St ORAN S COLLEGE - CANDIDATE S STATEMENTS 2016

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1 St ORAN S COLLEGE - CANDIDATE S STATEMENTS 2016 DOLAN, Michelle I would like to stand for the St Oran s College Board of Trustees. I would like to become more involved with the school and the young women, and by doing this become more involved in the community. I feel it would be a wonderful opportunity to be able to help the school grow and achieve its goals, which will help all the school. I have Laura Powlesland, who is in Year 8. My son attends HIBS and is in Year 11. As Laura is only in her 2 nd year at St Oran s, I look forward to having a long relationship with the school, which is another reason why I wanted to become a Trustee on the Board. I am very involved in my children s lives and what better way to become more involved. I would like to help in developing and achieving the visions that the school has. I have many skills that I think would be valuable to the board. First and foremost being a parent, which as we all know is a real juggling act, and all the skills that have to be brought to the fore to achieve this, so you can have well brought up, happy, healthy children. These many tools that we have to learn would help while serving on the Board. I work part-time in sales, training and business development in the travel industry. This is a very busy ever-changing industry, so you always have to be one step ahead and are always learning, which is fantastic. You have to be motivated and want to achieve goals, which while obviously being in a different setting, being on the Board would require. I have also had management experience while in the travel industry, which is another skill I can bring to the Board. I am also a qualified Nurse: although I haven t been working in this field for a while, nursing requires many skills that certainly help in many facets of life. My husband and I also have our own business which I do the accounts for and assist in management decisions. So I feel that my experience in such a variety of roles would provide me with many valuable skills to bring to the board. Rachel Jobson I am a lawyer, with a background in private practice. Since 2007, I have worked for the Ministry of Social Development, primarily with front line child, Youth and Family social workers in the Hutt Valley. In September 2014, I was co-opted on to the St Oran s Board of Trustees. Since that time, I have taken on the role of Deputy Chair and Chair of the Policy Committee. I have enjoyed my time on the Board. I believe I have skills and knowledge that are relevant to the role of Trustee and am committed to making a positive contribution to the Board for the next three years. My daughter is in Year 10 at St Oran s College.

2 Ian McEwan My name is Ian McEwan. My daughter Emma is a year 9 student at St Oran s College. I am asking for your vote in the upcoming Board of Trustees election. I have been married to Stacey for 22 years and have two children, Liam (10) and Emma (13). We have lived in Waterloo for the last 15 years. I am keen to become more formally involved in my children s education and believe that I have the skills and experience that would be of value to the school. We have seen our daughter grow so much in the three years that she has been at St Oran s and are sure that the learning environment provided by the school has been a big contributor in this; I would love the opportunity to give back to the school by giving my professional and advisory skills to the Board. I am a Chartered Accountant and am currently the Chief Financial Officer at Land Information New Zealand. I have also been the Chief Financial Officer at Meteorological Service of New Zealand (MetService), and New Zealand Red Cross. I was also the Company Secretary at Met Service and Red Cross. I believe that my experience working in the not for profit sector would be very valuable if I was to be successful in being elected to the Board. I have a very easy going personality that has allowed me to work effectively with a wide range of people. I believe that a robust discussion is healthy; however, once a decision is made I commit to it this might mean 80% agreement but 100% commitment. I am not afraid to have the courageous conversation when required and believe that I am a very self-aware. I also believe that I have excellent decision making skills, which combined with strong analytical skills. All of these things mean that I can identify the critical issues and propose appropriate solutions in a timely manner. REESE, Grant Ki Ora My name is Grant Reese and I currently have three daughters at St Oran s. Alex in year 13, Karrina in year 11 and Olivia in year 9. I have been a Parent Elected Board Member since June I am submitting my name for election again this year as I believe in contributing to my children s education. I have been on Boards of Trustees for over ten years now, and although I believe I have an extensive knowledge on the difference between Operations and Governance, I think there is still plenty to learn. I am also regional chair for school trustees for the Wellington Wairarapa Region. This has given the opportunity to network with other trustee members both locally and nationally and increased my knowledge and understanding of trusteeship. I also represent the New Zealand School Trustees association on the PB4L initiative (positive behaviour for learning) and the Rural Education Reference group (RERG). Being involved in these groups has also helped me in getting a wider view on the education sector in New Zealand. I believe the College is in good heart. The current board has worked well with the Board of Proprietors and the leadership team in helping make St Oran s a great college, where the girls can be empowered to be the best that they can be. I would be honoured to be on the Board of Trustees again, and would look forward to be able to contribute to St Oran s College and its extended family.

