Nau mai Haere Mai
Welcome to our
Board of Trustees Information hui
What you’ll learn today
•The role of the school board
•What do board members do?
•Who can be a board member?
•What support is available if you want to become a board member?
•Q&As
Meet our current board members
Firth Primary School BOT 2022
What is a school board?
School boards were established during the ‘Tomorrow’s Schools’ education reforms in the late 1980s.
School boards ensure that local communities are at the heart of education provision in their community.
School boards are the largest crown entity in New Zealand – comprising more than 18,000 board members looking after 2,500 state and state-integrated schools.
What’s in a name?
The Education and Training Act came into force in August 2020.
This Act replaces all major existing education and training legislation. It also introduces a number of new names for school governance:
•Boards of Trustees (BoTs) are now simply referred to as ‘school boards’
•Trustees are now called ‘board members’
•Staff and student board members can also be referred to as ‘representatives’
Because the new Act came into effect during the 2020 mid-term election process, most schools are still using the terms ‘Boards of Trustees’ and ‘trustees’ in their election material.
What do boards do?
School boards are responsible for governance - what do we want the school to achieve?
The principal and staff of the school are responsible for management – how will the school achieve this?
It’s important to note that the school board does not get involved in the day-to-day running of the school.
What do boards do?
The Board has four key objectives:
1. To ensure that every student at the school is able to attain their highest possible standard in education achievement
2. To ensure the school is a physically and emotionally safe place for all students and staff
3. To ensure the school is inclusive of, and caters for, students with differing needs
4. To give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi
What do boards do?
School boards also have four areas of governance:
Representation - they are the voice of the school community
Employer role – they are the employer of all staff at the school
Accountability – for student achievement; student and staff wellbeing; and to the community
Leadership – they play an important role in shaping the education experience and achievements of students
Who can be on a school board?
Just about anyone!
You don’t have to be a parent/caregiver, or have children at school – what you DO need is:
•a commitment to children and education
•the skills to help the school | kura improve student achievement
•to be able to work well as part of a team
•good communication skills, be of sound mind and have a clear police record
It’s also really important for boards to reflect the diversity within their school community.
How is a board elected?
•Nation-wide school board elections are held every three years (triennial elections)
•Some schools opt into a mid-term election cycle (holding elections for some positions every 18 months)
•By-elections can be held at any time (usually following a resignation)
•Student representative elections occur annually in September
All parents and legal guardians/caregivers of students enrolled full-time at the school can vote for school board members (parent representatives).
How are boards structured?
A school board typically has 3-7 members
•Board chair (elected by the board members)
•Parent representatives (elected by the school community)
•Staff representative (elected by the school’s staff)
•Student representative (for schools with Year 9 students and above; elected by students)
•State-integrated schools also have 4 proprietor appointees
All board members have equal standing, accountability and voice around the board table.
Election Timeline
Support/Expectations of board members
The New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA) provides free advice and support for boards and board members. This includes:
•Printed and online resources for board members new to the role
•Professional development opportunities
•Advisory and support services
•Regional events
•An annual National Conference
*attend all board meetings