Working to a common goal

Abbie Proudley is on the Lynmore Primary School Board of Trustees. Photo / Stephen Parker

Local parent Abbie Proudley takes pride in contributing to decisions around children's futures.

She has been on the Lynmore Primary School board of trustees for three years, since the last election, and plans to stand again this year.

The board took a big-picture governance approach at the school and worked together as a team, working on strategy and direction, Mrs Proudley said.

She said another huge role was accountability, ensuring decisions were seen through and children's learning was forever expanding.

"I take great pride in contributing to the decisions around our children's futures and at the heart of all things we do it is about helping our children reach their personal best."

Mrs Proudley said the board members were from a wide range of backgrounds which she believed gave them a good mix of perspective when making decisions for the school and the community.

"While we all have different views, we are working in unison towards a common goal, and that is seeing our children enjoy school in a fulfilling and inspiring environment."

She said being on the board had been "an amazing experience". "We have worked very hard over the last three years on the school's culture and diversity. We have concentrated on back to basics, such as the school's values, community and whanau."

Mrs Proudley said the best advice she could give to parents thinking of standing for a board of trustees was to keep the children's "very best interests" at the heart of decision-making. "If you bring it back to what is honestly the best decision for my children and yours, it makes speaking up and making decisions easy."

Mrs Proudley has two children at Lynmore Primary School.