3 Martin Richardson My daughter Evie joined the Saint Oran s College family last year. We knew it was a good school, but the way she settled in, grasping every opportunity and coming home brimming with enthusiasm shows what a special place it really is. One year into our relationship with the school I m keen to put something back to help St Oran s continue being the best it can be. I m a dad that steps in to help where there s a need. I have coached junior soccer teams and was junior convenor of Eastbourne Cricket Club for two years that saw our numbers grow and our club succeed on and off the pitch. It s great to see young people active, engaged and enjoying themselves. I was proud of our club s achievements and happy to help the club run effectively. I would bring the same passion and commitment to the Board of Trustees. I know how hard it is to run a school. My dad was principal of a secondary school, and my wife is a teacher. I have been a parent representative on the Board of Trustees at our son s school HIBS for the past four years where I have learnt a lot. I know that teachers need the support of a committed and hardworking board to help them do their jobs effectively and to say thank you occasionally. I also know, as parents, that we have high hopes and want the best for our children. If I was lucky enough to be elected I would be conscious that I was representing the parents views. At work I am a Director at Audit New Zealand. I m involved in reviewing how public sector organisations work. I m good at asking the right questions, and working with people to look for ideas that might improve things. I think I have some skills that would help the board play its governance role well. Outside of work, when I m not supporting my daughter s netball or cheer leading teams, I enjoy photography. With my love of the arts, I think it is great that St Oran s has such a strong artistic side. I would definitely be looking for the school to hold on to its balance of the academic, sporting, artistic and spiritual. I think it s what makes the school special, and I would be honoured to be a parent representative on its Board of Trustees. TAYLOR, Lorraine Tēnā koutou. My name is Lorraine Taylor and I have been a part of the St Oran's community for ten years. We have experienced the full cycle of life at St Oran s as we watched and supported our eldest daughter enter, grow and move on with confidence to her tertiary life. Our second daughter is currently enjoying life in the senior school. As a parent, I have valued the positive environment and opportunities available to our daughters. Midway through 2015, I offered to fill a Board vacancy and have enjoyed learning the ropes and am impressed by the excellent standard of governance and management. I would love to continue to be part of the team that ensures St Oran s maintains and enhances our high standards. Professionally, I have experience in finance and property, human resources, and business management. As I write this I am about to embark on a new adventure in project coordination and science communication at Victoria University. I have a keen interest in enabling young women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) subjects. My husband and I have four children - one studying a Bachelor of Nursing, one at St Oran s and twin boys in year 9 at HIBS. Our lives are busy and we love it.

