Every state and state-integrated school or kura in New Zealand has a Board.
As stewards of faith-based education, the Board of a Catholic school has the unique challenge and responsibility to safeguard and preserve the Catholic special character of the school.
There are some unique aspects that Catholic school Board members need to understand. Resources available to support our Catholic school Boards are as follows:
- The NZCEO Handbook for Boards of Trustees of NZ Catholic State-Integrated Schools is a resource to help Boards of Trustees focus on those aspects of a state-integrated school that differ from a state school.
- The Diocese of Palmerston North has developed additional video resources and PowerPoints to further explain some of the key aspects outlined in the NZCEO handbook. These follow on this page.
- The New Zealand Catholic Education Office (NZCEO) website under the Resources tab and headed ‘Governance’ have a number of support materials. A newly developed series of videos titled Governance Video Resources are designed to provide an overview of what is unique about Catholic state integrated school boards. The video resources are aimed at providing key information and advice to support the board to navigate the complexities of governance in a Catholic state integrated school. The topics will cover an introduction to governance in Catholic state integrated school and will then focus on the four key aspects that are unique to state integrated schools – enrolment, employment, property and special character.
Induction for Catholic State Integrated School Governance
Induction for Catholic State Integrated School Governance – New Zealand Catholic Education Office
Integration Agreement
New Zealand Catholic schools were founded with the primary purpose of giving a Catholic education to Catholic children. When the Proprietors of Catholic schools integrated their schools with the state system of education, they entered into a partnership with the Crown.
This video, used and adapted with permission by the Diocese of Auckland, explains some of the key aspects of the Integration Agreement for school boards to understand.
More information about Integration can be found at: https://www.nzceohandbook.org.nz/integration/
Attendance Dues
Attendance dues are a charge made by the proprietors (owners) of Catholic schools as a condition of enrolment and attendance of students at the schools in our Diocese. Parents or other persons accepting responsibility for the education of the child/children, having signed attendance dues agreement forms, have a legal obligation to pay attendance dues.
In this video, Mark Ferguson (Attendance Dues Manager), explains some of the key aspects of Attendance Dues for school boards to understand – including why we have them and what they are used for.
More information about Attendance Dues in the Diocese of Palmerston North can be found at: https://pndiocese.org.nz/education/dues/
School Property
These videos outline the key information to understand about School Property.
In Part One, Susan Zentveld (Diocesan Property Manager) explains how the different forms of funding works. In Part Two, Susan explains the 10 Year Property Plan, Insurance and important information regarding fundraising for property items.
More detailed information can be found at https://www.nzceohandbook.org.nz/property/#resources
Facilitating Board Meetings
Each school board will meet on a regular basis to discuss issues relating to the governance of their school.
In this video, Carol Lynch from edLead Consulting Ltd. shares some practical ideas for school board members to consider and use.
Board Training – Governance with a Catholic Worldview
In this PowerPoint, Teresa Edwards, Manager of the Catholic Education Office, and Pauline Balm, Evaluation and Development Advisor for the Catholic Education Office, share some information about Governance with a Catholic Worldview.
This material was presented at the first Regional Board Induction Session for boards newly elected in 2022.
Te Mātauranga Hāhi me te Mātauranga Kē – Religious Education and the New Zealand Curriculum
The below 8 videos, produced by the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch, aim to help School Board members consider the reasons for, and the place of, religious education within the wider context of the Catholic Sepcial Character of your school community. Each video focuses on one quote from Tō Tātou Whakapono: Our Faith, the new RE curriculum.
There are reflection questions at the end of each video to assist Boards in generating good discussions.
New Curriculum Board Meeting Starters 2024
Click here to download the pdf.
NZCEO Governance Video Resources
The NZ Catholic Education Office has launced a series of governance video resources for Catholic state-integrated school boards. These short videos have been designed to provide an overview of what is unique about Catholic school boards, and offer knowledge that board members should have to ensure the board can govern effectively.
School Board Meeting Starter Videos
The below nine videos, each with reflection questions that will assist you to find some space in your monthly board meeting to consider the four themes and the five cross-themes within the new Years 1-13 RE curriculum, Tō Tātou Whakapono | Our Faith.
Each video, and its reflection questions, hopes to assist you (both individually and collectively) to better understand and further develop a high-level governance understanding and oversight of the themes and cross themes of our new RE curriculum, within your school community.