School Board Election 2025
The boards of all state and state integrated schools are required to hold elections every three years, and this is happening again in 2025.
The School Board is an important part of Lynfield College as they set the strategic direction for our school, consult with our school community about our school, ensure the schools funding by the Ministry of Education is spent wisely and ensure that we are giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi within our school. Our board is made up of five parent vacancies, the Principal or Tumuaki, a staff representative elected by the school staff and a student representative elected by the students.
The current board have made the decision to appoint Election Pilot as the Returning Officer for our election and for the election to be provided online. Election Pilot have been assisting schools with elections for over 20 years and have been the only election provider accredited by the Ministry of Education to provide online election services since online elections started in 2022. Nomination and voting forms will be sent to all eligible voters by email directly from Election Pilot. If they don’t have an email address for you, nomination and voting papers will be sent by post so no one will miss out.
School Board Elections must be held in accordance with the provisions in the Education and Training Act 2020 and the Education (Board Elections) Regulations 2022. Your name and contact details have been provided to Schooled Election Pilot to enable the provision of elections services for our school as required by legislation. They will use your contact details for the provision of election services for Lynfield College only and your details will be deleted 60 days after the election date as required by legislation.
If you have any questions about the election process, please contact the Returning Officer directly on 0800 VOTENZ (0800 868 369) or election@electionpilot.nz.
We will continue to keep you updated through the various stages of the election process, and our election date is [insert election date].
Lynfield College School Board
THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD
All New Zealand state schools have a School Board. The Lynfield College School Board (the Board), is the Crown entity responsible for the governance and the control of the management of the College. The Board is the employer of all staff in the College, is responsible for setting the College's strategic direction in consultation with parents, staff and students, and ensuring that the College provides a safe environment and quality education for all its students. The Board is also responsible for overseeing the management of personnel, curriculum, property, finance and administration.
The Board is entrusted to work on behalf of all stakeholders and is accountable for the College’s performance. It emphasises strategic leadership, sets the vision for the College, and ensures that it complies with legal and policy requirements. Policies are at a governance level and outline clear delegations to the Principal.
The Board and Principal form the leadership team, with the role of each documented and understood. The Principal reports to the Board as a whole with committees used sparingly and only when a need is identified in order to contribute to board work. The Board is proactive in its operations and decision-making and does not involve itself in the administrative details of the day-to-day running of the College. The School Board has a charter of aims and objectives. Enhancing student achievement is its focus.
The Lynfield College School Board may be contacted by emailing the Board Secretary: boardsecretary@lynfield.school.nz
MEETINGS
Meetings are usually held on the fourth Monday of the month in the Staffroom. Minutes are available for viewing at the main office. Visitors are always welcome at meetings but if a member of the public wishes to speak to the Board, written notification stating the topic must be received by the office seven days before the next meeting to ensure it can be added to the Agenda, and that board members are aware of the topic.
If an item of a confidential or personal nature must be discussed, visitors will be asked to leave the meeting in accordance with Privacy Act legislation.
BOARD MEETING DATES FOR 2025
Please note that although these dates have been set for 2025 they can be affected by Ministry of Education requirements and/or unforseen circumstances. Please check with Reception for confirmation of a meeting date prior to attending.
| Monday 24 February Monday 24 March Monday 26 May |
Monday 23 June Monday 28 July Monday 25 August |
Monday 20 October Monday 24 November |
BOARD MEMBERSHIP
Board members are elected by the parent community, staff members and the students. The Principal is also a member of the Board. The Board can also co-opt additional trustees. Co-option cannot be used to fill casual vacancies on a board. A board must hold a by-election to fill the casual vacancy or fill the casual vacancy by selection having first given consideration to the requirements of section 105 of the Education Act 1989.
School Board elections are held every three years. The next election will be held on Wednesday 10 September 2025.
The Lynfield College School Board membership includes:
- Up to five parent elected members
- The Principal of the school
- One staff elected representative
- One student elected representative
- Up to four co-opted trustees to reflect either a gender or cultural balance; or to bring a specific skill to the board; or for a specific task or project.
The current Lynfield College School Board was elected in September 2022. It comprises of the Principal, five parent-elected trustees, a staff trustee and a student trustee.
- Geetika Aulakh: Member (elected September 2022)
- Luke Jackson: Chairperson (elected September 2022)
- John Maka: Member (elected September 2022)
- Ravi Nyayapati: Deputy Chairperson (elected September 2022)
- Cath Knell: Principal
- Kristelle Varney: Member (elected September 2022)
- Richard Winn: Staff Representative (elected September 2022)
- Aziz Mookhtiar: Student Representative (elected for 2025)
Senior Leadership Team
| PRINCIPAL | Cath Knell | BSc(Hons), DipTchg, MEdMgt (Hons) |
| DEPUTY PRINCIPAL | Gabrielle Clark | BA, DipTchg (Dist), NZAHPER Diploma |
| DEPUTY PRINCIPAL | Richard Winn | BPEd, DipTchg, MEdLdrship |
| ACTING DEPUTY PRINCIPAL | Elliot Dye | BSc, PGDipEd |
| DEPUTY PRINCIPAL | Sandy Harris | BA, DipTchg, PGDipEd (Dist) |
| DEPUTY PRINCIPAL | Sharyn Hunt | BA (Hons), DipTchg |
| ACTING DEPUTY PRINCIPAL | Russell Newbrook | DipTchg, PGDipEd (Dist) |