20 minute read
Meet our Trust Board
Hayley Buckley
We sat down with our retiring Trust Board Chair, Hayley Buckley, to reflect on her time on the Board over the past seven years.
It has been an absolute privilege to serve our community on the Trust Board. I joined the Board in 2015 and was appointed Chair in 2017. Reflecting on this period, the College now has the highest roll in its history, and we have seen significant momentum under Justine Mahon’s leadership, including the establishment of the Year 7–13 Senior School and Year 11–13 Senior Academy, and the launch of our statement of intent, ‘Making Girls Amazing’.
Making Girls Amazing exists to ensure that we support every student who comes through our gates to fulfil their potential. It reflects the incredible focus of our teachers to prepare our young women for their futures, to unlock their dreams, and to give the girls every opportunity to discover their own personal amazing.
We are proudly an all-girls school, and will remain so. Research tells us young women learn best in an all-girls’ environment, where they have the freedom during these important developmental years to just be themselves and to really get to know who they are.
Over the past two years, the Trust Board has spent considerable time looking at international best practice in education. We are excited to be looking forward to the next phase of our strategic planning, including the development of our campus masterplan, enhancing the use of technology and innovation in our curriculum, and ensuring we have the very best wellbeing programmes in place to support our girls to confidently face the futures they choose.
During the pandemic, a key focus of the Trust Board has also been to ensure that the College was well supported to deliver our outstanding StCuths@Home educational programme. I know as a parent, I was very grateful for the consistency and connection to the school that the fantastic online learning programme provided my daughter during the lockdowns, and I would like to pay tribute to Justine and her team for all they did to support our girls during an unprecedented time in our history.
I have worked very closely with Leigh Melville since she joined the Trust Board in 2017, and I would like to welcome her as Trust Board Chair. She is a person of exceptional integrity, with a deep connection to the College. Having turned her passion into a career, Leigh runs her own commercial business, Auckland art auction house, Art and Object, and was founding Chair of the New Zealand at the Venice Biennale Patrons Trust which successfully supports New Zealand’s participation at the event. Leigh is also on the board of the Auckland Writers’ Festival.
Leigh is an Old Girl of the College, serving as Head Girl in her final year. She was President of the Old Girls Association from 2015–2016 and brings a deep understanding of the connected community that is at the heart of our College. Leigh brings her strong commercial and business experience to the role of Board Chair, and also her communication skills and an ability to unite people to get things done. As we plan for the future, she is uniquely placed to respect our wonderful heritage and traditions, but equally, understands the importance of progressing with momentum to ensure we continue to deliver a world class education to our students, to support them to find what makes them unique and amazing.
I would like to thank my fellow Trust Board members for the incredible support which they have given me in my role as Board Chair. Thank you also, to our Principal Justine Mahon, our staff, parents and Old Girl community for everything you do for the College and our girls; it is deeply appreciated.
With warmest regards
Hayley Buckley St Cuthbert’s Trust Board Chair
Meet our new Trust Board Chair: Leigh Melville
Leigh Melville is a celebrated name in the New Zealand contemporary art world and thankfully for us, a familiar name that echoes in our halls, classrooms and our boardroom.
“They can’t get rid of me,” jokes Leigh, adding up the decades she has been actively involved at St Cuthbert’s as a student, Head Girl, Old Girl President, parent, volunteer, and Board member. And when you chat to stakeholders across the College community, it is fair to say we would be at a loss without her energetic, passionate advocacy.
Fusion of business and art
Leigh is the Managing Director and co-owner of Art+Object, one of Aotearoa’s leading art auction houses, offering regular catalogues of New Zealand and international historical, modern and contemporary art.
A recent achievement (and national news headline) was setting a record with New Zealand’s highest-grossing art auction of all time, with the Burr/ Tatham Collection. Michael Parekōwhai’s colossal bronze masterpiece, ‘A Peak in Darien’ sold for over $2 million dollars during the auction, eclipsing the previous record achieved by Colin McCahon’s ‘The Canoe Tainui’ (which sold for $1.58 million in 2016).
Leigh exudes passion for all-things art, yet interestingly her trajectory into the industry emerged out of pure luck when a St Cuthbert’s parent offered her a gallery job soon after she graduated. “I love what I do now, but it’s extraordinary that it all started rather by chance!”
