Embedded Files
News from the Board 2023
News from the Board 2023
BOARD REPORT – APRIL 2023
Term two has rolled about very fast. We had a busy term 1 for the school with various activities including school tryathlon, Weetbix tryathlon, swimming sports, senior school camp and the Whānau fun afternoon.
NEW BOARD MEMBERS
As you may recall, we recently communicated around having two positions available on the Board of Trustees. One of these was made vacant due to Erika Maifea joining the teaching team and consequently was no longer eligible to be on the board as a parent rep. The other position was unfilled at the last election.
The Board would like to thank Erika for her contribution over the past months. Although the Board was sad to see Erika leave, we are pleased that the school still gets to benefit from Erika with her now being in a teaching role.
We are pleased to inform the community that Caitlin Hocken and Nicola Ekdahl have joined the EVS Board of Trustees. Caitlin Hocken has a background in early childhood and primary teaching and more recently working with parents to create better relationships with their children.
Nicola Ekdahl has a background in policy and legislation and she and husband Wade run a building business together.
We also welcome Emma Burleigh as the new Staff Representative to the Board of Trustees. Emma is the teacher in Korimako (Room 4) and the Lead Junior teacher.
PROPERTY
The area around the water tanks (back of room 4) is currently cordoned off due to the work starting on stage 2 of the drainage project. This work involves further improvements to our water storage and capturing, to ensure we are more self-sustainable.
GALA DAY
Massive thanks go out to the Home and School for organising and running the Gala Day last term. It was a huge success, and many hours of work went into organising this event. Thank you also to the parents that helped on the day. Our school and children will all benefit from the money raised.
Please feel free to get in touch with myself or another Board member should you have anything you wish to discuss.
Ngā Mihi
Paul Davidson
Presiding Member
BOARD REPORT - FEBRUARY 2023
The first Board of Trustees meeting was held at the school on Tuesday 23rd of February.
Being the first meeting of the year, an annual election of Presiding Member (Board Chair) was undertaken, and Paul Davidson was elected unopposed as Presiding Member for 2023. We thank Paul for his dedication to the role last year, and look forward to supporting him in the role this coming year.
There were a number of items on the agenda this month, with the main item being review of the 2022 end of year achievement report presented by the Principal. This report outlines student achievement data across maths, reading, writing, and the Star reports.
The Board discussed these results in depth, and would like to thank the contributors to the report for their detailed analysis. It was very insightful, and the effort taken to complete this made the data that the report presented easy to understand.
The Board looks forward to seeing the school build on the analysis of the outcomes throughout this coming year.
In other general business, some updated policies and procedures were discussed for adoption, and an initial discussion on the Board’s annual plan was had. This is a transition year to the new mandated NELPs (National Education and Learning Priorities) which replaces the National Administration Guidelines (NAGs), so the Board considered the guidance from the Ministry on this.
In discussion of community engagement, the Board wishes the best for the upcoming school gala that the Home and School Committee is currently preparing. We greatly appreciate the time and effort that the committee and its supporters are putting in to support the school, and want to encourage parents and caregivers of the school community to support the gala. It’s a wonderful event and the highlight of the committee’s year.
Drew Castle
Board of Trustees
2022
2022
EVS October Meeting
The last Board meeting was held on 1st November. This was the third meeting as a new Board. We hope you have managed to take some time to look at our Board profiles on the website. As a new member I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all our Board members and I’m really enjoying the position.
At our recent meeting the board was given an overview of the schools attendance to a
variety of activities. The Science Fair which was held at the Devon Hotel, the 5 Maths
students attending a problem solving challenge and the schools annual event of Calf and Lamb Day held at school. It was great to hear that we had the most entries at the Science fair and some individual awards. The Calf and Lamb day showcased some great classroom creations which showed the efforts put in by our tamariki, kaiako and whanau.
The board was also given a report from ‘The Health Education Programme Consultation’ which had been finalised from the survey results that have been collated and shared. The board all were informed about our Staff who will be heading off to do some professional development by attending the Te Ahu o Te Reo Maori course.
An update was given about the repairs being done on the school pool, UV system upgrade, Heating project and Drainage project all of which are included in the property projects that have been continuing to happen around the school.
