Duties

Excerpts from the Handbook for Boards of Trustees of NZ Catholic Integrated Schools

1.5The Proprietor's Appointees

Proprietor's Appointees on the Board are full members of the Board with all the same rights and obligations of other members. However, deriving from the fundamental characteristics of Catholic Integrated schools ... it follows that the Proprietor's Appointees also have some special responsibilities, namely:

  1. They are to assist the Board to carry out its obligations to ensure that the school remains a Catholic school and that it fulfils the primary objective for which it was founded. This primary objective has implications for the appointment of teachers, the enrolment of students, the Religious Education programme and for other matters relating to the school's Special Character.

  2. They are an important channel of communication between the school and the Bishop and/or Proprietor.

  3. They assist the board in ensuring that their particular Catholic community's property is kept in good order, repair and condition.

  4. They are to report to the Proprietor, on the progress of the school, in writing, at least annually or more often if requested or if the need arises.

2.6 Consultation with Proprietor

If any one of the Proprietor's Appointees has concern that some action by the Board might have a deleterious effect on the Special Character of the school, the matter needs to be referred to the Proprietor so that the Proprietor's comments, advice or determination (as the case may be) can be conveyed to the Board. In the case of the diocesan schools, contact with the Proprietor is normally made through the Diocesan Catholic Education Office.

2.7 Unusual Matters

Similarly, any unusual matter concerning the Special Character of the school, which the Proprietor's Appointees consider could have deleterious effects on the school, needs to be referred to the Proprietor for information, guidance and subsequent action, if need be. It is important that advice be sought early, before situations get out of hand, for example, situations that could lead to doubtful appointments, bad management, incompetence or disharmony within the school or its community.

3.5 Duties of Proprietor's Appointees

If any of the Proprietor's Appointees have cause for concern that the Special Character of the school is not being maintained and preserved, or that the teaching and conduct of the school is failing in any regard to reflect the Special Character, then the matter needs to be quickly brought to the attention of the Board of Trustees and of the Proprietor. (See Parts 2.6 and 2.7)

4.2 Appointments of Teachers - General

4.2.1 The Private Schools Conditional Integration Act (PSCI Act) requires (in section 63(2) as amended by Section 5 of the State Sector Amendment Act 1989) that any committee set up by a Board which has power to appoint teachers or recommend the appointment of teachers must contain at least one of the Proprietor's Appointees on the Board.