Our Board of Trustees
Board Handbook
This handbook is intended to help Boards focus on those aspects of a state-integrated school that differ from a standard (non-integrated) state school. There are excellent governance guides available from the Ministry of Education and the School Trustees Association that cover aspects common to both.
This has been updated to reflect the 2017 legislative update to the Education Act (1989). Click here for the downloadable version
Purpose of a School Board
Every state and state-integrated school in New Zealand has a board of trustees. Boards bring families, communities and schools together to work towards a quality education for our children. The role of the school board of trustees is the governance and control of the management of the school. The board is the employer of all staff in the school and appoints a principal to provide the day to day management of the school. The Principal is required to comply with the board’s general policy directions but has discretion to manage the school on a day to day basis. The board focuses on the vision and policies for the school and is ultimately accountable for the school’s performance and compliance with legal requirements.
For more information about our current Board members, Board meetings, Board newsletters and how to contact the Board please see below.
What does the Board do?
The school board has the overall responsibility for the governance of the school, including meeting certain legal obligations, responsibility for property, personnel, financial management, reporting to the Ministry and school community, and meeting national requirements set by the Ministry of Education.
School Planning:
The board sets direction through the School Strategic and Annual Implementation Plan that the Principal and staff then put in place. It must also monitor and report annually on its progress towards these goals.
Click here for the Annual Report 2017 Click Here for the Annual Report 2018
Click Here for the Annual Report 2019 Click Here for the Annual Report 2020
Click Here for the Annual Report 2021 Click Here for the Annual Report 2022
Board Meetings
The Board meets once a month from February through to December. Meetings are open to the public however they are not public meetings where everyone has the right to speak. Speaking rights can be granted in advance by the Presiding Member. Sometimes parts of the meeting are closed to the public when the board is discussing confidential matters.
In a typical board meeting you may see;
Setting of educational goals and strategic direction.
Reviewing and occasionally rewriting of policies.
Monitoring of how the school is progressing against its annual targets and how well students are achieving.
Decisions on how the school's funding will be spent.
Formulation and overseeing of the five year property plan.
Meeting Schedule 2024
29 February 20 March 8 May 26 June 7 August 17 September 30 October 4 December
How or why you might contact the Board
Any matters relevant to the day to day management of the school (whether administrative or educational) should in the first instance be directed to the school management. If you do not believe the school management has adequately dealt with your issue you may then escalate this to the Presiding Member.
Contact details for the school office and all teachers are available on the Our Staff section on this website. If your concern is about a matter which you don't feel able to discuss directly with the teacher or is of a more general nature you can then contact the Deputy Principal or the head of your child’s Learning Team:
Deputy Principal; Hellene Varoy, hellene@stmary.school.nz
Year 5-6 Learning Community Leader; Maree Flashman, maree@stmary.school.nz
Year 3-4 Learning Community Leader; Vicki Hyland, vicki@stmary.school.nz
Year 0-2 Learning Community Leader; Sarah Nelisi, sarah@stmary.school.nz
Or at any time please be welcomed to contact the Principal (Sue Kubala). If the issue concerns the Principal you can contact the Presiding Member. You may also wish to raise questions regarding school policies, these can also be raised with the Presiding Member at siata@stmary.school.nz.
St Mary's Board 2024
Si'ata Tavite
Presiding Member and Proprietor's Representative. Malo e lelei! I started my journey at St Mary’s School as the parent of a new entrant in 2013. I now have one child attending. I was appointed to the Board in December 2017 and currently serve as a Proprietors Representative and Presiding Member. I am passionate about strengthening relationships between the Board and the wider school community, with a specific focus on ensuring that Pasifika families are involved and engaged.
St Mary’s Board Members:
Si'ata Tavite - Presiding Member / Proprietor’s Representative (siata@stmary.school.nz)
Sue Kubala - Principal (principal@stmary.school.nz)
Vicki Hyland - Staff Representative
Fr. Joseph Valachathinakathu John (Fr Joseph V.J.) - Proprietor’s Representative and Immaculate Conception Parish Priest
Paula Bridge - Proprietor’s Representative and Minutes Secretary
Judy MacMenigall - Proprietor’s Representative
Nicole Sharpe - Parent Representative
Joe Rolleston - Parent Representative
Matt Bennett - Parent Representative
Jessie Lapthorne - Parent Representative
Siobhan Wilson - Parent Representative
The Board can be contacted through the School Secretary, Laura Baker at laura@stmary.school.nz. Please note that all concerns regarding the management or day to day running of St Mary’s Catholic School should be directed to Mrs Sue Kubala, as principal, in the first instance, principal@stmary.school.nz.
Our policies are found on the School Docs Platform http://stmary.schooldocs.co.nz/
Copyright: Except where stated, the content on this site is the copyright of ScholDocs Ltd. It may not be reproduced without written permission from SchoolDocs Ltd.
Board Election Results September 2022 - Declaration Letters
Staff Representative - NON-VOTING
Parent Representatives - VOTING ELECTION