After this turn of fate, it’s clear that a strong work-ethic, business nous and an instinctive eye, propelled the business to become the success story it is today.
Whether it’s writing for art journals, speaking to Radio NZ, presenting at industry events, or sitting on peer review panels at public art institutions, Leigh’s days and nights seem to live and breathe fine art. She is also a supporter of numerous arts organisations, including the Auckland Art Gallery Foundation and the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi and is on the board of the Auckland Writer’s Festival.
As the current Co-Chair of the ‘New Zealand at the Venice Biennale Patrons Charitable Trust’, she relishes the opportunity to work directly with artists. “It’s lovely to be able to form a working relationship with talented artists, to complement my work at the auction house,” she says. The organisation was set up to represent artists who are working toward an exhibition at the world-renowned Venice event.
An Old Girl at heart
When asked about how patronage has defined her career, her eyes light up, “There’s real power in the act of patronage. Through giving, it opens the door to experiences that you wouldn’t ordinarily have. That’s honestly what drives me and my career.”
Leigh agrees that her voluntary work is a great example of ‘By Love Serve’ in action, something she values as a key principle from her time as a student, along with fond memories of friends. “I was so happy at school; that sense of nostalgia and history never leaves you. In fact, some of my old St Cuth’s friends and I recently celebrated 30 years since graduation. We are hugely supportive of each other and have a special bond.”
Leigh is a fourth-generation Old Girl and her father was also a Trust Board member. She was President of the St Cuthbert’s Old Girls’ Association from 2014 for four years, and currently has a daughter in Year 13. “Having this longevity of relationships to the College has led to the feeling of wanting to give back,” she says.
Head Girl to the Boardroom
Leigh has been on the St Cuthbert’s Board for five years now, and is quick to promote her wider team members, “The Board is made up of a fantastic group of people lending their exceptional commercial skills. A school is such a complex organisation - there are so many stakeholders involved and two huge campuses. There are many decisions, big and small that all have consequences. As Governors, we simply help to guide.”
When asked about what she brings to the Board, she says, “In my case, I have a wealth of business experience and I work in a very competitive field. But look, I don’t profess to know it all. At the end of the day, if you bring passion and aroha to the table and a genuine sense of service, then you can add huge value.”
Art for art’s sake
Although Leigh studied art history at school, she wasn’t active in creating art or design. Her appreciation really flourished after school. But she is extremely encouraging about the arts curriculum offered at St Cuthbert’s, from drama, to fine art subjects, to Art History, and what it can offer young girls.
Does she have advice for wannabe collectors?
“Buying art is a very personal, instinctive experience. The art I collect often relates to memories; or, it looks to the future, commenting on progress, or lack of it.”
“Collecting has opened doors to friendships and experiences without which I would be poorer,” she says. In many ways, it seems to be the same for her tireless work at St Cuthbert’s.
Meet your Trust Board:
Hamish Firth
As part of a new series to get to know our valued Board members a little better, we sat down with Hamish Firth and chatted about his vision for the school’s future – and how he balances life in between roles as a company director and busy dad.
When asked about what he brings to the boardroom, Hamish chuckles, “Well, being a dad to four very strong-minded girls helps with diplomacy!”
He is of course being modest, having built an impressive career in the property industry, where he now leads a successful team of consultants at Mt Hobson Group.
His company is all about helping clients navigate the complex resource consent and plan change approval process. He can be found appearing before the Environment Court or Valuation Tribunal one day, and a council hearing the next, representing a wide and diverse range of clients.
When digging into Hamish’s career highlights, there is an array of accomplishments in this industry, but he’s quick to point out that his career pathway was never clear-cut.
“Every day I wake up with no idea what the day will bring. I love spontaneity and the excitement of the new.”
After a science degree, he completed a master's in urban planning – but this was after representing New Zealand in Rugby Under 19s. He candidly mentions entrepreneurial activities he’s been involved with in various sectors, along with a raft of engaging and surprising twists and turns of life.
This growth mindset to leap into the unknown with gusto, is likely what took him to the New York Marathon a few years ago. And it’s clear that his range of experiences, ambition and skills are very transferable toa boardroom table.
