Are you interested in becoming a Trustee on the Mercury Bay Area School Board of Trustees?
School boards are responsible for the school | kura’s performance and ensuring that all legal requirements are met.
Every state and state-integrated school | kura in New Zealand has a board of trustees. The board of trustees is a crown entity – that is, an organisation that is part of the New Zealand public sector.
The board
- is accountable for student achievement
- sets the vision for the school | kura
- ensures the school | kura complies with legal and policy requirements
First and foremost a board is accountable for student progress and achievement to its parents, community and the Crown. The board also has the overall responsibility and accountability for the school | kura.
The legal responsibilities of boards of trustees are determined by the Education Act of 1989. Schedule 6 of the Act outlines the functions and powers of boards:
- A board is the governing body of its school.
- A board is responsible for the governance of the school, including setting the policies.
A board’s primary objective in governing the school is to ensure that every student at the school is able to attain his or her highest possible standard in educational achievement.
To meet the primary objective, the board must—
(a) ensure that the school—
(i) is a physically and emotionally safe place for all students and staff; and
(ii) is inclusive of and caters for students with differing needs.
Boards need a balance of skills and experiences to ensure effective processes for consultation, planning, monitoring, reporting and reviewing the school |kura’sperformance are in place.
The board's decision-making process, all trustees work to take into account all relevant information, and to vote in the best interests of all students, regardless of which position individual trustees hold across the table.
The board will act in an ethical and respectful manner
Board business will be conducted in an ethical and respectful manner, in accordance with legislation and board policy.
Expectations and limitations -
As members of an effective governance team, each member of the board of trustees shall:
-ensure the needs of all students and their achievement is paramount
-be loyal to the school and its mission
-maintain and understand the values and goals of the school
-protect the special character of the school
-publicly represent the school in a positive manner
-respect the integrity of the principal and staff
-observe the confidentiality of non-public information acquired in their role as a trustee and not disclose to any other persons such information that might be harmful to the school
-be diligent and attend board meetings prepared for full and appropriate participation in decision making
-ensure that individual trustees do not act independently of the board’s decisions
-speak with one voice through board policies and ensure that any disagreements with the board’s stance are resolved within the board
-in the course of board meetings, disclose any interests in a transaction or decision where they, their family and/or partner, employer or close associate will receive a benefit or gain and leave the meeting for the duration of discussion and/or voting in relation to the matter
-recognise the lack of authority in any individual trustee or committee/working party of the board in any interaction with the principal or staff
-recognise that only the chair (working within the board’s agreed chair role description or delegation) or a delegate working under written delegation can speak for the board
continually self-monitor their individual performance as trustees against policies and any other current board evaluation tools
-be available to undertake appropriate professional development.