Finally, with the new announcement of Tracey Priest who is taking on our Principal position for 2023 we would like to congratulate and wish her well in this role for next year. We would also like to acknowledge the many years of service Raewyn Rutherford has done for our school and community and we wish her all the best in her new adventures ahead. We hope you all enjoy the last remaining weeks at school and have some plans to enjoy the summer break.
Ngā mihi
Erika Maifea
September Board Meeting
The latest Board meeting was on the 20th of September. This was the second meeting of the new board. Profiles of all the board members are now completed on the school website if you would like to get to know more about the current members.
The board were given an overview of the recent sports and cultural activities that the children have participated in. From a writing workshop, photography competition, speech competition, and chess tournament, through to the nine aside inter-school football final that was held at the school mid September. It was fantastic for the school to be able to host the game, with EVS coming out the victors. A big thanks goes to Paul for getting the field set up for the game at short notice. It is great to see the varied activities the children have had the opportunity to participate in.
An update on the Literacy & Communication and Maths Strategy was given to the board by Raewyn. This covered the action plans and proposed road map to be followed to implement the strategy over the coming years.
Under finance, the school asset register was reviewed, and a new asset register policy was presented by Raewyn to the board to be passed.
Finally, it is that time of year again, and the board reviewed the necessary work required to get the pool up and running for the upcoming summer. The key system implemented last year will be retained, and information will be sent out closer to the time regarding the pricing and purchase of a pool key for the summer.
With the start of term 4 looming, I hope all have had a great holiday break and are looking forward to getting back to school and working on activities calf and lamb day.
Brendon Jones
August Board Meeting
Firstly, the Board would like to thank those who completed the Community & Parent Survey recently. We were really pleased people took the time to provide feedback to the Board.
We are always open to hearing from our school families, so please don’t hesitate to contact a Board member if you have anything to discuss.
The incoming EVS Board had their first meeting last month.
The Board consists of Erika Maifea, Brendon Jones, Drew Castle, Tracey Priest (Teacher representative), Raewyn Rutherford (Principal) and myself, Paul Davidson.
Outgoing members were Scott Mills and Cherie Benton. Scott was a Board member for 12 years and provided great leadership and direction to the Board. Although Cherie served a shorter time on the Board, she too made some great contributions. We would like to acknowledge and thank Scott and Cherie for their work.
Shirlene has been busy updating our website with the new Board’s personal profiles. We would encourage you to head on to the website and get to know more about your Board members. If you would like to talk with a Board member, please get in touch with Shirlene for contact details.
Part of the Board’s role is to review and approve school Policy & Procedures. Therefore, at most of the monthly meetings, one or more policies/procedures are presented for discussion, review, and approval. These are available for viewing by request at the school office.
The school has recently purchased a portable webcam. This technology will be useful for our Teachers, Students and Board.
Principal Appointment
The principal position is currently advertised, so we are looking forward to reviewing these applications in due course. All going to plan, we expect to inform the community during Term 4 as to who the new Principal will be for next year onwards. We will ensure this is communicated to our school families in a timely manner.
Nāku nā
Paul Davidson
27 July 22 Board of Trustees Meeting
At this month’s meeting, the board reviewed the midyear curriculum report. The information presented to the board was thorough in its analysis of the data that has been recorded so far this year. The board are happy with the progress being made and with the interventions that are in place to help students achieve their best at school.
The property maintenance plan is being reviewed and there are several projects on the go. As you are all aware there have been some significant improvements to the school buildings recently. These are set to continue over the coming year as our school gets a real refresh to bring it up to the new standards. The impact on the students should be minimal and I am sure they will all be excited to see what the fresh new look is like.
We continue to be challenged by covid and now the flu. As a result, the ministry has set out new guidelines around mask wearing at school. Please do your best to meet the requirements to ensure the ongoing safety of our most vulnerable students and staff. If your child is feeling unwell, please keep them at home until they are fit and able to come back to school.
Nga mihi
Scott Mills
July Board Meeting
July Board Meeting
At this month’s meeting, the board reviewed the midyear curriculum report. The information presented to the board was thorough in its analysis of the data that has been recorded so far this year. The board are happy with the progress being made and with the interventions that are in place to help students achieve their best at school.
The property maintenance plan is being reviewed and there are several projects on the go. As you are all aware there have been some significant improvements to the school buildings recently. These are set to continue over the coming year as our school gets a real refresh to bring it up to the new standards. The impact on the students should be minimal and I am sure they will all be excited to see what the fresh new look is like.
