Ponatahi Christian School

School Charter 2010

Mission Statement

From a Biblical foundation to prepare young people for the world in which they must live, work and continue to learn; the LORD willing. That, with God’s grace, they have developed the necessary life skills and attitudes, to be enabled to discern between sinful and godly values, and make choices accordingly. This includes using their talents and opportunities for service in God’s Kingdom at a personal, family, church and community level.

Special Character

Ponatahi Christian School, the School with the Bible, has been established to uphold the values and doctrines of the Christian Religion as determined from time to time by the Consistory of the Reformed Congregations of New Zealand at Carterton.

The school reflects this by:

Upholding the honour of the LORD in all curricula and expected conduct and work habits of both students and staff.

Teaching young people that they are born as lost sinners and can only be reconciled to God the Father by a supernatural work of regenerating grace whereby the Holy Spirit grants faith to receive of the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Assisting young people, where possible, in developing the skills and attitudes needed to diligently use the Word of God as the means of God’s grace.

Aims (within the context of the Special Character.)

1. Dependence upon the LORD: To acknowledge the LORD as the Creator and Provider of all things, from Whom all blessings flow. To acknowledge ourselves as unworthy, and deeply dependent upon the LORD for all things necessary for the orderly running of the school.

2. Accessibility: To provide Christian Education to all children of members of the Reformed Congregations of New Zealand, and to children of members of similarly conservative Protestant churches. Yet to be open for all people of the community when the BOT considers places are available.

3. Curriculum: To provide appropriate learning programmes throughout the school which cater to individual needs, and cover the essential learning areas and skills, enabling students to reach the potential of their God-given talents.

4. Personnel: To act as a good employer for all those employed to work in the school. To have a teaching staff who are qualified, registered, and who are able to demonstrate commitment to the Special Character.

5. Finance: To follow good business practice and to meet the required obligations of careful budgeting and reporting. To fairly address the needs of all areas of the school - curriculum, personnel, property, and resources, within the constraint of being responsible to equity.

6. Property and Resources: To have a safe, secure, and healthy school environment which is conducive to learning.

7. General: To recognise the fact that the school is part of the New Zealand education system, and that most students are likely to continue with education beyond this school. Hence the school is committed to the National Education Goals.

8. Cultural Diversity: To recognise and appreciate the diversity of cultures within the school.

Objectives (within the context of the Special Character.)

(How the Aims are achieved, the LORD willing.)

1. Dependence upon the LORD: All meetings of the Board Of Trustees are to be opened by the reading of Holy Scripture and calling upon the Name of the LORD in prayer; beseeching Him for His mercies. All meetings are also to be closed with prayer. Both the opening and closing of meetings to be conducted by a person approved by the Consistory of the Reformed Congregations of New Zealand.

2. Curriculum: The Board Of Trustees, through the Principal and the staff, is to have a plan for the implementation and revising of curriculum. The Board Of Trustees to provide adequate resources for curriculum delivery.

3. Student Progress and Achievement: The Board Of Trustees, through the Principal and the staff, to ensure there is regular assessing, recording, and reporting on each student’s progress.

4. Personnel: The Board Of Trustees, as employers, to have an employment contract with each employee which sets out the responsibilities of both employer and employee and the conditions of employment. The Board Of Trustees to have a clear policy of Performance Management which includes policy relating to appointment, professional development, and performance appraisal of staff.

5. Finance: The Board Of Trustees to have a clear policy of Financial Management which includes the preparation of an annual budget, and the monitoring and control of income and expenditure throughout the year.

6. Property and Resources: The Board Of Trustees to maintain an Emergency Plan. The Board Of Trustees to regularly check the property for hazards likely to threaten health or safety. The Board Of Trustees to prepare and implement an ongoing plan of maintenance and property development.

7a. General: As part of the New Zealand education system the school is committed to the National Administration Guidelines.

7b. Documentation and Self Review: Detailed information as to how the Board of Trustees and its employees carry out the Aims and Objectives is documented in policy and procedural statements. These are public documents. The Board Of Trustees has a three year cyclic plan for the ongoing review of all its plans and policies. The Charter, including Strategic Plan and Annual Management Plan, is to be reviewed annually. See document 2.3. Master List of Policy Statements and Documentation.

7c. Governance and Management: Governance of the school is vested with the Board Of Trustees which has overall responsibility for policy development and implementation. Daily management of the school is vested with the Principal who is employed as the Board Of Trustees’ Chief Executive Officer, and is thereby responsible to the Board Of Trustees.

8. Cultural Diversity: To promote cultural understanding through learning programmes and visibly displays the range of cultures within the school.

Cultures within the school (2010) are New Zealand European, Dutch, Australian, Fijian Indian, North American, and Maori. Teachers are expected to reflect these cultures in their programmes, and to explore ways in which these cultures are visibly present and celebrated in the classrooms.

9. Tikanga Maori and Te Reo Maori: The school provides opportunity for instruction in tikanga Maori (Maori culture) and te reo Maori (the Maori language). Students are exposed to tikanga Maori and te reo by means of the school’s curriculum delivery, for instance in social studies and mathematics, as well as via bi‑lingual signs in the school building. All students from Y9 onwards are given the opportunity to study te reo Maori via the Correspondence School.

The School Charter is review annually with parents given the opportunity for input. It also contains some targets for improved student achievement, a strategic plan, and an annual management plan, all of which are reviewed annually are consultation with the school’s community.