Board Chair Report

Talofa Lava, Malo e Lelei, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Kia Orana, Le Hou, Namaste, Ni Hao, Shalom, Guten Tag, Bonjour, Chou ncl. Dohbro-ye-ootra, Ha Luo, Zdravo, Helot, Merhaba, Ni Sa Bula, Gocte vlo'ere, Saalam, Tang, Chao, Kon-nichiwa, As-salam-alai-kum, Tena Koutou Katoa, Greetings.

At a conference for School Trustees this year, one of the most inspiring presentations was given by Ron Rice from the Iowa Association of School Boards in the USA. It was titled “School Boards Matter!” It was a talk on how successful board leadership can make a huge impact on improving student achievement. As a board this is our number one goal at Royal Oak Intermediate.

For many people what the Board does and why it exists is a bit of a mystery! Very simply our job is to ensure the school is doing what it’s supposed to do, within the regulations and framework set by the government. By the way, if you’re keen on finding out more about the board, all our meetings are open to the public and you are more than welcome to attend.

It is also the Board’s role to set a visionary direction of where we want our school to be in a few years time. How will it feel? What will it look like? How successful will it be at developing young people who are outstanding and well-educated citizens?

And how well will Royal Oak Intermediate succeed at reflecting the hopes and aspirations of the school’s wider community?

To achieve this, the Board has begun a review of our Strategic Plan and Vision. This will ensure that the school will continue to grow and improve over the next 3 – 5 years.

An important part of this review is making sure that we hear from you, our school community. So while we have started to talk with the community, we are very keen to encourage our entire whanau to let us know what your dreams are for Royal Oak Intermediate. Our dream is that one day in the near future this school will be considered the very best intermediate in the country!

To help us on our way are some exciting new improvements in the buildings and grounds starting with an inter-challenge confidence course that will be up and running for the new school year. There will be more news next year as our property plans are finalized.

The heart of our school though is the children, and the Board is very proud of the Academic, Sporting and Cultural success that has been achieved this year: the International Exams and Otago Problem Solving; the many sports teams that made it through to the Auckland Championship Competitions; and a fantastic Cultural Show that was created by and showcased the talents of our students.

As well, the Board continues to be delighted with the contributions of students in the everyday running of the school especially the school council and the student health team. It shows a real awareness of their role as part of a community.


To all our whanau who continue to support the school, thank you. We so very much appreciate your passion and loyalty! Also, I would like to thank my fellow Board members for their commitment and hard work. There is a lot of work to be done, with limited time and they do a great job.

Finally, to our wonderful staff – a huge thank you! The tremendous effort they put in lies at the heart of our children’s education. They demonstrate incredible dedication not only in the classroom, but by providing extra curricula opportunities, while continuing their professional development. And on top of that, there is the exciting challenge of implementing a new New Zealand Curriculum!

By all working together we can and do make a real difference for our students!

Best wishes to you all for a safe and happy festive season. Ka kite ano.


Mr Steve Murray


Board Of Trustees:
Steve Murray (Chairperson), Kirsty Hardie Boys, Alona Ben-Tal, Renate Hofmann, Adle Geradts, Darryl Connelly, Merrill Ridgley, Richard Harris, Mariana Faasavala.