We continue to be challenged by covid and now the flu. As a result, the ministry has set out new guidelines around mask wearing at school. Please do your best to meet the requirements to ensure the ongoing safety of our most vulnerable students and staff. If your child is feeling unwell, please keep them at home until they are fit and able to come back to school.
Nga mihi
Scott Mills
May Board Meeting
May Board Meeting
The meeting was held in Room 1 on 24th May, all board members were present. The following is a summary of what was discussed during the meeting.
Curriculum
Raewyn’s math group is currently undertaking a statistical investigation into the impact of the Omicron virus on EVS. This will be available for all to see during the up-coming Pink Shirt Day/Open day. Art workshops for talented students - 3 students have attended art workshops which were run for our Kahui Ako. All classes/students are involved in tree planting to mark 100 years of Rotary in New Zealand. This is taking place at the new cemetery at Mangamahoe. The junior school is attending on 26th May, senior school on 9th June. Matariki celebrations will be held on 22 June, buddy classes will work on craft activities together.
The following policies and procedures were reviewed: Assessment, Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom, Attendance.
Self-Review
The Kahui Ako have submitted their application for centrally funded PLD. The main focus is on culturally proactive practice and developing localised curriculum. The school staff are already working on both of these goals. One area that the staff are looking at is weaving the Maori concepts of manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga and kotahitanga into our localised curriculum.
Personnel
Bev Mulder is reducing her hours to 0.5, working with Reading Recovery students and supporting junior literacy. Emma will take over the Junior Lead teacher role.
Finance
The audited financial report has been completed. Discussion around recommendations and procedures to be followed up on were had. The school is sitting in a good financial position. The accounts were looked at closely and all areas seemed to be tracking well. There are still a number of school pool keys outstanding - the BOT will look at this again closer to the new swimming season.
Property
Rodney has completed a property check and nothing has come up as needing immediate repairs. We have received the 2022 Building Compliance Certificate. There is still a small amount of remedial work to be completed on the new classroom and turf area.
Health and Safety
The school has 2 co2 monitors, which Shirlene is monitoring closely. These measure the level of co2 within the classrooms. We also have a portable air cleaner which will also be trialed in classrooms. The Kahui Ako has received funding to trial a new attendance service, we will receive guidelines around the service shortly.
The Sunsafe Policy was reviewed and the Farm Animal Judging and Pet Parade procedure was changed to Pet’s Day procedure.
Legislation
The following policies were reviewed: Legislation, Treaty of Waitangi, Theft and Fraud Prevention, Searches, Surrender and Retention of Property and new policy Physical Restraint.
The following procedures were reviewed: Copyright, Animal Code of Ethics, Stand-down, Suspensions, Exclusions and Expulsions, School Closure, Length of School Day and Year, Theft and Fraud Prevention.
Tracey Priest
March Board Meeting
March Board Meeting
The March 2022 school Board meeting was held on Tuesday 22 March at the school and virtually using Google Meet.
The main focus of each Board meeting is to discuss the monthly Principal's report that is presented to the school Board, but time is also taken for community feedback that has been passed on to the Board members for feedback from the school.
The March meeting was the first meeting for new Board chair Paul Davidson to chair, for which he was welcomed as incoming Chair while also acknowledging the leadership and passion devoted to the school of outgoing Chair Scott Mills.
The meeting commenced at 7pm.
The Board discussed the operations report from the Principal Raewyn Rutherford that was presented for the March period.
Nag 1 – Curriculum
The Board was advised that the annual swimming sports was cancelled due to the latest covid variant outbreak which would have inhibited parents and caregivers attending due to limitations of capacity that are now required under the current "red" setting. It was also advised that the very popular Life Education Trust truck (Harold!) will be visiting the school between the 10th and 16th April. The focus of this year's visit is on good nutrition and wellbeing.
Nag 2 - Documentation & Self Review
The Board discussed the review of the strategic and annual plans. The 2021 annual outcomes have now been published to the school website.
Nag 3 - Personnel
The Board was updated on the Ministry of Education’s policies during the Covid pandemic. It was appreciated by the Board that the school has to deal with many updates to their operational framework at very short notice, and the school is dealing with these operational requirement changes very well given the short timeframe that is given to these changes.
