Governance Practices

1. Board Roles and Responsibilities

The Board of Trustees’ key areas of contribution are:

· representation

· leadership

· accountability

· employer role

· Special Character

2. Trustee’s Code of Behaviour

The Board is committed to ethical conduct in all areas of its responsibilities and authority. Trustees shall:

· Function in ways that are consistent with the school’s Special Character.

· Support the implementation of the Board of Proprietor’s vision for Special Character.

· Maintain and understand the values and goals of the school.

· Ensure the needs of all pupils, their achievement is paramount.

· Be loyal to the organisation and its mission.

· Publicly represent the school and both its Boards in a positive manner.

· Respect the integrity of the Principal and staff.

· Observe the confidentiality of non-public information acquired in their roles as trustees 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.

· Not act independently of the Board’s decisions.

· Speak with one voice through its adopted policies and ensure that any disagreements with the Board’s stance are resolved within the Board.

· Avoid any conflicts of interest with respect to their fiduciary (relating to the relationship between the trustee and the school) responsibility.

· Recognise the lack of authority in any individual trustee or subgroup of the Board in any interaction with the Principal or staff.

· Recognise that only the Chairperson can speak for the Board.

· Continually self-monitor their individual performance as trustees against policies and against any other current Board evaluation tools.

· Be available to undertake appropriate professional development.

· Act and contribute in the best interests of all stakeholders.

· Accept responsibility for a portfolio/committee and fulfil Board expectations, with the exception of the staff-elected representative.

· Take personal responsibility to keep up-to-date with of governance responsibilities.

3. Chairperson’s Role

The Chairperson is the leader of the Board and carries overall responsibility for the integrity of the Board’s processes. The role involves the following responsibilities.

4. Staff and Proprietor Trustee Role Description

a) Staff Trustee

The staff trustee fulfils legislative requirements, relating to Board composition. The role of the staff trustee is to bring a staff perspective to Board decision making.

The trustee has an obligation to serve the broader interests of the school and its pupils and has equal voice, vote, standing and accountabilities as all other trustees – refer to Board Roles and Responsibilities in previous section. The staff trustee is elected by the staff.

b) Proprietor Trustee

The number of proprietor trustees fulfils legislative requirements and, relating to Board composition, must be one less than parent-elected members.

This trustee has an obligation to serve the broader interests of the school and its pupils and has equal voice, vote, standing and accountabilities as all other trustees – refer to Board Roles and Responsibilities in previous section.

However, as an appointee of the Proprietor, it is expected the trustee will bring a proprietor perspective to Board decision making with reference to all matters related to Special Character and property. Term of appointment is determined by the Proprietor and is normally reviewed during Board election season.

5. The Relationship between the Board Principal and Proprietor

The performance of the school depends significantly on the effectiveness of this relationship and as such a positive, productive working relationship must be developed and maintained. The Board, Principal and Proprietor form the leadership team and as such clear role definitions have been developed. The Responsibilities of the Principal, Chair, and Responsibilities of the Board policies along with the Board’s agreed Code of Behaviour should be read alongside this policy.

· This relationship is based on Christian character qualities, such as mutual respect based on trust, integrity and ability.

· The relationship must be professional.

· The Principal reports to the Board as a whole rather than to individual trustees.

· Day to day relationships between the Board and the Principal are delegated to the Chair.

· All reports presented to the Board by the staff arrive there with the Principal’s approval and the Principal is accountable for the contents. Proprietor reports go to the Board through the Chair.

· There are clear delegations and accountabilities by the Board to the Principal through policy.

· The Proprietor generally relates to the Board through its Proprietor Appointees.

· The three must work as a team and there should be no surprises.

· No party will deliberately hold back important information.

· No party will knowingly misinform the other.

· A positive, productive working relationship between the Principal and the Chair is both central and vital to the school.

· All must be able to counsel the others on performance concerns.

