Category: Ask The Board

Raising concerns

23/6/2022

What should I do if I have concerns about something that is happening (or not happening) within the School?

If all is going well, the Board does not usually hear much from members of the School community. However, when people have concerns, we hear a lot.

As the Board’s role is one of governance, we do not get involved in the general operations of the School. In most cases, the concerns people have are of an operational nature, and are therefore referred to our Head of School or another relevant staff member.

Typically, concerns should be directed to Class Teachers/Guardians, Faculty Coordinators or the Head of School. In most cases, for issues relating to your child, Class Teachers/Guardians are the starting point. If your Class Teacher/Guardians are unable to resolve your concern, please seek an appointment with the appropriate Faculty Coordinator (High School, Primary School, Kindergarten or Preschool). The Head of School can be contacted if your concerns remain unresolved after following these steps.

In the unlikely event that you follow the above process and the matter has still not been resolved, please contact the Board, with details of your course of action to date, and the outcome of these conversations.

While we cannot guarantee you will get your desired outcome, we will do our best to address any unresolved concerns.

Do you have more questions for the School Board? Click here to see all Ask the Board questions to date and send us a new question.

Why should I become a member of the School Company?

30/11/2021

Shearwater is an established not-for-profit company, and as part of the School community you may apply to become a member of the School Company.

Becoming a member of the School Company is different from being a member of the School community. Company membership provides a platform to voice concerns, show support and especially to vote on issues that help guide the vision and direction of the School. It is the Company members that appoint the Board at the School’s annual general meeting. The Board in turn appoints the Head of School and the Business Manager.

We recommend that all staff members, parents and care-givers become members of the Shearwater Company. Your choice to become a company member, not only demonstrates your active support of the School, but also empowers you to influence its future direction. Company membership ensures that you get a vote and that your vote counts.

If you are not already a member of the School Company, we encourage you to complete and return a company membership application at your earliest opportunity. This will enable you to have your say in creating the future for our children at Shearwater.

Please note that applications for membership are usually processed at the next Board meeting, time permitting, and if not then, by the second Board meeting after point of application. While it may take up to three months for your application to be processed, under normal circumstances it will be much faster. You will be notified by email upon acceptance of your application.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Company of Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School.

Have more questions about the School Board? Click here to see all Ask the Board questions to date.

How do you become a Board member?

20/5/2021

There are two ways to become a Board member, or Director of the Board.

The first way to become a Board member is to be nominated and then elected at the Shearwater annual general meeting. Each year at our AGM, company members review the nominations and vote for Board members to be elected for the next two-year term. If you’d like to be in the running to be a Board member, email us to request a nomination form. Our AGM is usually in May each year and there are usually one or more positions available. Nominees need to satisfy the following criteria:

25.1 A Member who has been a Member for at least 3 calendar months may nominate or second another Member to stand for election as a Director at an annual general meeting of the Company.

25.2 The nomination under clause 25.1 of a person to stand for election as a Director must:
(a) be in writing and signed by the proposed candidate to evidence that candidate’s consent to act as a Director of the Company if elected;
(b) include a statement of the qualifications and experience of the proposed candidate;
(c) be signed by 2 other Members, both of whom have been Members for at least 3 calendar months, as nominator and seconder;
(d) otherwise be in the form from time to time approved by the Board; and
(e) be delivered to the registered office of the Company marked for the attention of the Board no later than 31 March in the relevant calendar year, or any later date determined by the Board.

25.3 The Board may, at any time before the election of Directors is held at an annual general meeting, nominate any Member to stand for election as a Director at that annual general meeting.

The other way to become a Board member is if you have special experience or expertise that the Board needs and the Board makes a decision to appoint you. In this case, you don’t need to be nominated. In line with the Constitution, there will always be a higher percentage of elected Directors to appointed Directors.

Click here to find out what it takes to become a board member, including the current expertise areas the board is needing.

Have more questions about the School Board? Click here to see all Ask the Board questions to date.

What does it take to become a Board member?

5/5/2021

To be a Board member, an active interest in the wellbeing and future of our School and the School community is vital. Board members typically devote an average of 1-2 hours per week to their volunteer role, so some spare time is also key.