Also discussed were great additions to the school through the 4 current student teachers that are with us at EVS, and their positive impact to the school this term.
Nag 4a - Finance
The monthly finance report was tabled.
Nag 4b - Property
Discussions were had on the progress of the new classroom, with the completion projected within the next week.
The property policy was reviewed, submitted and accepted.
Nag 5 – Health & Safety
With the school having a large amount of covid-19 Omicron cases, the Board reiterated the community feedback and consensus to the school that the response and communication to the school community has been excellent and we appreciated the school taking this outbreak within the school on the front foot and keeping the community updated.
The school mowing procedure was reviewed & approved.
Nag 6 - Legislative requirements
The Board were made aware of and noted that the 3 yearly school Board of Trustees elections will now be held between 5th & 23rd September, which is later this term due to ongoing covid-19 pandemic issues which schools and communities have been dealing with.
Nag 7 - Community Consultation and Marketing
The Board heard an update of community consultation through the Home and School Committee, and also from feedback from the school community.
Other Business
The Board discussed further investment in the school IT infrastructure by looking in to the purchase of a capable web conferencing hardware that the school can use across many classrooms and functions.
Close
The next Board meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday 24 May, all are welcome to attend. Please come along if you have some spare time and would like to see how the school governance works – we’d love to have more of the school community involved!
Cheers
Drew Castle, EVS Board of Trustees
February Board Meeting
February Board Meeting
General:
Well, here we are. In the grips of Covid – Omicron. I would like to wish those affected a speedy recovery and a return to normal life as soon as possible.
I would also like acknowledge the calm and measured approach that the school leadership team has made in their reaction to the school outbreak. The current situation is something that was well planned for and as each of the milestones are reached, the next phase of the action plan is enacted.
These are difficult times for the management team and families affected, please be kind and
considerate in your thoughts and conversations.
The ongoing tensions in Europe between Russia and the Ukraine are also in our thoughts. My best wishes go out to those that are struggling with family concerns from the affected regions.
Curriculum:
The board were delighted to have been able to hear from our better start to literacy team of Jenny Seed and Helen Jenkins. The school wide focus on the better start to literacy program promises to give our students the best possible start to their education journey. It recognises children who struggle at the start and gives them the tools to be able to “crack the code” to learning to read. We look forward to seeing the results of this initiative. Jenny’s passion for this approach was very evident in her presentation and I hope you all support your children by helping them at home as much as you can. Read to your children as much as possible, so they learn the difference between the spoken word and reading. This is where young children struggle the most and exposure to the joys of reading and story telling help them to understand text while learning at school.
The school education report was presented to the board at the last meeting. We were happy to see the progress that our students are making with their learning. These are difficult times for the kids with all the disruptions and it is a great credit to the teachers and the kids to see how they have managed to maintain the high standards that we set and expect of them.
Property:
Isn’t it exciting to see the new classroom being erected. By the time you read this it will most
probably be finished and in use. This will take a lot of pressure off the main block at the school. The kids have coped well with having to learn in spaces that were not intended to be used as classrooms.
Our school role continues to grow though, so it won’t be long, and another classroom will be
needed.
School Pool:
The pool has had a lot of use over the summer. The new key system has worked well and has taken some of the pressure off the school budget. The pool has always been a difficult asset to keep running. There is no money given to us by the ministry. We run it through the generous donations of our community and from our operational grant. So, thank you to Murray Hinz and his dedicated band of wai warriors for their continued dedication to the pool so that we can all enjoy the benefits of learning to swim at an early age. And thank you to our local business community that support the pool also.
Health and Safety:
There have been several accidents at the skate bowl in the last month. Sometimes the tricks being attempted may require some additional body protection. If your child has ambitions of being in the X-Games, please consider sending them to school with some additional protection. Mouth guards, knee and elbow pads, good quality helmets etc. Also, please perform a WOF for their bikes, boards and scooters to ensure they are safe and appropriate for the use they are being subjected to. It’s fun to watch the daredevils doing their tricks but it’s not fun having to deal with the aftermath of a serious accident. Let’s give them the best possible chance we can at hurting themselves less.
Board Elections:
This year sees the end of the current 3-year term for the Board of Trustees. There will be an election for a new Board towards the middle of the year. A newsletter will be sent to all the families at the school asking for volunteers to join the Board, and a little later, voting papers will be sent out to elect members to the board. Please consider being a Board representative. Our school needs you!
