Please read the letter regarding the upcoming mid term Board of Trustees elections.

7 November 2017
Kia ora koutou, You would have all received your nomination packs for the upcoming elections for the Wairakei School Board of Trustees. If not, please let us know so we can get one to you asap!

If you have sound judgment, an even temper, a willingness to collaborate and a sincere interest in education in our community, you should consider running for the Wairakei School board.

Here are some reasons that may influence you to submit your nomination form:

• You want to share your time and talents. As a member of the Wairakei School board, you have an opportunity to share your work and life experience to benefit our learners and our community.

• You can represent different groups in the community and ensure that others have a voice in making educational and administrative decisions. As a member, you can be a conduit for the concerns and interests of teachers and parents.

• You can help create stronger ties between the school board and other stakeholders.

• You have a personal interest in preserving and improving the quality of our school.

• You believe in quality education for current and future students.

An effective school board plays an important role in keeping Wairakei School on track, and setting policies that affect our children and our school. The school board sets the vision and goals for Wairakei School, and holds the School and Principal accountable for results. One school board member cannot do the job alone. Effective school board members contribute their unique talents while collaborating and working as a team with other board members.

What does the Board do?

• Set the vision and goals for Wairakei School, typically we are looking at 3-5 years in the future, so not just “now” but what will the school look like in the future, and what can we do today to make sure that tomorrow is even better.

• Adopt policies that give Wairakei School direction to set priorities and achieve its goals, this is done via School Docs, an online platform to help us achieve policy decision faster and in line with NZ law

• Adopt and oversee the annual budget, the Board tracks and ensures the School budget is on target, and spending is in the right areas

• Empower Staff!

• Provide Leadership to the Principal where required

• Zoning

• Health and Safety

• Personnel management

• We try to be aspirational

• Participate and Collaborate

• Be Ambitious, challenge to be different, and try new things

• Succession planning, to ensure the smooth handover between board members

• Student achievement – the big one, ultimately, we are all here for the benefit of the Wairakei Learners, so the Board are kept up to date with achievement data and use of learning programs to ensure success; these include Teacher Aides / Learning programs / funding of these programs, and tracking the success of them to ensure we are meeting student achievement

Our Board meet twice a term (typically Thursday evenings of week 4 and week 8) and this usually takes 90 minutes, due in most part to our online collaborative format; the Board papers and principals reports are available well in advance, so there are no surprises, and everyone is well informed of any talking points. This means we have some of the most time efficient board meetings of any schools in NZ!

Nga Mihi

Nic Pethig

Chairman

Wairakei School Board of Trustees.