Kia ora koutou,
The end of Term 3 has crept up on us very quickly. There have been a number of occasions for you to come on site and observe effective practices in classrooms, help students celebrate PBL inquiries and assist in school events and activities both in and out of the classrooms. We really appreciate your support and involvement in this space.
Yesterday the Board of Trustees voted in a new Presiding Member ( the new term for the Board Chair). Jeannie Galavazi has two children at QPS, Charlotte and Jack, and will guide the Board through to the beginning of next year, when at our first meeting for the year we vote again. Congratulations Jeannie and welcome! Amanda Robinson is also a newly appointed Board member who also has two children at QPS, Gwyn and Scarlett. Amanda has been an active member of our community for many years and has a ‘claim to fame’ with her leadership of the Lightfoot Initiative. Welcome, Amanda. I am looking forward to working with you as a member of the Board. Newell Hodgson was co opted onto our QPS Board earlier in the year. Congratulations for being voted on at the recent election, Newell. I am sure Harrison and Maggie are very excited to see you pop in and out of school on the odd occasion.
Thank you to all of you who put your name forward for the recent Board election. I was so excited to see so many of you want to take an active role in the further development of our school. Thank you for your support.
I would like to acknowledge the time and energy that Kim Arnold committed to her role as Presiding Member over the years. Kim has stood down from the Board as her son is now at WHS and her workload is ever increasing. Kim, you were a wonderfully calm and kind member of our Board who understood the differences between governance and management. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with you each week to talk about how we were moving forward at QPS and to help find solutions to the barriers all large organizations sometimes face. You will be greatly missed.
I would also like to acknowledge the significant and active participation that Michelle Clarke committed during her time as a Board member. Michelle is no longer on our Board. You supported the fiscal management of the school, assisted with staff appointments and always followed due process during meetings. It was very encouraging for me to have such an insightful member on our Board who could provide attention to detail and focus on the long term vision for our school. Thank you, Michelle.
Thank you to the staff and students at QPS who continue to make me smile and want to get up in the morning and come to a job that I love. I am off to Auckland for a few days next week to be Granny again for my daughter’s children and am excited at the prospect of them moving to Wanaka to live in January. YIPPEE!
Happy holidays, everyone. Keep safe and see you all again next term.
Nga mihi nui
Fi Cavanagh
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