The Board role is a very rewarding one. I have been a board representative for about 10 years and have thoroughly enjoyed my time served. I have been the Board Chair for most of that time and have enjoyed building good working relationships with the school leadership team. Together we have achieved many projects but there are many more to come. If you feel like this is something that you would be interested in doing, then please put your name forward when the time comes. If you are unsure, then attend one of the meetings so you can see what goes on behind the scenes. The job is not as difficult as you might think.
I have stepped down from the role of Chairperson this year and will not be seeking re-election to the Board. It is my son Eddie’s last year at Egmont Village School and I feel the Board needs current parent representatives to ensure that fresh ideas and input is presented for each new generation of families that attend Egmont Village School. Paul Davidson has accepted the role as Board Chair for the interim and I hope you all support him in this role as much as you have for me. I would like to thank the school team for helping me achieve the goals I set for the school. I would also like to acknowledge and thank the businesses that have donated time and money to ensure that we have been able to maintain and grow the school to the stage we are at now. The Home and School community do great things for our school also. It truly does take a Village to raise a child.
Amui he kaha ake ta maatau. We are stronger as one.
Scott Mills
2021
2021
EVS Board Meeting September 21
Greetings school whanauWell here we are, another lockdown experience lived through and back to what has become the new normal. Our children are living through a strange time in history and will be finding the disruption to their normal daily lives difficult to navigate. It’s at this time our children will need strong leaders and reassurance that things will be okay in the end. I would like to thank the EVS staff for making sure our children’s wellbeing was their first concern and for being able to engage with them through the lockdown to ensure that they were able to have that important contact from their teachers and friends. Thanks also to you, the parents and caregivers to our school family for taking up the challenge once again of working and teaching from home. Amuri he kaha ake ta maatau. Together we are stronger.Our school role is continuing to grow. As many of you will be aware, a new classroom is on its way. There have been holdups due to our current situation and the classroom is not expected to be delivered until the first term of next year. Planning is well under way and construction of the classroom has begun again at the Auckland workshop. There will be some fairly major earthworks being done during the end of year school holidays at the back of the school to prepare for the classroom delivery. We hope to be able to use this opportunity to repair the playing field so that there are not so many divots for our students to trip in while they are playing out there. In the meantime, our caretaker will be going around and filling in the worst of them to ensure safety.There has been a bit of a shuffle of classrooms at the school and once again our hall sees itself being used and a classroom. This is of course a temporary measure until the new classroom arrives. I hope the children are enjoying their adventure and the space that the hall provides. As the role grows, so does our teaching staff. A warm welcome back to those that have taught here before and congratulations on joining our school family to those that have not.Through all of these disruptions we continue to push on with the facelift that the school has been undergoing. This school holidays we will hopefully see the completion of the carpark fencing. There will also, weather permitting, be some painting happening on the exterior of the school. There is new carpet being put into the office area and the staffroom. There are many other projects planned over the next five years so we look forward to seeing the school evolve through this time.School holidays are coming up. I hope the weather is fine so that the children can get outside and play with their friends. Keep up the good work you are doing at home and stay strong.Kia kahaScott MillsEVS Board Meeting September 21
Board Report May 2021
Board Report May 2021
Greetings Egmont Village School families.
It’s been a busy term for the school. As you will have seen, there has been a lot going on around the school as far as property improvements go. This has been made possible through the School Improvement Property fund that was rolled out across all schools last year. The changes are going to keep on coming as we have a small amount of funds left to use. We plan on replacing the chain mesh fence along the side of the car park with a fence similar to the new one across the front of the school. Some landscaping at the entrance is also on the cards. These changes to the front entrance to the school are not only being done to make the school more visually appealing, they’re being done to make the car park area safer. Our school roll is growing. Unfortunately increased parking space is not something that the Ministry will fund in the short term. So I would ask that caregivers that are dropping their children off in the car park encourage the children to NOT walk through the car park, but walk around the edge on the paths provided. Please don’t be offended if I or one of the staff ask you to use the paths. It’s for our student’s safety. Thank you for your support on this issue.
