also establish long term property plans and prioritise property projects with allocated funds.

The board is responsible for ensuring the school complies with all legal directives made by the government and the Ministry of Education. This is done by ensuring we have robust policies and procedures in place.

The difference between Governance and Management

Put simply, “Governance" is the strategic task of setting the school's goals, direction, limitations and accountability frameworks. "Management" is the allocation of resources and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the school. It is not the role of the board to be involved in the day-to-day operations of the school, this is the responsibility of the principal and the school staff.

Te Koromiko Swannanoa School Strategy 2022-2025

Click image to enlarge

For more information

https://parents.education.govt.nz/primary-school/getting-involved-in-your-childs-school/your-school-board/

Our meeting agendas

Our meetings typically follow this standard agenda, however the principal’s report covers additional items that usually involve detailed discussions.

Meeting minutes are also available and will be uploaded here once approved at the following meeting.