Liberton Christian School
2002 Annual Report
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
2002 was a very significant year in the life of the School. It was a year both of major capital works and very significant roll growth, as well as a year in which the School underwent its first full ERO review. It was also the first year since integration (i.e., October 1999) that the School has employed three full-time teachers, and a year of continued high scholastic achievement. These, and other matters, will be discussed in greater detail below.
The School began the year with a roll of 34 pupils divided amongst three full-time teaching staff. As the year progressed, however, a number of new families joined the school community adding both an ethnic and an international diversity to the community. It was particularly heartening to complete the year with a school roll of 54 pupils, four of whom were of international origin. The projected roll for the start of 2003 was sufficiently high that the Board was able to look forward with some confidence to the possibility of employing a third, full-time teacher funded by the Ministry of Education.
In 2002, the School’s third, full-time teacher (Mr Ché Luke) was employed by using savings that had been made from its 2000 and 2001 operational grants. Mr Luke’s very significant contribution to the School throughout the year was greatly appreciated and it was with sorrow that he was farewelled on a lengthy overseas trip. Mrs Adele McKirdy has been appointed as Mr Luke’s replacement.
As part of the School’s capital works programme, an entirely new toilet block was completed, as was a new school library and a new sickbay. These have been the most important capital works carried out to the School in the last 10 years - all of them being co-ordinated and designed by a former pupil who is now practising as a Dunedin-based architect. The outcome has been an excellent improvement to school amenities.
The School’s ERO review was undertaken in May and resulted in a very positive report. While the School was rightly criticised for its lack of documentation in some curriculum areas, as well as in its need for full professional appraisal procedures for all staff, it also noted that the School had good governance and strategic direction, that practices at the School reflected its special character and that students achieved very high levels of literacy and numeracy. We were very pleased to find that our students were "positive, joyful, enthusiastic learners", and that we were assessed as having high expectations for student achievement and behaviour. In total, while it is clear that we have work to do, it was equally clear that our teachers have not been diverted from ensuring that the main point for their professional skills remains the main point of their daily activities!
In terms of academic achievement, the Board was very encouraged to find that 90% of all pupils were at or above their chronological reading ages. In addition, all Year 6, 7 and 8 students undertook Primary Achievement Tests in reading and mathematics. More than half of the children tested above the 70% percentile level.
Other items worthy of note include the following.
- The School completed almost all the major tasks outlined in its Annual Plan for 2002.
- During the year, one trustee (Mrs Catherine Pettigrew) resigned from the Board. It is anticipated that two new members will be co-opted in 2003.
- The Board of Trustees had 11 formal meetings plus one planning meeting during the year.
In 2003 the School looks forward to continuing to build upon the impetus gained in 2002.
John Hannah
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
The decision to employ a third full-time teacher for 2002 has proved of great benefit to the school. With just 34 pupils at the beginning of the year, employing a third full-time teacher was a step of faith. So it was with thankfulness that we witnessed the growth of the school roll and saw photos of new pupils regularly appearing in the bi-weekly school newsletters.
After two years of teaching a class of 8 to 13-year-olds, to have a much smaller class but especially a smaller age range, was great for all concerned. Mr Luke initially took charge of the year-4 and 5 students, but as the junior class grew steadily, year-3 students joined his class halfway through the year.
With Ché Luke’s appointment and the volunteer teaching of Simon Purvis, the teaching team became more balanced in regards to gender and age. Kyra Jones continued teaching on Fridays as principal’s release, and Simon Purvis, who elected to do his teaching component of his honours degree on Christian education at Liberton, taught in all three classes to the equivalent of one day a week. His creative contributions enhanced the teachers’ programmes and he became very much a part of the staff and school life. Having a secretary on a daily basis with increasingly more hours has helped tremendously.
Rosalin Stewart continued teaching the juniors but moved to the end classroom. The latter had functioned as a staff and resource room and group teaching room. So the progress of builders and other tradespeople was eagerly watched. It has been like teaching at a construction site for most of the year but staff and the students have coped well with inconveniences and changes in routines etc. Watching the new facilities being built and then being able to use them has been very satisfying for staff and pupils alike.
Before and during the building of the library we worked with Maxine Ramsey from the National Library in its Development Focus Programme. The following goals were set:
- To create an environment which would be attractive to children and enhance their desire to read good literature.
- To provide and further develop a collection which supports the literacy programmes in the school.
- To extend the role of the library within the school community.
- To effectively manage the library.
The Literacy Leadership Course I attended was also helpful in this area.
A lot of effort and finance will need to go in to realizing these goals, but we’ve made a good start. The help of Netty van der Woude, as volunteer librarian all these years has been and is very much appreciated.
After not being able to raise the classroom temperature above 11 degrees during one cold day in winter, the heating system in the classrooms and new library were renewed. It’s a delight to be able to come into warm classrooms on cold mornings now. Lighting in the junior room was also upgraded.
All classrooms and new library have computers connected to the internet. Staff have had some in-school training and have met with various degree of success in integrating information technology into the various curriculum areas.
