Silverdale School Board/Poari
NEWSLETTER
10 June 2021
Kia ora Parents, Caregivers, Students and Staff,
The Education and Training Act 2020 – there have been a few key changes in regard to the Act that affects School Boards:
New terminology for boards and their members:
When re-writing the Act, the Government took the opportunity to change and simplify some of the language used.
For school boards, this means the following terms have changed.
- Board of Trustees is now simply School Board e.g., Silverdale School Board
- The role of Board Chair (BC) is now the role of Presiding Member (PM)
- Trustees are now Board Members and then further defined by who they are representing e.g., Parent Representative, Staff Representative, Student Representative etc.
Amending school board objectives.
The Act revises the objectives for school boards to:
- Ensure school governance is underpinned by Te Tiriti o Waitangi and relevant student rights, and
- Refocus boards on a wider range of objectives so that educational achievement is no longer the only primary objective.
- It is instead one of four primary objectives, alongside objectives for schools to ensure the physical and emotional safety of students and staff, that they are inclusive and cater for students with differing needs and that they give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
These changes are intended to strengthen school governance and refocus schools on what matters most for learners and their whānau. The four objectives are:
- Every student is able to attain their highest possible standard in educational achievement.
- The school is a physically and emotionally safe place for all students and staff and gives effect to relevant student rights and takes all reasonable steps to eliminate racism, stigma, bullying, and any other forms of discrimination within the school.
- The school is inclusive and caters for students with differing needs.
- The school gives effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi by:
– Working to ensure that its 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; and
– Achieving equitable outcomes for māori students.
School boards to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi
The new objective relating to Te Tiriti o Waitangi will:
- Emphasise the importance of local history and practices.
- Challenge boards to improve the teaching of te reo māori and tikanga māori.
- Contribute to meeting the crown’s duty to actively protect tino rangatiratanga rights; and
- Make a significant contribution to achieving the crown’s strategy for māori language revitalisation 2018 – 2023 – maihi karauna
Requiring boards to consult on rules/bylaws
The new Act requires that boards must consult their students (where appropriate), staff and school communities when making school rules/bylaws. As well as bringing boards into line with other entities empowered to make bylaws, the new requirement enables greater staff, student, and community engagement with key governance decisions that may significantly impact them. The school community includes:
- The parents and whānau of students enrolled at the school
- The Māori community associated with the school
- The proprietors if a state integrated school
- Key community groups or representatives
- Any other group of people that would be significantly impacted by decisions made by the board
This new requirement took effect upon enactment of the Act and is in force now, the Ministry of Education is currently developing some guidance for school boards.
Silverdale School Boards next meeting:
Monday 28 June at 7:00pm
Noho ora mai,
Silverdale School Board
Presiding Member (PM) – Alison Gilchrist
Parent Representatives – Steven McCleery, Hayley Thow, Nicola Kayes, Megan Catterall.
Staff Representative – Mark Ralston.
Principal – Cameron Lockie.
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