House full of blokes

I've been pretty quiet over the last couple of weeks.  I've attended all meetings required of me, engaged in discussion and discourse, listened and expected to be heard and thought that there had been a resolution to halt the action to remove Neil Gillespie as Board Chair with only 13 months to an election and with the immensely important Master Plan Project in full swing.  I left a meeting on Tuesday 21st August thinking that a decision had been made to seek further governance training and to set out a rules of engagement document outlining roles and responsibilities of board members and their relationship with each other, council, the mayor and council staff.  So when I was contacted less than a week later on Monday 27 August I was surprised to hear that a requisition letter calling for the removal of Neil as chair had been sent to Sanchia Jacobs, CODC Chief Executive.  I relayed that surprise to the journalist who rang the next day.  I was not blissfully unaw...

This year seems to be zooming by and I sometimes need to stop and take stock of all the things that have been happening over the year.  There have been lots of changes for me professionally, taking on a hugely rewarding and highly challenging role of Principal.  There are also lots of changes afoot with my role in the community and the initiation of the Cromwell Master Plan project. There is so much cross over in my professional and public roles both require making tough choices that aren't always popular choices, understanding of governance vs management and how these roles can easily be misunderstood.  Both roles are linked to growing communities that want change managed sensitively and with careful planning.  The need for strategic thinking and a community that has a sense of ownership is vital for the success of both along with a need for strong leadership capable of making tough decisions and standing by them when needed. Many local government and school o...

I haven't managed to be a regular blogger at all over the last year and I have missed the forum for my personal reflections on my world and in particular on my roles in the Cromwell Community.  From mid-year 2017 when I posted my last blog post things have changed quite a bit for me and I find myself in a new and challenging role as Principal of Goldfields Primary School.  The second half of 2017 was about working hard to achieve my goal of taking on a Principalship and then hunkering down and learning as an apprentice to Mrs Booth before her well-earned retirement.  That effectively meant a more private face for many aspects of my life. The issues being faced by our community board also shifted at this point as the realisation that we really needed to look at the future and start some rigorous strategic thinking dawned on us as public perception was very much that we were not achieving much for our community.  We now find ourselves on the verge of our community ...

It's been a big week - not trying to overstate it, just how it is.  My father in law John Ernest Harrison, known as Jack, passed away peacefully in his own home last Saturday morning.  He was 90, about eight weeks from his 91st birthday.  He had been very sick after a bout of pneumonia that he picked up in hospital when he was admitted after a fall a couple of months ago.  He was allowed home, where he wanted and needed to be and was in the loving care of family in his final days.  My lovely bloke is the youngest of Jack's seven children.  Jack's death was anticipated and expected, but still hard when it actually happened. Jack Harrison 18 July 1926 - 3 June 2017 As you can imagine with seven siblings and their partners and children in attendance Harrison family get togethers are loud and chaotic affairs.  It is absolutely one of the upsides of sad occasions that family all converge, catch up and reminisce.  All seven siblings and their partn...

New Zealand Community Boards Conference 2017 Making 1+1=3         I had the privilege of attending the New Zealand Community Board Conference in Methven a couple of weeks ago.  Probably doesn't sound to most like it would be a highly motivating and inspiring way to spend the weekend and I did have people concerned for my sanity when I said that I was really looking forward to attending.  Well, I can report that it was interesting, informative and inspiring.  The calibre of speakers in attendance was very high and I have come home with a renewed enthusiasm for my role in our community. The current Cromwell Community Board One of the things that became really clear as I met and talked to elected members from around the country is that Cromwell is very lucky to have a Board that is able to make decisions directly with and for the community that we represent.  Many Community Boards around New Zealand have no (or very limited) authority or...

I'm sure most parents of school age children are looking forward to the end of this week and the return to normal routines from Monday next week.  The amazing autumn weather we have been having (becoming cold and windy as I type this) will have helped to make the holidays easier to bear and the inclusion of ANZAC day and Easter in the mix will hopefully have made child care options more manageable.  I know teachers are all gearing up for the term ahead, re-arranging classroom furniture, locating and making resources, and planning programmes. Fabulous autumn weather for the school holidays - photo from Heliview flights, Cromwell I'll be glad that lummox no.3, age 16, in Year 12 is back into a more normal routine next week too.  Teenage boys in general, and my youngest in particular have an amazing capacity for sleep.  He's mostly through 'grunt' stage and is usually quite a chatty young man - but when he is in extreme lazy mode he goes straight back to neanderth...

I've not managed to be a very regular blogger over the last couple of months - it is sometimes hard to make time to sit and reflect and to put those reflections into words that make any sense at all to anyone but myself.  I've also had a bit of time away with my husband in Bali to attend his eldest brother's wedding anniversary celebrations.  It felt a bit naughty heading away in term time (not something I have ever really done as a teacher) - but after Craig and I both lost a parent in 2014 we decided to say yes to family occasions and invitations and to try really hard to find ways to be there and connect with our wider family, particularly those we only see rarely.  We are really glad we went - it was an amazing experience. Brilliant times in Bali It is six months since local body elections so it is a good time to look back on the journey so far and to think about what being a member of the Cromwell Community Board is shaping up to be. There have certainly been...