From the Board

Tēnā te ringa tango parahia. This is the hand which pulls out the weeds. This whakataukī (proverb) refers to a hard worker. In some parts of Aotearoa, the kūmara plantations were overrun by a small plant called parahia, which had to be kept weeded in order to give the kūmara plants room to grow.

I would like to acknowledge and thank all of our hard workers – our staff, our students and our families – all working towards the same shared goal of preparing students to be future ready. We are united in our desire to become, and do, our very best in order to make a real and positive difference in our world.

I also like this whakataukī because it suggests that sometimes what we need to do to help others is not necessarily to apply a heavy hand but simply to remove obstacles and enable them to have room to grow in their own ways.

Our positive start to the year demonstrated both interpretations of this whakataukī. Despite the Omicron wave causing disruption in schools and workplaces throughout the country, Kristin succeeded in keeping the campus open to all year levels throughout this time. The hard work of our staff played no small part in this success, enabling our students to continue their educational experiences at school.

Our four new Parent Governors appointed last year have already contributed immensely and as I write this article, we are in the process of recruiting Board Trustees. Board succession planning is an ongoing focus. We are fortunate to be able to draw on the excellent caliber of these community volunteers, as we carry the school’s pioneering history forward in building a vision for the future.

In March the Board held a Strategic Planning Day, with a particular focus on sustainability and what this means for our school and community. At this meeting the 2021 Annual Report was presented and approved, and we reaffirmed our Strategic Plan. Together with the Executive Team, we are working towards developing a Property Master Plan for the next 10 to 20 years.

Those readers who are familiar with Kristin’s financial history know that the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2008 had a major impact on the school community and on the school itself, and that the effects of the GFC continued for more than a decade. Kristin is now in a much more positive financial position, just as we start to face the potential impacts of macroeconomic challenges such as the pandemic, war and climate change.

The Strategic Planning Day was one of the first opportunities for some Board members to be on site at the campus in more than nine months. We took the chance to tour parts of the campus, which was helpful for our Property Master Plan discussions. We were pleased to learn of the popularity of Tūrama among the students for both curricular, co-curricular and social activities. Another positive development noted was the progress on the new Junior School Welcome Centre.

Next year marks a significant milestone of 50 years since Kristin School was founded. Compared with many other independent schools in Aotearoa, we are relatively ‘young’. Fifty years is enough time, however, for us to develop some traditions, while still being connected to the founding spirit. If you are an Alumni member or Alumni family reading this, I encourage you to reflect on your experiences at Kristin, and share your story with us: https://www.kristin.school. nz/50th/dove-tales-share-your-story/. Mark your calendars for 23 to 26 March 2023, as all are invited to celebrate, connect and reflect on Kristin’s journey. Although it’s almost been 50 years, in some ways it feels like our journey’s just beginning, and many paths are set before us…

“...sometimes what we need to do to help others is not necessarily to apply a heavy hand, but simply to remove obstacles and enable them to have room to grow in their own ways.”