BIRKENHEAD COLLEGE
Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Trustees held at Birkenhead College on
Thursday, 7 November 2019
1. Present:
T Dobbin (Chair), C Waller (Principal), T Brooksbank, S Beattie,
J Carr, R Nut er, Y Walus, M Black
Secretary:
Reneé Lubbe
2. Apologies :
None - all trustees present
A welcome was extended to the 2020 incoming student representative trustee, Marat Black.
3. Minutes of the previous meeting
The Minutes of the Meeting held on 25 September 2019 were accepted.
Walus / Brooksbank
4. Matters Arising:
o Measles update: There is a two-week quarantine period and fortunately infections are
now on the decline. If students are infected over the exam period, there is another way to
assess NCA. NZQA have a crisis plan in case there was a big outbreak.
5. Correspondence
o Magazines: Tukutuku Korero.
o NZEI Te Riu Roa, notification of a paid union meeting for support staff.
6. Principal’s Report
The Principal’s report was tabled, and Mr Waller spoke to some items.
o We are able to assess hospitality as set out in the curriculum. The school should now
consider capital expenditure / investment for equipment to create a commercial kitchen.
o Junior exams have finished and NCEA exams start tomorrow.
o There has been a change of the truancy person. Unfortunately, there is a high turnover of
people due to the low pay.
o There has not yet been a suitable applicant for the Te Reo position.
o Nicole Siew has applied for maternity leave next year. Maths positions are usually difficult to
fil , but an advertisement for maternity cover and also a full time position has been placed.
Approximately 30 applications have been received and Mrs Kumar will be reviewing them.
o BYOD wil be used in H-block, but there is a need for data projectors and white boards.
o Mrs Coker was appointed in a COL role and will visiting the other 4 schools as well. This
appointment is viewed as a positive for our school. A letter must be written to offer Annette
the position of COL representative.
o Enrolments are still trickling in for 2020. The current year 7 is up from previous year. The
Ministry has predicted 115 for next year and 150 for the following year. This year there were
about 580 domestic students.
o There was a salary increase for non-union teachers, but only as from 1 October.
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o Success with Pacifica students depends on students turning up for classes. Goals and
statistics are monitored and presented in an annual report, which is presented to the Board.
The ART and Pacifica programmes get minimal funding. Reports must be sent to MOE and
funding is dependent on that.
o Tamsin White has applied for additional leave (7 or 8 school days) tagged onto the school
break.
MOTION:
The Board agrees to grant Leave without pay to Mrs White.
Passed: Walus / Beattie
School fees:
o An information document was tabled. Most schools under 1000 students are opting in. If we
opt in at this stage, BC wil receive approximately $35K more. The fear is that if we don’t opt
in, we could miss out down the line. Some subject fees may end up with less income e.g.
Food technology. The wording in how we charge for subject fees is important. Things that
are ‘taken home’ should be paid and ‘unsolicited’ to request for fees are allowed.
o The decision must be made each year and can be changed.
o The 2 schools in our area are following different routes.
MOTION:
The Board agrees in principal that Birkenhead College opts in for Donations scheme for
2020, subject to any developments prior to the 14 November deadline.
To notify parents / caregivers that this is a year-by-year reconsideration. (12-monthly opt
election).
Motion passed and carried by all trustees.
7. Committee Reports
Finance:
The Finance Report was tabled.
o No new summary to present at this meeting, as Leading Edge is finalising accounts. The
2020 budgets are work-in-progress.
o A meeting will be held with Kerry Dean from Leading Edge, to review the finances position
and 2020 budget. Some of this information is subject to the donation income expected.
o Capital expenditure is to be expected for 2020. Capital items requested wil be raised at a
future meeting.
Property
Covered mainly in the Principal’s Report.
o Roofing on H-block: The council needed more information.
o Paths around H-block: Work wil be carried out when students are not at school.
o Kohanga: Exterior and windows done. They may move into the new building during Term 1
or Term 2 next year. The Ministry is working on an occupancy document. Traffic control is
being considered as requested. The head of Kohange Reo agrees that it should only be
staff driving down the road.
8. Student Representative’s Report was tabled.
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o Seniors are studying for NCEA exams. There are a number of seniors coming into school
prior to exams, which is positive.
o The junior exams have finished.
o Student Councils were announced at full assembly.
o The Tui awards were handed out at assembly.
o Senior prizegiving went well. Many students who received awards were happy with the new
seating arrangements, which saved time on the evening.
o Year 13 pranks were kept to a minimum. Al good fun with dress-ups.
o Year 13 leavers dinner was a great farewell.
o The Mangere College sport exchange day was another hit with Birkenhead College sporting
students. Both schools’ participants got on well with each other.
9. Staff Representative’s Report:
o The move to the gym for exams has been positive. It is the first time that students are using
PCs for exams.
o There has been lots of positive feedback around the prizegiving evening. This highlights the
great relationships that we enjoy at the school and once again, it highlighted the special
nature of relationships we have in school and the power of the family feeling we have
nurtured.
o Onward to report writing and course detailing and timetabling with enthusiasm.
o The Auckland Live Showdown Awards (an inter-school production competition) was held at
the Bruce Mason Theatre. This year 13 plays and 13 musicals from across Auckland were
involved in the competition. Judges came to watch performances of the school production
'Spamalot' and the Year 13 play 'Selections from Bare'.
• Best Female in a Minor Role (Musical) - Piper Swanson, Spamalot.
• Best Female in a Supporting Role (Musical) - Bianca Carpendale, Spamalot
• Best Female in a Leading Role (Musical) - Alexandra Farley, Spamalot
• Congratulations to Alexandra Farley for winning Best Female in a Supporting
Role (Play)
o Many of our teaching team has been involved in leading PD outside of teaching hours. Ms
McKenzie, our English HOD, lead a session over the holidays at U Learn conference in
Rotorua, and Mrs Nicole, Mr Cade and Mrs Carr were invited to present to teachers about
how Birkenhead teachers are utilising our digital learning portal stile in the department.
o We have had our last round of trainee teachers from AUT, who report nothing but amazing
things about the school and their learning here. AUT have already been in contact about
sending over more students in the new year.
o Dancesport with Jonny (Dancing with the Stars), has been a great addition to the schedule
this year, building on relationships with BIS, the dance studio and our students.
o we had great success at the inter school competition on Tuesday, with students winning and
placing highly in every event, and a scholarship being awarded to the most promising male
Latamai from year 10.
o EOTC opportunities are coming up with all of year 10 heading to Rangitoto working towards
NCEA credits in science, as well as visits around Auckland to visit some significant
volcanoes for Social Studies.
o The Rotary club sent an email requesting student nominations to award sponsorships to.
They requested 2 nominations, but we put 4 in. Al 4 were chosen which is quite unheard of.
Another BC student (Zeke) impressed the Rotary last year and was asked to come back this
year to assist with running the programme this year.
10. General Business
Mr Nutter raised concern about the size of the roll this year and suggested the formation of a
working party to market the school better. Relationship building with other schools is good, but more
could possibly be done.
The board wil consider a PR person to for example, feed positive success stories of students to the
local pages.
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11. Date of next Board Meeting: Thursday 28 November 2019.
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