· The Chair supports the Principal and vice versa when required and appropriate.

· There is understanding/acceptance the other’s strengths and weaknesses.

· All agree not to undermine the other’s authority.

· There is an agreement to not break confidences when assurances have been given.

· There is an agreement to be honest with the other.

· All agree and accept the need to follow policy and procedures.

· Agree and understand that the Chair has no authority except that granted by the Board.

· Understand that the Chair should act as a sounding board for the Principal both supporting and challenging in order to hold the school to account for achieving the goals and targets that have been set.

· Establish and commit to regular meeting times.

· The Board and Proprietor must maintain a healthy independence from the Principal in order to fulfil their role.

· The Principal should be able to share their biggest concerns with the Board (and Proprietor if necessary).

· The parties agree on the level of visibility of the Proprietor in the life of the school.

6. Meeting Processes

The Board is committed to effective and efficient meetings:

a) Based on a prepared annual agenda. The agenda preparation is the responsibility of the Chairperson.

b) Dates, times and places are communicated to all stake holders through publication in the school newsletter/website.

c) Held with the expectation that trustees have prepared for them and will participate.

d) Discussions at all times are within the principles of acceptable behaviour reflecting Special Character values.

e) Only duly passed resolutions are recorded in minutes and these become the official voice of the Board.

f) Have the right, by resolution, to exclude the public and news media from the whole or part of the proceedings in accordance with the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.

g) Decisions by the Board in committee are fully recorded but remain confidential. The Board needs to:

· Make the reasons for excluding the public clear

· Reserve the right to include any non-Board member it chooses

h) Trustee – Trustee Concerns. A Trustee who has a concern regarding another Trustee or group of Trustees and considers it inappropriate to bring that concern up in a full Board meeting, should contact the Chair for advice. In general the Matthew 18 principle should apply. If the concern relates to the Chair, then the Trustee should contact the Proprietor for advice. (The New Zealand School Trustees’ Association is also a useful resource in these situations)

7. Meeting Procedures

[* denotes legislative requirement]

a) General

i. Meetings are held as per the agenda.

ii. The quorum shall be more than half the members of the Board currently holding office.*

iii. The Chairperson shall be elected at the first meeting of the year except in the general election year where it will be at the first meeting of the newly elected Board.*

iv. The Chairperson may exercise a casting vote in the case of equality of votes, in addition to his/her deliberative vote.*

v. Any trustees with a conflict or pecuniary interest in any issue shall not take part in any debate on such issues and may be asked to leave the meeting for the duration of the debate.*

vi. Only trustees have automatic speaking rights.

vii. The Board delegates [and minutes] powers under Sections 16 & 17 of Education Act to the Disciplinary Committee.

viii. The Board delegates [and minutes] authority to the Deputy Principal in the times of absence of the Principal.

b) Time of Meetings

Regular meetings commence with prayer and devotions, and will normally take two to three hours.

A resolution for an extension of time may be moved.

Any business remaining on the agenda at the conclusion of the meeting is transferred to the following meeting.

The Board will normally meet 8 times per year.

c) Special Meetings

A special meeting may be called by delivery of notice to the Chairperson signed by at least one third of trustees currently holding office.

d) Exclusion of the Public

The meeting may, by resolution, exclude the public and news media from the whole or part of the proceedings in accordance with the Meetings Act.* Public excluded minutes will be made appropriately to meet local body best practice.

e) Public Participation

i. Public participation is at the discretion of the Chairperson.

ii. Public attending the meeting are given a notice about their rights to participation in the meeting.

f) Motions/Amendments

i. All motions and amendments moved in debate must be seconded unless moved by the Chairperson.*

ii. Motions and amendments once proposed and accepted may not be withdrawn without the consent of the meeting.*

iii. No further amendments may be accepted until the first one is disposed of.*

iv. The mover of a motion has the right of reply.*

v. A matter already discussed may not be reintroduced at the same meeting in any guise or by way of an amendment.*

vi. Decisions made by email between meetings will be ratified at the next meeting.

