Kia ora koutou katoa
It’s the end of Term 1 already! If you are a student that is new to school I hope that this term has been a good in terms of settling into life and routines at Horowhenua College. Our aim through management is to grow successful young men and women through our four pillars –academic, sports, arts and culture and services, so there are plenty of opportunities for our young people to engage and to thrive!
Our trustees Dylan Kiriona, Nikki Simpson-Tukapua, Garry Good (Deputy Chair), Brooke Antonsen (Student Trustee), David Tate (Staff Trustee), our Tumuaki (Grant Congdon) and myself (Juliana Mansvelt, Chair) have student achievement at the forefront of our minds at our board of trustees meetings. We are also concerned to ensure the wellbeing of our staff and students. As a board we are now 2/3 of the way through our current term and are really enjoying our journey together. In 2018 with help from your input into surveys and interviews we created a new streamlined charter with strategic goals to take us forward for the next four years. We review this charter annually, and each year set annual goals and targets which ensure the actions of both the board and management in reaching these goals are monitored. Whether we have reached these targets is reported on in our Analysis of Variance report which becomes part of the Annual Report. Both the revised charter and our annual report are available on the school website.
We have spent a considerable amount of time at our meetings in Term 1 examining last year’s academic data, with a view to continually improving our teaching and learning programmes to the benefit of all our students, all the while recognising and supporting groups of students whose achievement may need lifting. We had another year of great academic results in 2017, achieving above the national average in many areas, and are looking to sustain and build on this in 2018. These results are a consequence of the hard work of both our students and the staff, and we are delighted with and grateful for both!
Our building and renovation programmes continues this year, and it is with some sadness that we will see the demolition of the old gym. Property, Health and Safety, the development of policies and procedures, and Finance are all board responsibilities, and I am grateful we have on our board, members who have expertise in all of these.
Wishing you all a wonderful term break.
Hei konā mai
Juliana Mansvelt
Board of Trustees Chair