Voting forms have been sent out. Please take the time to read the candidates statements and vote. Voting papers to be returned by noon Friday 7 June.

Candidate Statements

My name is Anthony Walker and I am a Courier Contractor with Post Haste. I look after the Temuka, Winchester and Geraldine areas.

I have been looking after this area for just under 3 years, and have been a courier for nearly 5 years.

I have 2 sons, aged 11 and 9, 2 daughters aged nearly 3 and 15 months and am a “stepdad” to Aleaha who is currently a pupil at Winchester Rural School.

I enjoy spending time with my children as they to me are the reason I get up early and go to work so early every morning. The rewards from children are unmatched by anything else in the world.

My other main interest is sport, whether watching my eldest son playing soccer or playing cricket in summer.

This would be my first time on a Board of Trustees, so I would have a lot to learn. However, I have been extremely impressed with Winchester Rural School in the 4 months or so Aleaha has attended the school and would love to get “stuck in” with anything that I can help with to assist the school to continue to grow and provide the amazing education that is being provided to the students.

My name is Shaun Wise, I have 3 children, the oldest who is in Kowhai at Winchester Rural.  Being part of the school board would be a position I would appreciate. Having a background in accounting before a career change to dairy farming 9 years ago will be beneficial to the board. I would also bring enthusiasm, a sense of pride and high ethical standards. 

I very much support the education and well being not only of my children but believe each child has the promising future of greatness given some support.

My name is Lucy Millar, my husband Tyson and I have 2 children at Winchester Rural, Annabel (Y4 Rimu) and Zoe (Y2 Matai). We live on a small block next to our engineering business on the northern edge of Temuka where we provide general engineering services to the South Canterbury district, as well civil construction projects throughout the South Island.

I help with the engineering business in accounts, heath and safety, and preparing quotes, as well as working part-time for Opuha Water Ltd supporting shareholders with regulatory compliance on their farms as the Farm Environment Plan program manager. This has a strong environmental component and I am passionate about helping farmers understand and manage their obligations while continuing to farm. I recently started a 3 year term on the Orari-Temuka-Opihi-Pareora Zone Committee who are charged with promoting and implementing the goals of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy. It’s a really interesting role, and requires dealing with a broad range of opinions to effectively use the time available to implement change in both urban and rural environments.

I have been interested in joining the Board of Trustees since our kids started at Winchester, and feel I can offer a broad range of skills to the team. I am comfortable with voicing an opinion and listening to others as they offer theirs, and believe I am approachable within our school community.

My name is Jon Gurr I am 42 years old. I currently have 2 children at Winchester Rural with a third who will be joining in the next year. The reason for my application is that I have a desire to support the school and teachers who educate my children, along with the children of the local community. What has impressed me most about Winchester is that it provides a very supportive and personal learning environment.

The strengths I think I could bring to the Board are in the areas of financial governance and planning, along with assistance in fundraising.

My background is financial and commercial with my last 10 years spent in leadership roles working in senior management, mainly in mid-South Canterbury. My current role is CEO for Woodleys Contacting and Transport but am soon to be joining RX Plastics in Ashburton.

Prior experience includes working for Carrfields/CLASS and Irrigation as Commercial Manager. Other exposure is in the area of education with a management position held at University of Canterbury along with roles at Imperial College London UK and Specialist Schools’ and Academy Trust (UK). In these roles I have worked in with senior teams to devise strategy on financial and operational matters, student recruitment and retention, marketing, health and safety.

Sincerely

Jon

My name is Nathan Morland, and I am standing for the Board of Trustees for Winchester Rural School. I have currently been on the Board as a co-opted member for the past eighteen months and have thoroughly enjoyed gaining insight and contributing to school governance. I am married to Karen, and we have two children: Sophie, who is currently in Year 3 at WRS and Luc, who is in Year 5.

I have been involved in education for the past fourteen years and am currently Deputy Headmaster at Waihi School, having taught there for the past seven years. I am passionate about education; in particular boys’ education and how we can best support our young people in today’s rapidly changing society where they face numerous challenges.