The front gates are nearing completion also. We are waiting for some panels to be installed in the gates. Once this has been done, we will be getting some of the children’s artwork printed off and fixed to the panels. Similar to the fantastic panels up on the administration block wall. We have some talented young artists at our school and I can’t wait to see the artwork selected to be put on these panels. These changes help give our students a sense of pride and ownership in our school and its surroundings.
The covered courtyard project is nearing completion. I would like to thank those involved with the help that they have given to make this long awaited dream a reality. As many of you will have seen, the children are already enjoying being able to play the games that are printed into the turf and when the rain arrives later this week, they will be able to enjoy being outside under the cover.
Our new classroom will arrive towards the end of next term. It will be situated at the school end of the playing fields. This project is well underway with the site examinations being done and the classroom fit out chosen. Once again our students have been consulted with this project and carpets, furniture and colour schemes have been chosen by them. The classroom will arrive on the back of several trucks. It is 3 modules that will be joined together onsite. The new modern design classrooms are very nice and we are all looking forward to getting this new classroom.
The board was very pleased to hear back from families that have recently enjoyed the extracurricular activities that have occurred. The school camp was a huge success. Mrs. Rutherford proudly told the board how well behaved the children were that attended camp, and how much she enjoyed being with them. It sounds like they had a lot of fun. A remark was made by another group attending the camp about how well behaved our students were. This makes me very proud that our students are living the school values. As parents or caregivers of these wonderful year 7 and 8 children, you should also be very proud.
The students that attended the mountain trek also had a great time and learned about the forest eco system and how all of the plants, animals and insects work together to survive and flourish.
There are some wonderful out of the classroom experiences being enjoyed by our children. There was also an excursion to the rocky shore. I’ve been as a parent helper on one of these trips before and really enjoyed the experience of learning with the kids. A parent that attended the Mountain Trek had this to say about their experience. Room 5 Camp; 2 Mountain Trek - Letter received from a parent after the Room 5 Camp; 2 trek.
“I just wanted to pass on my appreciation of the fantastic trip organised by the school for the yr 5 and 6 students up on the mounga yesterday. I could see that Sally and Tina had put together a very detailed and thought through plan for this trip, which showed a lot of attention to detail for the day’s activities. Their time and effort is much appreciated by both Angela and me, and I know the other parents will share this appreciation. I could see the positive energy of the kids being out on the mounga, which really brought home to me how special this place is, and thankful I was to have had the opportunity to be part of the trip. I truly think that yesterday set a great benchmark for future trips and possibly projects for students, which is a credit to the school and to your leadership.”
Thank you for this feedback. The teaching staff really appreciate the recognition given for the work they put in.
EPRO 8 is back this year with many students competing for a spot in the finals. Good luck to those competing. I’m looking forward to seeing the videos of your achievements.
The school enrolment zone has just been reviewed. Schools around the region are filling up fast, so more and more schools are setting up school zones. Our zone will remain the same as our school is running at near capacity. Inglewood Primary have just set up a zone to try and manage their growing school role.
Don’t forget the fun run coming up on the 27 th of June. I’ve booked a fine weather day so get your running shoes on and join in the fun.
I just want to reiterate the fact that I am very proud of our school and the children attending. We have a great bunch of kids at the school and their pride and respect for the school and their friends is really showing through. I enjoy chatting with the kids when I come up to the school. They are all so fresh and excited about what the world will bring for them. It’s a fantastic energy to experience.