Professional expertise or experience that will benefit the Board is also important. Director roles are to be held by volunteers, not currently in employment at the School, with various professional backgrounds and expertise. This includes Waldorf/Steiner education, school management, law, planning, financial and business management, human resources and industrial relations management, building and project management or fundraising and marketing.

You can see the current Board make-up here. Currently, we hope to find one or more Board members with expertise in the areas of law, building and project management or fundraising and marketing. If you are interested in becoming part of the School Board and can support us in one of these areas, please get in touch.

Have more questions about the School Board? Click here to see all Ask the Board questions to date.

When and why should we contact the Board?

25/3/2021

As the Board assumes a governance role within the School, in most cases (for anything relating to operational matters) your first port of call will be your Class Teacher, your Faculty Coordinator or the Head of School (usually in that order).

Ideally, your questions, issues and/or concerns will be satisfactorily answered, addressed and/or resolved by these staff members. However, should you feel that these usual lines of communication do not result in a suitable outcome, this is the point at which you should contact the Board. The Board will then consider your questions, issues and/or concerns within the boundaries of its governance role.

Have more questions about the School Board? Click here to see all Ask the Board questions to date.

How do I get changes made?

9/3/2021

Board members after their last meeting for 2020 (absent Josh Rushton)

The Board frequently gets asked questions about how to get particular changes made within the School. For example, we were recently asked about establishing a bike/walking trail connecting Shearwater to Mullumbimby.

As the Board is responsible for the governance of the school, we refer operational questions like this to our Head of School or another relevant person from the school community.

The best way to get a change made within the School is to become involved. The Board has representatives on several School committees that you can become involved in, including the Parents and Friends or the Planning and Development committee. Please contact the Office of the Head of School at hos@shearwater.nsw.edu.au for more information about how to get involved.

Have more questions about the School Board? Click here to see all Ask the Board questions to date.

What happens at a Board meeting?

25/2/2021

Every six weeks or so, the Board meets with the Head of School and the School Business Manager. In this meeting, the Head of School and Business Manager give the Board an update on what is going on within the School. Policies, major decisions and challenges are discussed, and typically, the Board members ask questions and, where relevant, share any recommendations.

Sometimes the Head of School or Business Manager require the board to vote on a decision. In 2021, we are working toward there being a regular College of Teachers representative attending these meetings.

From time to time, the Board also meets on their own to discuss governance matters. To understand more about governance, refer to the previous Ask the Board, What does the School Board do?

Deputy Chair Olga Bruvel

What does the School Board do?

10/12/2020

Board members after their last meeting for 2020 (absent Josh Rushton)

Ideally, if all is going well, the Board doesn’t need to actually DO all that much within the School. Instead, the Head of School and the Business Manager are responsible for orchestrating the doing within the School and it is the Board's responsibility to oversee that.

The Board’s main role is to employ the Head of School and the Business Manager, and then monitor the performance of both. This governance role ensures that what is happening within the School is in alignment with the school’s mission, strategic plan, values and objectives, and also that it is financially viable, and educationally and legally compliant in accordance with the various regulations incumbent upon all registered schools and not-for-profit organisations.

To fulfil this role, the Board meets with the Head of School and Business Manager regularly throughout the school year. The Board also has representatives on various school committees, including the Finance Committee and the Planning and Development Committee. In a practical sense, the Board also does a fair amount of reading, reviewing of financials and asking of questions, as all new and amended School policies, as well as all major decisions within the School, whether strategic or financial, need to be approved by the Board.

Have more questions about the School Board? Click here to see all Ask the Board questions to date.

Why do we have a School Board?

17/11/2020

Painting by Year 8 student Tex O'Donnell

Generally speaking, a school board is responsible for the Governance of the School. Basically, this means the board oversees the performance of the school including the school’s management and the school’s financial performance. A school board is also responsible for maintaining the school’s mission, values and objectives.

The Shearwater School Board guides the School management to ensure decisions made are aligned with the School’s mission, values and objectives, whilst ensuring financial viability, educational and legal compliance. Last but not least, as Shearwater is an incorporated not-for-profit organisation, it must by law have a constitution (aka rules) and the Shearwater Constitution requires our School to have a Board.

Have more questions about the School Board? Click here to see all Ask the Board questions to date.

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