A Note from the Board Chair

In a recent conversation with a parent who demonstrates great commitment to the vision of MECS, it was suggested that the community might like to hear from the Board Chair more regularly. I'll attempt a fortnightly snippet from here on for the remainder of the year as a litmus test of your interest. Feedback welcome.

The Board serves the Association to maintain their vision for MECS.

It is considered a great honour as Board Members to serve the community in this way.  We each strive to represent the collective in all decision making. We work as a team using our combined wisdom and God given gifts of discernment and courage to lead the school through both easy and difficult decisions. 

At our most recent Board meeting we decided to put a short term pause on the Infrastructure Master Plan to allow for further exploration in terms of finances and to allow for any proposed modifications after our Strategic Planning workshop.

In early September, the Board and the Senior Executive Team will be working together for a weekend to strategically discuss, ruminate, discern and plan the next steps for MECS heading into this decade under the leadership of our new Principal, Michelle Dempsey.

Being parent leaders of the decision making processes is such a blessing. Not many school communities recognise the importance of parents in education.

One of the interesting aspects of being on a governance school board is to recognise and remind ourselves that we are not a church and do not represent any specific denomination. We strive to work with what we have and are in common. We partner with professional Christian teachers who have the expertise to educate our children. 

As parent partners we have an obligation to listen to our teachers wisdom in their arena in the same way we would listen to a professional plumber who has the expertise in working in his/her trade or the expertise of a doctor when taking advice regarding our health.

Parents hold the ultimate responsibility to raise their children. I therefore applaud our MECS parents for recognising the importance of seeking a school that aligns with your family values so that our children are taught in an environment that affirms what is taught at home. Perhaps not in all nuisances of our personal application but, through a shared world-view where we believe that all of life belongs to God.

The Board treasures and guards the right and responsibility of parents to raise our children in the ways of the Lord. 

It is with the most sincere thanks to our MECS staff for their dedication and commitment to work with parents in that task.

Sue Goudswaard

Board Chair