1. Pursuant to clause 4 of Schedule 22 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (“Act”), I hereby approve an alternative constitution for the Newton Central School (1392) Board.

2. The Newton Central School (1392) Board (“Board”) shall be made up of the following members:

1. The Principal of Newton Central School;
2. One staff representative;
3. Four parent representatives appointed by parents from Te Aka Pūkāea;
4. Four parent representatives elected by parents from Auraki; and
5. Up to one Ngāti Whātua representative appointed by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.

3. Despite clause 5 of Schedule 22 to the Education and Training Act 2020, the following sections of the Education and Training Act will apply where relevant:

Schedule 22 – Clauses 1 and 2

Schedule 23 – Clauses 1, 3, 8, 12 and 13

Election of Auraki Parent Representatives and Staff Representatives for the Board

4. Elections required under this notice for representatives, will be carried out under the Education (Board Election) Regulations 2022 (“election regulations”). A returning officer will be appointed by the board for each election and will carry out the duties of the role in accordance with the election regulations.

Te Aka Pūkāea Appointed Parent Representatives

5. The parent representatives from Te Aka Pūkāea will be appointed in accordance with the process set out by Te Whao Urutaki. Any parent or guardian of a child enrolled in Te Aka Pūkāea may participate in this appointment process.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Appointed Representative

6. Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei may appoint up to one member to ensure the school plans, policies, and local curriculum reflect local tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori, and te ao Māori.

Participation Not Permitted in More than One Electoral Process

7. Any parent or guardian who has children enrolled in both Auraki and Te Aka Pūkāea can elect whether to participate in the Te Aka Pūkāea Representative appointment process or the Auraki Representative election but may not participate in both.

8. Any parent or guardian who is eligible to participate in both a Auraki parent election and a Te Aka Pūkāea appointment process, may opt to participate in either the Auraki parent election or the Te Aka Pūkāea appointment process but cannot participate in both. Parents or guardians must make this decision known, in writing, to the returning officer before the main roll closes for earliest election in an election year. If no preferred option is made, parents or guardians shall participate only in the Auraki parent election. Parents or guardians may participate in only an election or appointment process between the main election in election years unless their eligibility status changes.

9. If a staff member is eligible to participate in either the Te Aka Pūkāea appointment process or the Auraki parent elections, they may opt to participate in one of those processes instead of the staff election. Staff members who have opted to participate as above are not eligible to be elected as the staff representative. Staff members must make this decision known, in writing, to the returning officer before the main roll closes for earliest election in an election year. If no preferred option is made, staff shall participate only in the staff election. Staff members may participate in only one type of election or appointment between the main election in election years unless their eligibility status changes.

Transitional Arrangements

10. This alternative constitution will take effect on the date of publication.

11. Subject to clauses 1 and 2 of Schedule 22 to the Act, the next election for Auraki parent and staff elected representatives will occur during the 2025 election period set by the Minister of Education, and triennially thereafter.

12. No parent representative is to go out of office, and no casual vacancy for a parent representative position may be filled unless the vacancy has reduced the number of parent representatives to fewer than the number under the alternative constitution.

13. Te Whao Urutaki may appoint up to four representatives once this alternative constitution has taken effect.

14. Ngāti Whātua Orākei may appoint up to one representative once this alternative constitution has taken effect.

15. Changes to the constitution of the Board will be subject to the approval of the Minister of Education and must be notified in the New Zealand Gazette.

Explanatory Note

This explanatory note is not part of the notice, but it is intended to indicate its general effect.

This constitution reinforces the primary objectives in governing Newton Central Primary School with a commitment to honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

This constitution gives effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the principles of partnership, good faith and tino rangatiratanga of Māori, through this unique, co-governance model.

The board positions provide for equal parent representation between Auraki and Te Aka Pūkāea.

Definitions:

1. Auraki means the pathway of the school that is not Te Aka Pūkāea.
2. Te Aka Pūkāea means the pathway of the school under which:
1. ākonga and their whānau undergo a tono process to be accepted;
2. ākonga are taught either fully in Te Reo Māori, or a mixture of Te Reo Māori and te reo Pākehā;
3. ākonga are taught mātauranga Māori;
4. ākonga are taught in accordance with local tikanga and kawa; and
5. whānau of ākonga endorse a Te Ao Māori worldview and commit to supporting ākonga in their exploration of Te Reo Māori, tikanga and kawa.

Dated at Wellington this 17th day of August 2023.

Hon JAN TINETTI, Minister of Education.