4 VAN OOYEN, Tania Talofa lava. My name is Tania van Ooyen. My family and I are new to the St Oran s family with my Daughter Trinity in year 7. I am of Samoan descent and feel very privileged to be nominated for the Board of Trustees. I am very passionate about children and their wellbeing and education. I began my career as a teacher before joining the New Zealand Police 22 years ago, where children and more recently education has been a focus of mine. I am currently part of the governance committee for the National Blue Light which is a foundation dedicated to providing opportunities for Children and Young people. We have been living in Lower Hutt now for close to 20 Years and I have had the opportunity to work with and serve in our local communities particularly with our young people. I have worked as a youth aid officer for 12 years, and currently support our youth in church. I am very excited about what lies ahead for our young people and would love to be a part of continuing to build and develop a strong platform and foundation for our young women to grow and succeed. WILLIAMS, Peter Hi, I m Peter Williams and I am seeking nomination to the Board of Trustees for St Oran s College. I am at the start of my journey with St Oran s, with the eldest of three daughters now attending Year 8 at the college. She loves the environment and has excelled not only academically, but culturally and socially as well. The enjoyment she is discovering has encouraged me to become more active (i.e. seeking this nomination) in St Oran s and the amazing place it is to educate our girls and young women. I m also fortunate to share a property boundary with St Oran s, which gives me a vested interest in not only the education of my daughters but also how St Oran s operates and engages as part of the wider community. I have been involved with the Information Technology business sector in Wellington for over 25 years. I operate as a conduit between customers, internal resources, contractors, and interested 3 rd parties to deliver the best long term results for the business requirements and initiatives of my clients as well as the organization I represent. This includes being an active participant in various governance and leadership teams. These skills provide a solid base for those required to be an effective member of the Board of Trustees with their governance, monitoring and accountability functions. I have some simple beliefs that have helped me throughout my career and will assist with the role of trustee. Firstly, we are blessed with two ears and only one mouth, that is, we should always listen more than we speak; gaining insight from a variety of sources always leads to better informed decisions. Hand in hand with this is the philosophy that actions speak louder than words. One of my strengths is defining and putting in place the series of actions required to achieve agreed goals whether they be in relation to the strategic direction of the school, providing a safe environment, or finance and administration requirements. A nomination for me will see the continuation of St Oran s being the fantastic place it is for providing a holistic education, and empowering our young women to be the best they can be.

5 David Wilson My name is David Wilson and I m seeking election to the Board of Trustees at St Oran s. Since my daughter, Emma, started at St Oran s in 2012 I ve been impressed by the educational, cultural, sporting and service opportunities offered. I d welcome the opportunity to contribute to the governance of the school. I am the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Parliament s principal officer and chief executive. In that role I lead an organisation and manage a multi-million dollar budget. I have a strong knowledge of school trusteeship, governance, financial management, policy, employment law and planning. I have 11 years experience as a school trustee, having been a member of the Board of Trustees at Silverstream School ( ) and at Hutt International Boys School ( ). I was Chairperson of the Board at Silverstream School and Deputy Chairperson at HIBS. From these roles I gained a good understanding of the education sector, the role of a parent trustee, audit and compliance requirements for schools and the variety of challenges facing principals in managing schools. I have Masters degrees in Arts and Management and am a graduate of the State Service Commission s Leadership in Practice programme. My wife, Olwyn, and I live in Silverstream, with Daniel (Year 13 at HIBS) and Emma (Year 11 at St Oran s). St Oran s has an enviable reputation as a school that fosters excellence in its young women. It offers a superb learning environment and encourages its students to develop to their full potential. I would welcome an opportunity to contribute to the governance of St Oran s. WORTHINGTON, Gareth Thank you for the opportunity to stand as a Board Member for St Oran's College. My name is Gareth Worthington and I am a father to two young girls (Lucy aged 7 and Zoe aged 5), and wife to Sarah. I am originally from a small farming community near Whangarei but moved to Lower Hutt to raise our family six years ago, after spending four years living in Dubai. In my spare time I like to go tramping with our family, read and cycle. In my professional life I am a Senior Associate at Bell Gully, specialising in corporate law. I have substantial experience in governance, having advised numerous boards on their governance obligations and duties. I also have an accounting degree which gives me an excellent understanding of financial matters and the issues that the Board may encounter. For the last four years I have been a Board member of the Hutt City Kindergarten Association, including several years as Vice-President. This hands-on experience gave me a greater appreciation of what is involved in the day-to-day operation of a Board of Trustees and the challenges that Boards face from an educational perspective. In addition, I am a member of the Institute of Directors, which enables me to keep up to date with the latest governance issues and developments. St Oran's is known for its high standards and levels of achievement, and I have, without exception, been impressed with the way St Oran's College students conduct themselves in the wider community. It is clear that the special character of the College is alive and well, and I would appreciate the opportunity to contribute to St Oran's success by becoming a member of the St Oran's Board.