Nominations open now for two school trustee positions

wordpress-postcS0eE0

Nominations are invited for the election of two parent representatives to the Board of Trustees. A nomination form is included in this article and hard copies may be collected from reception. Nominations close noon on Friday 30 October.

Nomination Form

Attached is a nomination form to enable you to put your name forward as a candidate in the forthcoming board of trustees’ election, or to nominate someone else as a candidate.

Note: If you are on the school roll and eligible to vote, you can nominate yourself and do not require a seconder, but you must sign both parts of the form.

Complete the nomination form, including the necessary signatures. Complete the candidate’s contact details including their address and telephone numbers (home and mobile), and post, hand deliver or email the form to the returning officer at the address shown below. If emailed, promptly make arrangements to get the originals to the returning officer.

Nominations close at 12 noon on Friday 30 October.

Information for Candidates

If you are a candidate, you are invited to submit an optional statement (up to 400 words), which can include a photograph. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that the signed candidate’s statement is received by the returning officer. If your statement is not received by 12 noon on Friday 30 October, the statement cannot be sent to voters with the voting papers.

Note: The returning officer may omit or abridge any part of the candidate’s statement where it exceeds 400 words or is offensive or defamatory.

Voting Roll

A copy of the voting roll is available for inspection at the school reception during normal school hours.

Eligibility

Anyone may stand for election for the board of trustees, other than those ineligible under sections 103 and 103A of the Education Act 1989. Please also refer to clauses 9 and 10 of Schedule 23 of the Education and Training Act 2020. Information about who is eligible is on the back of the nomination form.

Note: If you are not on the voting roll you must be nominated by a person who is.

Scrutineers

A candidate may appoint a scrutineer to observe the vote count. Please advise the returning officer in writing of the scrutineer’s name and contact details before election day.

Voting and results of the election

If there are more nominations than vacancies for parent representatives, a voting election will be held. Eligible voters will be posted voting papers and any candidates’ statements provided, including any photograph, on or before Wednesday 4 November 2020.

The poll closes at 12 noon on Wednesday 2 December. The two highest polling candidates will be elected to the board of trustees. The results will be made available on the school website www.nayland.school.nz and via our school newsletter.

Nomination forms are available in te reo Māori. Please contact the returning officer if these are required.

Post, hand deliver, or email (scanned) completed nomination forms to: 

Sarah Luton, Nayland College 166 Nayland Road, Stoke, NELSON

E: sarah.luton@nayland.school.nz . 

If emailed, promptly make arrangements to get the originals to the returning officer.

Image by: trustee-election.co.nz

What is a school board of trustees? 

Almost all state and state integrated schools in New Zealand have a board of trustees. School board membership includes parent representatives, a staff representative, a student representative (where there are students above year 9) and the principal. Your board may also include other types of trustees. 

What do trustees do? 

The board is accountable to its parents and community and for student progress and achievement. Here are some specific things a board does: 

  • Sets the strategic direction and plans for the school and monitors the school’s progress against them. 
  • Monitors and evaluates student progress. 
  • Oversees the management of staff, property, finances, curriculum and administration. 
  • Ensures that the educational needs and aspirations of Maori learners, Pasifika learners and learners with special learning and behaviour needs are identified, planned for and met. 
  • Fulfills the intent of the Treaty of Waitangi by valuing and reflecting New Zealand’s dual cultural heritage. 
  • Appoints and supports the principal and assesses their performance. 

What skills do trustees need? 

Trustees are active leaders in their schools and need to work well in a team, ask challenging questions and have good communications skills. Boards need a balance of skills and experiences around the table to ensure effective processes for planning, monitoring, reporting and reviewing of the school’s performance are in place. 

For more information on becoming a trustee click here.

By Sarah Luton (Returning Officer)

Attachments

2020 Nayland College BOT Parent Rep Nomination form with cover letter   PDF, 1.3 MB