g) Termination of Debate

All decisions are to be taken by open voting by all trustees present.

h) Suspension of Meeting Procedures

Standing Orders may be suspended by resolution of the meeting.

i) Agenda

i. Agenda items are to be notified to the Chair 5 days prior to the meeting.

ii. Late items will only be accepted with the approval of the Board.

iii. The order of the Agenda may be varied by resolution at the meeting.

iv. All matters requiring a decision of the Board are to be appended as separate meeting items.

v. All items in the agenda are to carry a recommended course of action and where appropriate supplemented by supporting material in the agenda documentation.

vi. The agenda is to be collated with the agenda items placed in the agenda order and marked with the agenda number.

vii. Papers requiring reading and consideration will not normally be accepted if tabled at the meeting.

viii. Papers and reports are to be sent to the Board the weekend before the meeting.

j) Minutes

i. The Board ensures it has appropriate secretarial services.

ii. The minutes are to clearly show resolutions and action points and who is to complete the action.

iii. A draft set of minutes is to be completed and sent to the Chair for approval within 4 working days of the Board meeting before being distributed to trustees within 7 working days of the meeting.

iv. Minutes are signed by the Board Chair or delegate following adoption.

k) Meeting Reports

i. All reports are primarily through the Principal unless specifically stated elsewhere

ii. Principal’s Report: reflects the Special Character of the school, is based on the Annual Plan and has a format negotiated by the Principal with the Board.

8. Meeting Agenda

A typical agenda will be as follows:

Rolleston Christian School

MEETING OF THE ESTABLISHMENT BOARD OF TRUSTEES – AGENDA

Day [date] commences at [time]

1. Devotion – Prayer

2. Administration

· Apologies

· Minutes

· Matters arising

· Declaration of Interest

3. Principal’s Report

2.1 Strategic Objectives

2.2 Operational Reports

2.2.1 Curriculum

2.2.2 Documentation and Self Review

2.2.3 Personnel

2.2.4 Finance and Property

2.2.5 Health and Safety

2.2.6 Legal Compliance

2.3 Environmental Intelligence

2.4 Significant Events/Success

4. Special Guest

5. Correspondence

6. Governance

7. General

8. In Committee

9 Meeting closure

9.1 Preparation for next meeting (see Board Annual Agenda Calendar)

9. Board Review of its Effectiveness

Board Orientation

The Board is committed to ensuring continuity of business and a smooth transition when Board personnel change. Therefore:

a) New trustees will be issued with a governance manual based on the CST template.

b) Proprietor appointees on the Board will be provided with an induction pack.

c) The Chairperson, and a delegate of the Proprietor, will meet with new members to provide face-to-face induction.

d) The Principal will conduct a site visit of the school as required.

e) New Board members are to be advised of the professional development that is available through Ministry of Education and NZSTA webinars as well as other relevant providers. Trustees are strongly encouraged to participate in this and other similar training.

Governance Review

Trustee Review

At the end of each year, trustees may be asked to evaluate their own contribution to the Board and their individual effectiveness in discussion with the chairperson. The basis of such a review shall be these Governance Practices (Part 3), in particular the Roles & Responsibilities standards and the Code of Behaviour.

Chairperson Review

The Board chair will evaluate his/her effectiveness and performance in discussion with individual trustees and the Principal (in particular the Role of the Chair standards).

Board Review

Annually, the chairperson will co-ordinate a review of the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, either orally or by means of a survey. The review will be based on the Strategic Plan and Policy Framework, and will ensure that the effectiveness of the Board continues to improve each year. The review will be minuted at the final meeting of the year.

ERO Review

The school is reviewed regularly by the statutory body charged with quality assurance of schools on behalf of the Crown.

Special Character Review

The Proprietor commissions three yearly reviews.