Clifton Terrace Model School

Update from the Board of Trustees

Friday 5 March 2010

Welcome to the first Board Newsletter of 2010!! It was wonderful to see so many of you at the
Community Takeaway night last week!! The purpose of this newsletter is to:
o update you on reading recovery
o ask for your help with the role of Board Secretary
o remind you about the Strategic Plan Update and Assessment Evening on the
Thursday, 11th March
o remind you about the up coming Board elections
o ask you to pay your 2010 donations, if you have not already done so
o let you know about the 2010 Annual Plan

Reading Recovery
Reading Recovery is an early intervention programme for children who have had one
year instruction at school and are at risk of underachieving in Literacy.

The National Six Year Survey is the main assessment tool for identifying specific areas of
need in Literacy. The results from this test are used to determine eligibility for the
programme.

The Reading Recovery programme operates daily in addition to the classroom Literacy
programme. Instruction is one-to-one with a trained Reading Recovery teacher. The
programme operates for a maximum of 20 weeks and is designed to rapidly build
literacy skills within a short timeframe to that of the average skill level of a six year old
child.

We are very lucky to have Virginia Atkin as our Reading Recovery teacher. Virginia is an
experienced junior classroom teacher who is specifically trained and qualified to deliver
the Reading Recovery programme.

As part of the programme, children are reassessed and discontinued from the
programme when they have reached the average cohort achievement level of a six year
old student. Children who have not reached this level at the end of 20 weeks are
referred for further Literacy assessment and learning support.

Programmes and ongoing professional development for Reading Recovery teachers are
funded and supported in New Zealand schools by the Ministry of Education. The school
supports the programme by matching the Ministry’s contribution. Resources for the
reading recovery programme are funded by the school.

The number of children on the programme at any one time is on average between 2-3
children. The number can vary and will depend on individual student achievement at the
time of the child’s Six Year Survey assessment.

This programme is very successful at CTMS with the majority of students reaching their
cohort achievement level within the 20 week period.

The Board would like to formally recognise Virginia’s outstanding efforts and thank her
for all her hard work and dedication to the children she works with within the Reading
Recovery programme and the support given to both staff and parents. We think you’re
great!!

Board Secretary
The Board needs secretarial support please!! The Board Secretary activities are focussed
around the Board Meetings which happen twice each term – on Thursday evenings in
Week 2 and Week 8. This involves
• supporting the preparation of the Board Papers by photocopying the papers for
the Board members on the Monday before a meeting
• minute taking at the Board meetings (5.30pm to 7.30pm)
• distributing minutes for feedback, via email, and collating changes for the final
minutes.

In the past this role has been filled by a parent member of our community and most
recently Murray has undertaken this role. The Board would like to thank both Murray
McMillan and Jody Jessop for their role as Board Secretary in 2009.

It’s a great way to support the Board and find out what’s going on without actually being
a Board member!!! If this sounds like something you would be prepared to do to
support the school please contact Sharon Paine (Board Chair) or one of the Co-
Principals.

Strategic Plan Update and Assessment Evening

On Thursday 11 March there is an evening presentation session at the school from
7.30pm to 8.30pm to discuss
• The 2010 Strategic and Annual Plan
• Assessment at CTMS
• The new National Standards

This is a terrific opportunity to hear more about these important topics and to ask
questions in a relaxed open forum. We hope to see you there!

Board Elections
As we mentioned at the Community Evening last week – we have Board Elections
coming up this year. We are always keen to hear from parents and members of our
community who would like to participate in the governance of the school.
The Board consists of between 5 and 7 community members, the co-Principals and a
Staff Representative. In the up coming elections there will be 3 community member
roles available.

We meet twice a term (in Week 2 and 8) and correspond between meetings by email
and at school. Meetings are usually two hours long with up to an hour preparation.
Interim correspondence and discussion is 1 to 2 hours a week.

We cover a range of topics such as the curriculum, property, ICT, finance, fundraising,
personnel management, health and safety … we are always looking for individuals with
specific passions and/or expertise to join the Board.

Nominations for the Board elections will close on/around Friday 23 April with elections
being held on/around 13 May. Board members are elected for a term of 3 years

If you are interested in finding out more please contact one for the Board Members, if
you would like to nominate yourself of someone for a position please contact Raewyn in
the School Office.

2010 Donations

In 2010 and in response to the CTMS charter, we would like to continue to offer our
students the opportunity to enjoy and learn from a wide range of fun, enriching and
educational experiences. In order to achieve this we would like to ask for your help
again.
Current funding from the Ministry of Education does not cover these experiences,
contributing to a substantial shortfall in funding these educational programmes. We still
believe they are important and beneficial for our students and continue to make it our
focus.
Following the recent consultation with the school community and in appreciation of all
the help we received from the community in 2009 we have kept the requested donation
at $600 per annum or $150 per term per child.
If you have not made your donation for Term 1 please do so as soon as possible either
by cash or cheque to the School Office or into the School Bank Account - ASB Bank,
Lambton Quay Branch 12 3140 0285611 000.

2010 Annual Plan

The School Charter and Strategic Plan developed and shared with the community in
2009 continue to guide our actions and activities in 2010. Our 2010 Annual Plan also
reflects feedback from the school survey undertaken late last year.

Our actions in the 2010 Annual Plan focus on:

o Student Achievement - To inspire in each child a thirst for learning and the desire
and abilities to realize their intellectual, social, physical and creative potential.

o Curriculum - To respond to the New Zealand Curriculum in 2010

o Teaching Team - To build and maintain a dynamic and collaborative teaching team
o Financial Sustainability and Growth - To support the schools vision related
strategies and activities and to improve financial sustainability by achieving fiscal
growth

o Physical Environment - To develop and maintain a comfortable and sustainable

environment which supports the schools learning programmes

o Community Partnership - To strengthen the relationship between the Board and

the community

The Annual Plan will be discussed at the Assessment Evening next week. A full copy of
the draft Annual Plan is available from Raewyn in the school office or via email on
staff@ctms.school.nz.

Who to talk to….

If you would like to talk to someone about governance or strategic direction, which falls within
the Boards responsibilities, please contact Sharon Paine or any member of the Board.

o Sharon Paine 021 222 0766 977 9222

o Heidi Snelson 478 7756
o Jo Pewhairangi 236 5626
o Lee Sampson 236 7445