NZSTA Professional Development 2015 Workshop Outlines
Workshop
Summary
Learning Objectives
Accountability
The board is accountable to the crown and to the school’s parents, family, whanau and
community for the performance of the school. This workshop covers the who, what and
how of board accountability.



Who boards are accountable to
Who and what boards are accountable for
How boards can meet their accountabilities
Reviewing
School Performance
What is self-review? How can we as a board deliberately plan to measure school
performance?
Student Achievement:
the board’s main focus
This workshop covers the board's responsibility for student achievement, what good
student achievement reporting looks like and how to set and review student
achievement targets.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What we need to review
How we can monitor progress
How we plan for ongoing review within our board meeting structure
Where this fits within ERO expectations
Responsibilities for student progress and achievement
Good practice reporting
How data is used for effective governance
Finance
How does a board monitor expenditure and understand the important aspects of
financial review? This workshop covers the board’s accountability for managing the
effective spending of public money, the legal requirements related to financial
governance, board process and policy requirements to ensure effective financial
management.
This practical session looks at the intent of the legislation [regarding] student standdowns, suspensions, exclusions and expulsions and will share practical examples.
•
•
•
How a board monitors expenditure
Understand the important aspects of financial review
The board’s accountability for managing the spending of public money
•
•
•
The purpose of the student stand downs, suspensions, exclusions and expulsions legislation
The board’s student discipline cycle
The board’s required documentation
•
•
•
What the employer role is
Who and what boards are accountable for as employers
How boards can meet their accountabilities as employers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The board’s responsibilities for performance management
How to develop a performance agreement and write performance objectives
The process for conducting an annual performance review
What a good policy and process looks like
The board’s responsibility in recruiting under the law and as the employer
Key steps in planning and coordinating the recruitment and selection process
How following robust processes assists boards in selecting and appointing the best person for
the principal position
•
•
•
Who boards represent and who the representatives are
What has been entrusted to the board
How boards represent their stakeholders
•
•
•
•
Elements of effective succession planning
Tips for ensuring the election of effective trustees
Good practice induction plans
Action plans
Accountability
The Board’s Role in
Effective Stand downs
and Suspension
Processes
Employer Role
Employer Role
Principal Performance
Management
Principal Appointment
The board is the employer of all staff at the school and is responsible for a range of
decisions and tasks that arise during the employment relationship. This involves
ensuring there are policies, plans and programmes to meet all requirements related to
this role. This workshop explains what being a good employer means and covers
appointments, staff concerns and complaints, board documentation related to the
employer role and performance management of the principal.
This workshop will outline the board’s responsibilities for performance management
including how to develop a performance agreement, the process for conducting an
annual performance review and what a good performance management policy looks
like.
This workshop will give participants an overview of the board’s responsibilities in
recruitment under the law and as an employer and the key steps in planning and
coordinating the recruitment and selection process.
Representation
Representation
Succession Planning
School boards, and individual trustees, are elected to act in an independent,
stewardship role on behalf of those who cannot sit around the board table. This
workshop looks at what representation is, who the board represents, how trustees
represent the stakeholders (school, students, community), options for governing, the
importance of effective and meaningful community consultation and engagement and
explores exactly what the board has been entrusted to do.
In order to ensure that there is continuity of effective governance it is critical that each
board has a succession plan in place which includes induction of new trustees.
NZSTA Professional Development 2015 Workshop Outlines
Workshop
Summary
Learning Objectives
Leadership
Leadership
Welcome aBoard
Boards provide strategic leadership and direction to schools through the charter and
policy framework which give direction to guide all school activities and decisions.
Leadership involves setting direction, vision and strategy to ensure that every student
achieves their educational potential. This workshop covers the who, what and how of
board leadership.
Welcome aBoard is targeted at newly elected trustees, and returning trustees who
need a refresher, to understand the board's governance role, its obligations to students,
and its primary focus on raising student achievement for all students.
Policy Framework
In order to ensure that the board’s model of governance is implemented effectively and
the principal has clear board expectations for day to day management of the school, an
effective policy framework is a vital tool of governance.
Effective Meetings
This workshop outlines what an effective meeting is and isn’t and shares tips and tools
for creating effective meetings.
The Chair and the
Principal: a professional and
The relationship between the chair and the principal is critical to the ongoing effective
working relationship of the board and indeed the school.
collaborative relationship
Charter Review
The charter should be the basis of all school decision making and a vital tool in
improving student achievement outcomes.
Student Trustee
The role of the student trustee can at times be challenging and is often made more
difficult as student trustees are elected for only 12 months. This requires student
trustees to be up to speed in a very short timeframe.
Role of the Staff Trustee
Hautū - Māori cultural
responsiveness self
review tool for boards of
trustees
This workshop is targeted at staff trustees or those trustees looking for a better
understanding of this role. The workshop aims to develop staff elected trustees’ ability
to contribute to effective governance through understanding their role and the
responsibilities of trustees.
Supporting Māori enjoying and achieving success as Māori.
Whakawhanaungatanga (the building of relationships) is an integral part of tikanga
Māori. Taking the time and space to role model this practice provides a window into te
ao Māori (the Māori world), operationalises the guiding principles of Ka Hikitia and
therefore demonstrates a commitment to the vision of Māori enjoying and achieving
educational success as Māori.
•
•
•
Who has leadership responsibilities in a school
What leadership means for the effective governing board
How boards lead effectively
•
Key relationships and connections within the board, school, community and wider education
sector
The governance role of the board and the management role of the principal
The board’s accountability for student achievement outcomes and in particular for Maori and
Pasifika students and students with special education needs
The board’s key governance, planning and review documentation
Examples of governance models
How to establish your board’s governance model
What an effective policy framework looks like
Reviewing your policy framework
Key elements of an effective board meeting
Legislated requirements in relation to board meetings
The importance of sound meeting processes and documentation
The importance of an effective chair
Authority of the chair
Defining the roles of the chair and principal
Tips and templates for ensuring effective relationships are built and strengthened
What school planning and reporting covers
What an effective school charter should contain
How to go about charter review
What effective reporting covers
The roles and responsibilities of trustees, in particular the differences between governance
and management.
Identifying the generic, and legal requirements, of trustees, and being clear on reporting
needs to meet these requirements.
The board’s leadership and decision-making role and the important role of student trustees.
The requirements of working as an effective member of a team
Issues that may arise and ways to handle them
Understanding the roles and responsibilities of the board including legal requirements
Considering the staff trustee’s role in relation to other members of the board and staff
Discussing issues unique to staff trustees and developing strategies for managing them
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Effective Chair
Whether you are an experienced, newly appointed or potential board chair, this session
will be useful as it will cover the things you need to know as you lead the board
successfully. Board chairs will recognise the critical position they hold through gaining a
better understanding of their role and responsibilities, particularly in relation to student
achievement outcomes.
•
•
•
•
•
A good understanding of Ka Hikitia – Accelerating Success 2013-2017 and the importance of
enjoying and achieving educational success as Māori
Increased awareness regarding cultural responsiveness in relation to Māori students, parents,
whānau and community
Increased awareness and understanding of their accountability for strengthening Māori
student achievement
A good understanding of how to use Hautū to determine the cultural responsiveness of your
board and school
The legislative requirements relating to the chair role
The factors that contribute to an effective chair
The critical relationships involving the board chair
The importance of running effective board meetings
The importance of planning the board’s work