The challenge of being involved

St Joseph's School board of trustees parent representative Michelle Bradley. Photo by James Beech.
St Joseph's School board of trustees parent representative Michelle Bradley. Photo by James Beech.
St Joseph's School board of trustees parent representative Michelle Bradley tells James Beech she is "unconvinced" of National Standards' ability to enhance New Zealand's education standards.

She said the board was already advised of pupils' performances.

Queenstown Times: Why did you want to become a board member and how long have you been in the role?

Michelle Bradley: I was approached by the board in August 2006 and asked if I would be interested in filling a parent representative vacancy.

My eldest daughter had started school at the beginning of 2006 and my youngest daughter was due to start in September 2007.

I thought it would be a fantastic opportunity to be involved in their education right from the start and I looked forward to the challenge of learning and being involved in something completely new.

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

MB: Our children are growing up in a rapidly changing world.

The opportunities offered inside and outside the classroom today are hugely different than they were 10 years ago.

With this, brings the need for our children to be able to make decisions and make choices that will enable them to reach their full potential.

I believe we have to try to teach our children to be adaptable and we need to ensure we are providing them with the tools and resources to prepare them for whatever the future holds.

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

MB: "No, I don't think National Standards will improve a child's education at St Joseph's.

As a board and as a parent, we are already kept informed of our pupils' achievement.

However, it has been identified that as a nation some of our children have been falling behind in the areas of reading, writing and mathematics.

While it is important to address these issues, I'm not convinced that the National Standards are the way to do so.

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

MB: Yes, definitely. Special character is a big part of St Joseph's and it fosters a real community spirit.

The school's values are truth and respect and our focus for this year is honesty, all of which I believe are important and relevant.

I think it adds to our children's education and gives them another aspect to their learning. I think they have a real understanding of these values, which will hopefully help them make positive contributions to society in the future.

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

MB: "Tight. I think all schools in the Wakatipu Basin face a similar financial situation. Some more funding is what is needed.

But in the meantime, we continue to rely on our hardworking PTA and incredibly generous school and wider community.

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

MB: It will enable growth.

For a long time we have been restricted by our current site and have not been able to increase our roll, so the opportunity to expand and grow is fantastic.

It will also enable us to have the benefit of new facilities and great outdoor spaces for our children.

QT: What is your response to concerns by appellants the campus would increase traffic and noise and detrimentally affect the amenity? MB: The decision on where the site for our second campus would be was completely out of our hands.

I do, however, believe that a school is a positive feature and there would be little activity during weekends and holidays.

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