We were pleased to be the recipients of furniture and other resources due to the closure of Maia School. The desks, especially, arrived at an opportune time for the expanding class in the middle room.
After a trial period we decided to adopt the new division of the school day, giving three almost equal time periods for school work. These changes are as follows: 9.00 to 10.30 am, 10.50 am to 12.30 pm and 1.25 to 3.00 pm. Teachers and children adapted readily to a later lunch hour and found that more work was achieved.
The Education Review Team’s visit during May proved very positive. Their report confirmed that we excel in the basics, namely numeracy and literacy. I quote, "Students benefit from a broad education that includes a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy and integrates a clear Christian focus." However, both board and staff do need to continue to work on the required documentation for an integrated school.
With more teachers, trainee teachers, secretary and parent volunteers we have been able to enhance the school’s programme. In technology the making and marketing of ‘Wacky Soup’, the parachutes and kites, the vegetable creatures, the making of shelters at Bethune’s Gully come to mind.
In the arts the middle and senior class planned and made a music video. The middle class performed Australian Aborigine and Samoan Dances.
The electives programme during term 3, with parents and teachers teaching small groups giving children the opportunity to learn, for example, cooking, Spanish, flower arranging, toy-making, and computer website development.
Physical education also received a boost. Kyra’s coaching for the cross country raised the children’s level of fitness. For the first time we competed in the Year 7 and 8 race at Balmacewen. Also, out of the nineteen participants in the Dunedin North schools’ Year 4, 5 and 6 cross country at Chingford Park, ten gained certificates.
Ché and Karen coached the netball teams. The junior and senior teams took turns playing other schools in the Dunedin North schools’ draw. The teams did very well. For home games, team members were encouraged to show hospitality by inviting the visiting team to share in refreshments after the game. During Friday’s assemblies, the ‘Player of the Week’ and the ‘Fair Play’ trophies were presented to the chosen players. These weekly Friday afternoon assemblies were attended by more and more parents and friends and built on our already strong sense of community.
Good use was made of local resources, people and agencies. For example the police education officer for the Keeping Ourselves Safe school-wide programme, the school health nurse for health lessons in the senior class, the Botanic Garden’s programmes, the museum, Sandfly Bay for the seal and sea lion study, the Otago Problem Solving Challenge, 5+ a Day healthy lunch making and a one-day first aid course for Years 4 to 8.
Preparations for the senior school camp included a hike across Flagstaff by pupils of the senior and middle class. Southern Lakes Christian School were unable to join us at the camp at Millervale in Warrington this year. However, Year 6 to 8 pupils with newly qualified teachers Bill Boyes, Fiona Sizemore and Simon Purvis worked together with me to make the camp very enjoyable and educational.
This year the 23 participants in World Vision’s 20 or 40 hour famine raised a significant amount of money resulting in the school being awarded the Silver Plaque. A great effort.
We’ve had several local ministers, a missionary from Papua New Guinea and a couple of missionaries from Cambodia tell us what God is doing in these countries.
One of the highlights of 2002 was the celebration of the School’s twentieth anniversary. We were able to reflect on God’s faithfulness and guidance in the years past.
2002 has been a year of growth and blessings. We must continue to look for and act on God’s leading for 2003 and the years to come. Our vision for Christian Education needs to continue to reach out into the community, fueled by the experience of the blessings of a Christ-centered education.
Nel van’t Wout
TREASURER’S REPORT
At first glance the fact that the School’s result for 2002 is a deficit of $25,344 may give cause for concern. In reality, the result is in line with the budgeted deficit of $24,100 and reflects the Board’s desire to grow the School, taking full advantage of its received infrastructure and maximum roll allowance. The major contributing factor to the deficit was the employment of 3.3 full-time teacher equivalent positions, one position in excess of the School’s funding entitlement.
Non-recoverable relieving teaching expenses were significantly greater than budgeted, contributing to an overrun in Learning Resources - Staff Expenses of $11,132. This, together with other lesser overruns, was partially recouped with higher-than-expected levels of receipts in all components of revenue.
Although the statements show a small working capital deficit ($2,231), early receipt of the 2003 first quarter operational grant will ensure that liquidity can be maintained initially, while in later months the budget provides for a steady growth of working capital. With all 3.6 teaching positions Ministry-funded in 2003, the School’s immediate financial outlook appears to be sound.
The Board gratefully acknowledges the gift of resources and furniture, valued at $950, from the Board of Trustees of Maia School which closed in 2002.
In October, the Board received notification that the School’s decile rating was to increase from six to nine. As a consequence the School faces a significant reduction in the ‘targeted’ part of its operational funding in 2003. Regrettably, there is also an unhelpful perception surrounding the ratings, that schools with high scores are somehow elite. If the policymakers must persist with their ‘targeted funding’ strategy, they must do more to inform the community as to the real nature of the decile ratings: they are a measure of the number of children from the country’s poorest families on a school’s roll. As with Liberton, a school with a low representation of the poorest families does not necessarily make for a large constituency of the wealthiest ones.
In 2002 the Trustees will again work closely with staff, parents and our proprietor to ensure that proper stewardship is exercised over the public money with which the Board has been entrusted.
John van Dyk
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