News from the Board of Trustees
Kia ora koutou.
Welcome:
Welcome to 2024 at Sacred Heart Cathedral School and a special welcome to the new families joining our school. For those who are new to the school, I am the Presiding Member of the board of trustees.
We warmly welcome our new teachers – Anna Revington, Hannah Ryan and Nik Solia and we welcome back Ann Stephen from refreshment leave. We also welcome Fr. Patrick to the Sacred Heart Cathedral parish.
Board Meeting:
The Board met for the first meeting of 2024 last week.
Our strategic discussion was Academic and Personal Development. This year there is a school personal development focus on wellbeing (for staff and students), teaching specifically about the Zones of Regulation and managing emotions.
Our 2024-26 Strategic Plan which was finalised last year has been lodged with the Ministry of Education and a one-page plan is found below this message. This outlines the four areas of focus (Our Faith, Our Learners, Our Staff and Our Community) and the initiatives under each area for the next three years.
Professional Coaching Support for Principal Leadership Role Funding:
As part of the recent settlement to the Primary Principals’ Collective Agreement 2023-2025, it was agreed that in each of 2023 and 2024 principals can access funding to ensure that they can access coaching and support which enhances their leadership role and supports their professional development and wellbeing. Bernadette has worked with the Board to finalise her use of these funds and will be attending the following:
- Principals’ Delegation to Canada to undertake school visits, meet with the Calgary Board of Education (to discuss a focus on wellbeing for staff and students and how Indigenous learning programmes support equitable educational outcomes) and attending the ULead Educational Leadership Conference (a conference focussing on transformational leadership in schools). Bernadette will be traveling with eight Principals from New Zealand, during April 2024 school holidays.
- Catholic Convention, Wellington, June 2024
- New Zealand Principals Federation Conference, Christchurch, September 2024
Donations:
Thank you very much to everyone who has paid their donations to the school. Although donations are not compulsory, they enable our school to provide high quality programmes of learning and we rely on these funds to enhance the life of the school through supporting cultural activities, sports, employing additional staff to supplement learning support, and provide extra teachers. The general school donation will be used for:
- ICT classroom equipment (Chrome books and iPads);
- New adaptive furniture that supports a vibrant and flexible learning environment;
- Resources to support health and PE programmes;
- Resources to support Literacy, Mathematics and Science learning;
- Resources to support the external environment.
Your support is greatly appreciated by us. The donations (both general and specific) qualify for a rebate of 33%. If you would like further information on this and how to claim, please click on the link below:
Please contact Frances at frances@sacred-heart.school.nz if you have not received a donation receipt or if you have any questions.
If you have any questions about the above, please email or call me: suzanneadair@hotmail.com, 021 039 7558.
Ngā mihi nui,
Suzanne Adair
Presiding Member of the Sacred Heart Cathedral School Board of Trustees
