Page 5 - Southwell School Year Book 2020

PRIZE GIVING ADDRESS - TRUST BOARD CHAIRMAN
Congratulations to all students. Whether you are getting special recognition this morning or not you have all completed a year of learning and growing at Southwell.
You have learned new skills, new habits, reinforced values and faced new challenges.
You’ve learned about science and the world, music and maths, and you’ve learned lots of new words. Among those words are those associated with the Covid-19 pandemic sweeping the world. Words like lockdown, remote learning and social distancing. You have come to understand the difference between Level 4 and Level 3 lockdown and the use of the tracking app.
I would like to congratulate you all for just getting on with things despite the pandemic- related disruptions we’ve faced. In the context of the pandemic I would like to mention the school's staff, who deserve a big thank you. I am proud of the way that our teachers and IT team were able to deliver remote learning. In a very short time-frame, decisions were made around software platforms, content and daily structure. Thank you for turning your lounges and dining rooms into classrooms and delivering content from your homes.
I’d also like to mention parents and care- givers. Remote learning is a different proposition for the parents of a Year 8 student as opposed to a Year 1 student. As remote learning was delivered down the year groups, so parent involvement became more important. A shoutout to those mums, dads and care-givers who sat alongside their students, facilitating the online learning experience.
So far, our school has weathered the Covid-19 storm pretty well. We are nishing Term 4 with a capacity roll. Our starting roll for 2021 is, again, at capacity. As you would expect with such numbers there are waiting lists at all year groups. But more importantly, as I walk around I see happy, energised students.
We recognise, though, that for some families lockdowns and border closures have had a signicant economic impact. I would like to recognise the generosity of the wider school community, and the Foundation, who have ensured that no student has left the school due to the economic impact of ghting the pandemic. Generosity is not something that is new to Southwell. It is the Southwell community’s generosity of spirit over the years that has resulted in this campus and the outstanding learning spaces it contains. We all have a role in maintaining this spirit of giving so that we can create the environment for future generations in the same way that
others have done before us.
Thank you, too, to the work of the other groups and organisations around the school. The theme of the school strategic plan is United as Southwell. We are all committed to the well- being of this great institution and community, and the Trust Board is really appreciative of the work of the different groups and their particular foci. We are one big team, United as Southwell. Thank you.
I want to take an aside here to talk briey about independent schools in NZ, to provide some data points that might inform your BBQ conversations over the summer. My fundamental point is that NZ's independent schools make a positive impact on the nation's nances and educational outcomes that does not seem to be recognised by many - certainly not the mainstream media.
The reality is that fee payers do the nation a great favour. It costs the country $9,000 for every student in state primary or secondary education. The country's contribution to the education of every student in a primary or secondary independent school is $1,400. In total the country contributes $42m to the independent school sector (a number that has been xed since 2009, despite the state agreeing to a watershed salary increase with teachers in 2016 that the independent sector has been obliged to match.) The independent sector pays the country $77m in GST on the fees we pay. So, $35m more in GST than the government pays in contributions and $177m in operating costs paid for by our fees rather than the government operating budget. In addition the capital expenditure is avoided.
In many respects the independent school sector is a victim of its own success. We, the fee payers, are happy to do so because of the enhanced outcomes we see for our children but it does seem that a real commitment to the health of the independent school sector does not appear to be on the agenda of either of the mainstream political parties. I don’t know how we change that. Maybe it starts with conversations around the BBQ.
I would like to talk for a moment about culture. Our outstanding Headmaster, Mr Speedy, will tell you that Southwell is a relational community and a social enterprise. This is one of the special things that a roll of 650 enables. If we are a successful social enterprise, and if pupils feel safe and happy, they will learn. Over the last four years Mr Speedy has focussed the community culture not only on the six Southwell values, but also on well-being and being our best selves. I think it has made a difference. Our teachers are creating positive, happy environments, our students are happy and energised, and great learning is taking place. My observation is that this focus on the community’s culture has resulted in better outcomes for all its members.
As I mentioned before, the theme of the Strategic Plan is United as Southwell. That theme gives direction to four elements: Teaching & Learning, Relationships, Balance & Wellbeing and Spaces.
The strong roll underpins the nancial viability of the school. Over recent years we have invested in teacher PD and in the campus. In so doing we are addressing two of the four elements of the strategic plan and have enhanced student outcomes. We have invested in PD and three years after opening
the Murray and Anne Day building are ready to commit to the next capital building project.
In fact, the Trust Board has determined that in order to minimise the disruption to the school environment that will result from construction we would like to embark upon two projects concurrently. Not only will this minimise disruption but also produce construction efciencies and lower costs.
Earlier this year the Trust Board conducted a review of boarding. The conclusion was to reafrm the school’s commitment to boarding. Through the process, areas were identied where we could enhance the boarding experience to provide better outcomes for boarding students and parents. In addition, in Terms 3 and 4 we have promoted short-term boarding to the day student community as a safe environment in which children can take further steps to grow their independence. When made available these sold out in minutes! The short-term boarding experience will be a regular part of the school’s offering going forward as long as we have capacity. For most of Terms 3 and 4 the Boarding House has been full.
The conclusion of the review and the reafrmation of boarding as a central part of Southwell’s DNA has helped us determine that one of the campus projects should be the construction of a new boarding facility.
The second project is a new junior block of four classrooms to be designed in the style of the Day Building. The intention is to locate the new junior classrooms adjacent to the Library at the end of what we call the Top Field. The new Boarding House will be located in the vicinity of the existing Junior Block. In this location the junior classrooms will have ready access to the Library and their Year 2 and 3 colleagues in the Day Block, while the new Boarding House will have access to the spaces of Jack's Paddock, the facilities of the Rec Centre and be in close proximity to the Dining Room, while being separate from the learning spaces of the school.
This will also see an extension of the Library and creation of an outdoor learning and reection space to be shared by the Library and the new junior block.
Our expectation is that planning and consents will be achieved during 2021, allowing construction to commence in December 2021 and completion during 2022.
So, the school is in great shape. I would like to acknowledge the superb leadership of Mr Speedy, his number one helper, Mrs Speedy, and also his senior leadership team of Damian Mills, Peter Walch, Keryn Bindon, Julie Walters and Janet Reddish. We are very lucky to have them.
In fact, the whole staff continue to provide their passion, enthusiasm and expertise to the school. We are very grateful.
I would also like to thank my fellow Trust Board members for sharing their skills, expertise and experience. Thank you for your support and your commitment to and passion for our school. Thank you for being here today to celebrate the achievements of this great bunch of children.
Per Aspera Ad Astrum.
Gary Mollard Board Chairman
Southwell School Yearbook 2020
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