St Martins School Board
- Presiding member: Dan Levett
- Principal: Andrew Mouat
- Staff Representative: Helen Norcliffe
- Parent Representatives: Tracy Taylor, Aaron Prince, Joseph Hampton, Alexis Barakat (co-opted)
- Secretary: Kate Thomson
What We Do
The St Martins School Board operates in accordance with the Education Act (2020). It is the Crown entity responsible for the governance and the control of the management of the school.
The Board is the employer of all staff in the school, is responsible for setting the school’s strategic direction in conjunction with parents, staff and students, and ensuring that its school provides a safe environment and quality education for all its students. School Boards are also responsible for overseeing the management of personnel, curriculum, property, finance, and administration.
More information about the role of a School Board is available from the New Zealand School Trustees Association.
Guiding Principles of the St Martins School Board
Planning
Our strategic plan guides everything that we as a board implement at St Martins School | Hāto Mātene. Using the feedback from our school community we set new goals and develop the future of our school as part of a five year plan.
Identity
At St Martins | Hāto Mātene we continue to discuss and review our response to creating a strong cultural and social school identity. In recent years we have introduced many initiatives to ensure we integrate te reo into our everyday language. Our beautiful wāharoa welcomes visitors into our school, while kowhaiwhai unique to St Martins School | Hāto Mātene features on signage around the school and is designed to tell the story of our school.
Wellbeing
The wellbeing of our students and their Whānau is a primary focus of St Martins | Hāto Mātene Board and staff. To support our community we have established many effective onsite resources & activities as well as a network of independant support specialist organisations. Our school values: Respect/Manaaki, Caring/Aroha, Responsibility/Haepapa, Personal Best/E Ranga!, Learning/Ako are inter-woven into our teaching and learning to support the wellbeing of all.
Quality Education
This is what it is all about! Our goal is to provide the best teachers and the most well equipped classrooms to ensure St Martins | Hāto Mātene students have the best learning experience. With an ongoing focus on national standards of student achievement, assessment and monitoring systems, along with cultural responsiveness and equality for all learners. The Board also support the many extra curricular programmes that run throughout the school. Some of these programmes include:
- Garden to Table for the Year 3/4 syndicate
- Maths and Literacy programmes for students across the school working below National Standards
- GATE programmes for those working above National Standards
- Leadership opportunities for our Year 7/8 syndicate
Building Community
The Board support the PTA community who are doing wonderful things to build the sense of community at our school, as well as raise money and undertake jobs around the school and community.
Board Meetings
The Board meets monthly on a Tuesday evening at 6.30pm. Meetings are open to the public and you are welcome to attend. If you wish to raise an issue at a Board meeting, please first discuss this with the Principal or the Presiding Member, so it can be added to the agenda before the meeting. Read the previous board meeting minutes HERE
2024 meeting dates
Term 1
Tuesday Feb 20th
Tuesday March 19th
Term 2
Tuesday May 14th
Tuesday June 25th
Term 3
Tuesday August 13th
Tuesday September 17th
Term 4
Tuesday November 5th
Tuesday December 3rd
You can read the minutes from previous meetings here
Presiding Member
Dan Levett
I joined the St Martins School Board in 2022. My 2 daughters Trudie and Ingie attend St Martins School. As a parent at the school I am very aware of the importance our school makes to our children’s well being and development, and am proud of the many strengths and achievements at our school. My background is in International Logistics where I currently manage a local team in Christchurch. I am hopeful that my strategic and logical mindset would be an asset to the board at St Martins, and look forward to adding value on the board. I enjoy running and biking in the hills, along with supporting my daughters in their ever increasing sports interests!
Parent Representatives
Tracy Taylor
I was co-opted to the Board in 2021 to provide finance and accounting knowledge to the Board. I am a Chartered Accountant by profession, currently working as a Commercial Manager for a large manufacturer in Christchurch. I am also a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors so bring governance knowledge to the table.
My association with St Martins School goes back to 2012 with my eldest now at Cashmere High School. My youngest, Callum, is a student at St Martins School. I have also recently stepped down as treasurer of the PTA community, a role I undertook for the last 6 years. This means I have seen the school through many changes, right across the school over this time and I’m very happy to see the refurbishment of the school hall coming to fruition after many years of fundraising effort.
Aaron Prince
My goal on the board is to ensure the school continues to focus on the interests of the students, by providing a safe environment and quality education.
I have been a parent at St Martins School since 2017, and my youngest is still at St Martins School. I am a Chartered Civil Engineer and like getting into the outdoors, especially on family trips. I’ve been on the board since late 2022 and really enjoy being part of such a committed and passionate group.
Joseph Hampton
Kia ora, My name is Joseph Hampton, and I am standing for the St Martins School Board.
I have a deep connection to Christchurch, where I was born and where my family and I currently reside. My wife and I, along with our two children, Isaac (5) and Zara (2), enjoy exploring the vibrant arts, cultural, and sporting scenes that exist on our doorstep.
I believe that primary school education is a critical stage in our children’s development. It lays the foundations of our children’s character, social growth, and lifelong love for learning. As an architect and principal at Warren and Mahoney I have led many challenging projects. My role demands strong communication skills, a robust work ethic, critical thinking, and collaborative teamwork.
From 2017 to 2019 I was elected as the Canterbury representative on the Board of the New Zealand Institute of Architects. This experience deepened my appreciation for the importance of effective governance and I’m excited at the prospect of applying my knowledge and passion for learning to the St Martins School Board.
As a parent with two young children at the start of their St Martins learning journeys, I’m committed to supporting our principal, dedicated staff, and fellow local families, as they prepare our tamariki to thrive in every aspect of their development.
Thank you for considering me as a candidate, and I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the continued success of our school.