Scott Mills (Board of Trustees)
BOARD NEWSLETTER – April 2021
It has been a very busy start to Term 1, 2021. The children have had some exciting experiences this term including beach day, senior camp, mountain hike, school triathlon, Weet-Bix triathlon andswimming sports.The school Gala was also held last month, and I hear it was a great success. Unfortunately, my family were in Taupo that weekend, so didn’t get to attend! The Home and School Association did afantastic job of putting on the Gala. Not only is it a fun family day, it also raises a significant amount of funds for school projects.Raewyn and members of the Board met with the Ministry of Education Property Representatives to discuss the draft 10 year property plan. The plan encompasses a range of items from creating a newresource room, upgrading of various classrooms and the staff room, improvements to the hall, and upgrading the guttering to assist with collecting water run-off from buildings.You may have noticed the new school road sign which was recently installed. This sign will be great for keeping our school and wider community updated with key information. The new front gateframe has also been installed - keep an eye out in the coming months to see what will be displayed on the gate! The proposed covered courtyard area has now received consent, and work will beginduring the school holidays.The School Charter has been updated and is available on our school website and the Ministry of Education website. The Charter is an important planning document, which sets out our school’sobjective’s and targets for the year.The children have continued their learning this term in relation to Hauora. The Life Education truck has been parked out the front recently, and this program helps to reinforce the children’sunderstanding of wellbeing.The EVS teachers and staff have been busy with professional development, having attended a development day focusing on a mindfulness programme, which will be implemented across theschool. The Mindfulness program focuses on preventing anxiety and supporting student’s health and wellbeing through the ‘Pause Breathe Smile’ action. The staff also recently attended a literacyworkshop.On the 26 May at Inglewood High School, a Whanau hui evening is planned. The hui will discuss the topics that Whanau see as important for their children to learn in relation to Tikanga Maori. Weencourage all parents to get along to this and help to shape the future of our Maori curriculum.As mentioned above, The Home and School Association have been very busy over the past months, not just with the Gala, but other projects to. We wanted to acknowledge and thank them for thehuge contribution they make to our school. The Home and School welcome new members, so please get in touch with Shirlene Hall at the office if you would like to know more information.As always, the Board likes to hear feedback from our school families. Please get in touch with me if you wish to discuss anything.We hope you and your families have an enjoyable and safe term break.Paul DavidsonBOARD NEWSLETTER – April 2021
2020
2020
October 20th 2020The latest BOT meeting was held in Room 1 on 20th October and the following items were discussed.This year we were blessed with a fine day for our Calf, Lamb and Pets Day and it was great to see so many family members at school enjoying the crafts and animals with their children. Raewyn explained to the BOT the reasoning behind the crafts not being judged this year and we agree that the year has been challenging for both students and adults and think it was timely to trial this. Please keep an eye out for a questionnaire relating to the changes that were trialed this year. Once the questionnaire has been completed the staff will meet to discuss the findings.The following policies and procedures were reviewed and passed:
Tracey Priest
- Sensitive Expenditure
- Bullying
- Food and Nutrition
- Health and Safety
- Dealing with Persons with Non Custodial Rights
- Traumatic Incident
- Visitors to the School
- Health Education
- Legislation
- Treaty of Waitangi
- Farm Animal Judging and Domestic Pet Parade
- Length of School Day and Year
- Stand-downs, Suspensions, Exclusions and Expulsions
- Animal Code of Ethics
- Water tanks - two new tanks have been installed
- The covered courtyard
- Fencing and gate around the carpark
- New road signage.
Tracey Priest
September 22nd 2020Kia ora koutou katoaThe lastest BOT meeting was held during the last week of term 3.On the recent teachers only day, staff and board members were invited to join in a day of learning local stories, involving a bus tour around local sites to hear the stories and make connections to these sites and also to the local Marae. Some of the board members who were unable to attend were given an overview of the day and the board were pleased at how successful it was.The board also discussed a mindfulness programme that was presented to the staff by the Learning Support Co-ordinators. This programme has been recommended to assist with addressing any anxiety issues that may arise due to Covid-19.Changes by the MOE to the performance appraisal of teaching staff were presented to the board. There was a lengthy discussion on what these changes mean and how performance will be monitored and measured going forward.Financial reports were reviewed, and the board are pleased the finances are tracking closely to the budget that was set for the year. The board discussed an Urgent Response Fund that is being offered to schools to assist with helping schools to get students settled back into school routine after the disruption of Covid-19. It was also advised that funding to schools to help cover cleaning and sanitiser, and a change to relief teacher funding to assist with any increase in staff absences due to Covid-19 is being supplied to the school as part of the operational grant.Several items around school property were discussed at length by the board. The mowing of the grounds has had a price increase with the board deciding to continue with the current provider. An update of the fund usage from School Improvement Programme was given to the board. New water tanks to secure summer water supply to the school and pool, covering the courtyard, re-fencing and landscaping the carpark, and erecting new roadside signage are all options being considered by the baord for use of this funding. A maintenance report was presented to the board which then discussed the importance and priority of the items identified on the list and how they are to be addressed.The next board meeting will be held late October. The date will be advised in the regular school newsletter, and as always, all are welcome to attend. Please feel free to come along if you wish.
Brendon Jones
Brendon Jones
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