Student Achievement focus for school Trustees

Student Achievement focus for school Trustees conference

This year’s New Zealand School Trustees Association Conference marks 21 years since Tomorrow’s Schools reforms were launched, and School Trustees from around the country will be gathering in Christchurch to listen to experts in all aspects of school governance, as well as celebrating the successes achieved since 1989.

As the school’s governing body the Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for all aspects of the school’s performance, including student achievement.

Around 18,000 people serve on approximately 2,460 school Boards of Trustees in New Zealand.

The Boards were created as part of the wide-ranging Tomorrow’s Schools reforms, along with other core features of today’s education system such as the Ministry of Education, NZ Teachers Council (NZTC), Education Review Office (ERO), and NZ Qualifications Authority (NZQA).

Over the past two decades, the board of trustees’ role has evolved from an early preoccupation with administrative issues such as property and financial management to a much sharper focus on student achievement.

“In the end it’s all about providing the best for our students” says NZSTA President Lorraine Kerr. “If it doesn’t improve the chance for every student in the school to achieve, and to experience some form of success, then we have to ask ‘Should we be doing it?’

“There are a whole lot of things coming together at present, from Ka Hikitia to the Positive Behaviour Action Plan to plain language reporting and national standards to reviews of Alternative Education, Special Education, and Teacher Education, to the Youth Guarantee initiatives.” says Lorraine.

“As school trustees, we need to be continually raising our game and with a number of current initiatives aimed at improving the lot for our young people, it is a challenging , but exciting, time to be involved.”

The New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA) Conference is at the Christchurch Conference Centre from 9 -11 July.

The theme is “Boards as leaders: Challenging achievement outcomes”.

ENDS

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