Many of you will have seen advertisements for School Board of Trustee elections. For most schools the election takes place in early June. Because we are a new school our timeframe will be a little later than this, with nominations due at the end of this term. We will update you later this month with our confirmed timeframes.

Our next Board of Trustees meeting is being held on Thursday 23rd May, 4pm in the school staffroom. People interested in running for the board are welcome to attend this meeting.

At the end of this meeting there will be an informal opportunity to chat to Board members about what it means to be a Trustee and what the role involves. Please email amanda@teaomarama.school.nz if planning on attending.

Further information about Boards of Trustees (from the NZSTA website):

What is a school board of trustees?
Almost all state schools in New Zealand have a board of trustees. School board membership includes parent representatives, a staff representative, and the principal.

What do trustees do?
The board is accountable to its parents and community and for student progress and achievement. Here are some specific things a board does:
• Sets the strategic direction and plans for the school and monitors the school’s progress against them.
• Monitors and evaluates student progress.
• Oversees the management of staff, property, finances, curriculum and administration.
• Ensures that the educational needs and aspirations of learners are identified, planned for and met.
• Fulfils the intent of the Treaty of Waitangi by valuing and reflecting New Zealand’s dual cultural heritage.
• Supports the principal and assesses their performance.

What skills do trustees need?
Trustees are active leaders in their schools and need to work well in a team, ask challenging questions and have good communications skills. Boards need a balance of skills and experiences around the table to ensure effective processes for planning, monitoring, reporting and reviewing of the school’s performance are in place.