BIRKENHEAD COLLEGE
Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Trustees held at Birkenhead College on
Wednesday, 28 August 2019
1. Present:
T Dobbin (Chair), C Waller (Principal), T Brooksbank, S Beattie,
J Carr, R Nut er, Y Walus, M Darragh
Secretary:
Reneé Lubbe
2. Apologies :
None.
3. Minutes of the previous meeting
The Minutes of the Meeting held on 25 July 2019 were accepted.
Beattie / Brooksbank
4. Matters Arising:
None.
5. Correspondence
o Magazines: Tukutuku Korero; Education Gazette; STA News.
o NZSTA Term 3 Newsletter.
6. Principal’s Report
The Principal’s report was tabled, and Mr Waller spoke to some items.
o The Arts: Two students have attained Auckland Art Gallery scholarships.
o Teachers now have to pay their own Registration fees.
o The general feeling from the Principals meeting with regards to Appraisals, seems to be to
stay with the status quo at present.
o NZQA exams will be in the old gym.
o Measles may hit the North Shore schools. We have taken steps to prepare for this.
o Mrs Plummer and Mrs Baker have already signed up two International Students in Vietnam.
Japan is the next recruitment destination.
o The Open Evening went very well and there has been positive feedback on many aspects of
this event.
o After open enrolment days, we had 41 new students for next year which is higher than at this
time last year.
o PSG Quiz night has been cancelled.
The report on the Education Amendment Bil was tabled.
o If schools sign up for the government’s alternative to school donations, overnight field trips
can be charged for.
o It may be financially better to accept the grant from the government and not charge parents
for school donations. A decision must be made by early November.
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7. Committee Reports
Finance:
The Budget and Finance Report was tabled.
o The month of July resulted in a surplus of $26,713.00.
o Year-to-date surplus as at 31 July was $139,330.00.
o Projected year-end Working Capital as at 31 December 2019 is $110,044.
Property
o Council has signed the plans off for H-block.
o Landscaping is well underway in H-block.
o A meeting to discuss repairing the leaking gym roof was held yesterday and work wil go
ahead prior to winter 2020. The work wil go out for tender to select a construction company.
o Plans for disabled access have been signed off.
o A meeting was held with the pool company and Council to discuss a roof cover over the
pool. Other schools in the area wil be using the pool.
8. Student Representative’s Report was tabled.
o The ball was in week three this term, and was a very successful event. It was enjoyed by
both students and teachers.
o The boy’s rugby league team played in the finals in their grade at Mt Smart Stadium last
Wednesday, where they won their game against Southern Cross College, making them the
winners of their grade.
o Book day was last Friday. Lots of students dressed up. A bake sale and the annual poetry
slam were also held. The winner of the Slam was a Year 12 student, Ryn Quedley-Smith.
o Senior exams are in two weeks, with all senior students busy in preparation.
o Tournament week is next week, with BC entering three teams into tournaments. Boys first XI
football, Girls first XI football, and netball team 1.
o The Year 13 Geo trip took place in the first week of August, where the class went down to
Rotorua for two days to study tourism there.
o Year 11 and 12 students have been busy handing in applications for leadership councils
next year, with the deadline last Friday and student council votes taking place this week.
9. Staff Representative’s Report:
o As always, it’s a very busy Term three.
o Science had the Sir Peter Blake Trust visit - Virtual reality education unit came to show our
Year 10s the effects of pollution on marine ecology. Students were engaged and we have
good ties with the team - look forward to developing this relationship. They commented on
how engaged and enthusiastic the BC students were. Outside of class, Andy Nix has
spearheaded a pest weed eradication group- continuing in Rangatira reserve by the bottom
fields. Ms Purdie is also working with pest-free Kaipatiki - as part of citizen science month -
doing the pest trapping. We have rat footprints and have set traps but no captures yet.
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o 13GEO had a very successful trip to Rotorua. We went on the 1st-2nd of August with 19
students. Very impressed by the positive attitude and good questions asked by our
students. The field trip is a real highlight for the year that is helping the students understand
the achievement standard they have an exam for.
o The Ball was brilliant. The student council should be very proud of their organisational skil s.
We received positive comments about how inclusive the ball was. The photographer
commented on how polite our students were.
o Last Thursday we had a fantastic film festival highlighting the wonderful work done by our
Year 13 Media class. A big crowd of about 70 - 80 had an enjoyable evening. Thanks to
Sam Nola for his work on this.
o CR - went to a valuable PD run by PPTA - heard from other schools about issues and
solutions also clarified some specifics around the individual responsibility of Board members
after previous meetings comments - Open courses are available for all members which is
highly recommended.
10. General Business
o Student Trustee elections take place each September.
o Staff leave up to 3 days, the Principal can sign off. Any leave for longer than 3 days, the
Board must sign off.
- Mrs Mexted has asked for 4 days unpaid leave in Term 3, 2020.
Resolution: Board has approved unpaid leave for Mrs Mexted as requested.
Beattie / Brooksbank
- Mrs Wallace has requested 2 weeks unpaid leave in Term 1, 2020.
Resolution: Board has approved unpaid leave for Mrs Wallace as requested.
Walus / Darragh
o The Open Evening ran successfully. Our thanks to the large number of students who turned
up to promote the school. Rebecca Hawkins (PSG) presentation was well received.
o It is important to get the word out that Term 3 exams are not ‘mock exams’ but crucial school
exams which form a vital part of the year’s programme.
11. Date of next Board Meeting: Wednesday, 25 September 2019.
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