St Joseph's rising to challenges

In the second year of her role as principal of St Joseph's School principal and board of trustees member Trisch Inder tells James Beech that keeping up with classroom technology is one of the biggest challenges facing the school.

Queenstown Times: What is the biggest issue facing St Joseph's School pupils and what do you want done to tackle it?

Trisch Inder: The biggest issue we face at St Joseph's is to prepare our pupils for an unknown future. The high quality of teaching and learning at St Joseph's was recognised in our recent Education Review report and our goal now is to continue to develop pupils' understanding of assessment information and how it can be used to direct their future learning.

Another challenge in relation to this is to keep up with the information communication tools for our students to use in their learning. We have interactive whiteboards in all the classrooms and are in the process of applying for grants so that we have sufficient laptops to meet our pupils' learning needs.

Our Parent Teacher Association (PTA) through fundraising has set aside some funds for this as well. To this end, we have also joined the E-Central Cluster part of the Ministry of Education's ICT PD Project.

QT: Will National Standards improve a pupil's education at the school?

TI: No, quality teaching and the support of our families are what improves our pupils' learning. National Standards are only one tool.

QT: Is a Catholic education still relevant in today's society?

TI: Absolutely. It is as important for pupils to develop their spirituality as it is their physical, emotional and intellectual sides.

Catholic education is an opportunity for our pupils to not only understand the Catholic faith but to learn the lessons that Jesus gave us of how to live lives based on Christian values. It is also about being a part of a faith community where we look out for each other and celebrate each other's successes.

QT: How would you describe the school's financial situation and what needs to be done to improve it?

TI: We could do with more funding; budgeting is extremely tight. We are lucky that our PTA do a fantastic job of fundraising and we do rely on them to make up the shortfall.

QT: What benefits will the proposed Speargrass Flat campus bring to St Joseph's pupils and the community?

TI: As numbers build at our school, it will mean that we will have more space for our pupils in a very beautiful setting. Having new learning facilities is also a bonus.

QT: What is your response to concerns by appellants the campus would increase traffic and noise and detrimentally affect the amenity?

TI: I believe a school is a positive feature of any community. Many of our children come to school by bus and hopefully, due to its location, our pupils may be able to bike. What traffic there is will occur mainly before and after school. During weekends and holiday times there will be very limited activity.

QT: How can the community help St Joseph's School?

TI: Community is very important to us as a school. Members of our parent community are often at school helping out in the classrooms, as well as on trips. They all get behind our fundraising events and a growing number come to our information or social evenings.

We also have a growing number of people who are interested in making a positive difference for our pupils through involvement on the PTA and board of trustees. Our parish community provides opportunities for interacting and developing support networks.

Our wider local community is very generous in donating various goods and services during our fundraising events, including our annual book fair during term two, the art auction, which will be on September 11 this year, and rags to riches band night.

We are grateful for this and hope their generosity will continue.

• ASK THE BOARD: Do you have questions for St Joseph's School board of trustees, or have issues you want to raise? Email your queries, with "Ask the Board" in the subject heading, to news@queenstowntimes.co.nz.

Send them, or drop them off, with the address Ask the Board, Otago Daily Times, PO Box 774, Queenstown. 9348.