My aim as a Trustee is to ensure that the quality of education at Winchester Rural is maintained at the highest standard and that the staff have all the resources they need to accomplish this goal. I believe strongly in the concept of local community schools. They should reflect and be accessible to their communities; nurturing their future young leaders in all aspects of life. I believe that a strong curriculum, high-quality leadership at all levels of the school, good teacher morale and a Board that is supportive of the principal and senior management and teachers professional development are fundamental to Winchester Rural’s success both now and in the future. I enjoy being able to contribute to my daughter’s education by being part of a Board of Trustees comprised of a diverse group of parents and teaching professionals.

Thank you for considering me for a position on the Board at Winchester Rural. If selected, I will give my utmost to support your children, school staff and management and uphold the excellent reputation Winchester rural has in the local community.

My name is Amber Lee and I am standing for the Board of Trustees for Winchester Rural School. I have two children at WRS, River in Year 4 and Stella in Y6. Both children started as new entrants and have flourished both in good times and during challenging times with the nurturing and encouraging environment they’ve been afforded at WRS. If elected to the Board of Trustees, I am committed to ensuring that this high standard of support and opportunity continues for our children.

I believe that a great education starts with great personnel. This means I will stand with the parents and teachers of our children to learn their needs so we can provide them with the right environment, tools and support to ensure that our children’s experience of primary school is the best it can be.

Personally, my family and I spend our time enjoying all of South Canterbury. We participate in local trail rides, moto cross and recently have acquired a horse which will no doubt bring us to local pony club events. We have hiked many rivers, hills and mountains and camped at several reserves. My husband Matt operates QuickChange Tyre & Service a mobile automobile business covering all South Canterbury areas which we have enjoyed establishing together and has strengthened our connection with the region.

Professionally, I am an Executive Assistant at HVS Ltd and specialise in employment and health and safety legislation as well as financial management and data analysis. My previous role was administration manager for a NZ based global enterprise, both roles requiring high functioning skill sets, including motivation, emotional intelligence and determination, which I will bring to WRS as a parent representative. 

I believe my austere work ethic combined with my caring and empathetic nature makes me an appropriate choice to ensure the good guidance of the school, navigate any challenges and ensure a strong partnership is in place between parents and the school.

My name is James Emmett. I am a local dairy farmer and have three children attending Winchester Rural School. I have served on the recent Board for the previous term. 

I have really found working on the Winchester Rural school Board of Trustees to be very rewarding as our primary role is to make decisions that will help our fabulous principal and wonderful teachers grow the minds of our children and prepare them to be contributing, well functioning members of society. I have learnt so much about governance and the education system in New Zealand and I have grown such a respect for the work our teachers do.

Winchester Rural school is such a fantastic community of people and children and I am proud to have be involved in the school as a parent representative on the Board of Trustees.
I am seeking re-election as a returning member to help with the consistency of the decision making process.

Hi my name is Rhys Davies. My partner Tessa of 13 years and I have 3 children at WRS, Miley (10) in year 6, Natalie (7) in year 3 and Carter (5) in new entrants. We have been part of WRS community for 6 years. I have recently started attending board meetings to familiarise myself and get a better understanding around how the board operates.

For the past 5 years, I have managed a large dairy farm at Rangitata and have managed farms for the last 9 years, all of which managing multiple staff and ethnicities. Tessa is currently in her 2nd year doing a Bachelor of Teaching and Learning (primary) as well as looking after our 3 children and working part time at Clandeboye preschool when needed. 

In my spare time I volunteer at Rangitata fire brigade, I am a committee member for Temuka Squash club and helping the school PTA when and where I can.

We are extremely lucky to have such a great local rural school with its fantastic culture, staff and community. Our whole family feels privileged to be part of a community that provides such a quality education for our children so I thought I’d like to give something back to the school and run for a BoT position to contribute to the ongoing education of all staff and children.

As a parent I understand the importance of a good education for our children and the need to prepare them for an ever changing world. I believe being part of the board is not just about providing strategy and managing finance, but about pushing boundaries in ourselves and our children, making school a fun, enjoyable place to be and always striving to do and be better.

Thank you for taking the time to consider me as your trustee; it would be a privilege to work representing you, your children and communities.

Kind Regards.