“I’m passionate about strategy as well as the doing. The planning is extremely important, and of course that’s a set of skills I can bring to the team, but in a way that’s just paper. My real passion is seeing things through to fruition.”
Having three (and shortly four) daughters attend St Cuthbert’s from Junior right through to Senior School, offers the longevity required to help plan and deliver on one of the College’s most exciting endeavours, the ‘Campus Plan’.
The plan is looking at the College’s current facilities, land and buildings, and will outline a development blueprint for the future. Hamish is excited to be leading this part of the project as Chair of the Board’s Campus Development Sub-Committee.
Once we have a draft blueprint the Board will be sharing the proposals with our College community, including our staff, parents and Old Girls.
“We want to engage with all stakeholders with an open mind. Communicating clearly why we’ve made decisions is key, and we’ll consider all the feedback.”
When asked about his own schooling experiences in Northland, Hamish is quick off the mark with a reply, “Water. Land. Rugby!” He credits some inspiring teachers as his greatest influencers in those days.
"I wasn’t always the top student. But having a teacher who can recognise the gold in every individual, that’s what’s important. Because of them, I ended up loving learning, whether it was PE, English or Maths”
He believes that the knowledge and mana of the teaching community at St Cuthbert’s is one of the College’s greatest assets.
He also talks passionately about the Kahunui programme, and the array of sporting opportunities available.
His third daughter started school during lockdown, which Hamish describes as brave, considering her first day had to be in front of a device. As with all new starters throughout New Zealand, it was not the ideal introduction to school life, but Hamish is quick to emphasise how impressed he was with how it all went.
“The College’s staff and operations had an exemplar plan in place for online learning. None of my girls’ learning suffered, it was quite remarkable.”
So, with four children, does he have any parenting tips to share?
To this, he laughs, emphasising that his daughters are all very different. He hasn't yet discovered any concise rules that work for all (but when he does, we’ll make sure he shares them with Evergreen Ties).
But on a serious note, he reflects on how he and his wife of 14 years, Donna, looked openly for advice from others when the girls were babies.
“Although it’s always helpful to draw on other people’s expertise, different techniques work for different children”. He believes that it’s the same as they grow up, “With love and patience... we’re always learning”.
Hamish wants his girls to know that it’s OK, if not important,to fail and that growth, resilience and compassion flourish from that.
The focus on building more emotional life skills as well as academic excellence, is another one of the key reasons he chose St Cuthbert’s for his children, “It’s not just about turning up to learn a curriculum. It’s also about the other incredible opportunities available, the diversity, and interpersonal skills they gain”, he says.
At the end of the day, Hamish says that his involvement on the Board is about giving back after seeing his own girls learn, thrive, have fun, and grow into caring, selfassured individuals. He looks forward to helping the Board drive a legacy that lasts into the future, long after his children have graduated.
Mermaids spotted at St Cuthbert’s!
It seems we have some real mermaids at St Cuth’s! It was so much fun to hold the Year 7 and 8 Swimming Sports event on 20 May, in such a supportive atmosphere. House spirit was evident and it was wonderful to see the House colours represented in the bleachers. Our ears are still recovering from the support being chanted down to the swimmers. Well done to all our Year 7 and 8 girls – be they mermaids or cheerleaders.
On 8 June, we held the Swimming Sports event for our Years 9 – 13 girls. There were some very impressive results and great competitive spirit achieved with raucous support from their friends in the bleachers. A highlight was the Prefects’ dance and the staff v Prefects’ swim races.
Cross Country 2022
On 6 May, the sun was shining and faces were smiling for the annual cross country run. It was such a delight to be able to welcome parents back to cheer on their daughters this year and it was lovely to see such support from the crowd. The day begun with our Junior girls taking part in Jump Jam to warm up. They were led to the fields by our Year 13 Games Committee (dressed in onesies) and Junior School Committee (dressed as fairies). The Seniors not only motivated them, but also ran alongside anyone who was finding the course a little too much – wonderful to see our Big Sister, Little Sister care in action! After the Juniors, came our competitive runners from across Years 7 – 13, followed by the much-anticipated House run. Girls tackled their course in bright colours and whilst not everyone was lapping the course, they were clearly lapping up the sunshine and good fun. A huge congratulations to our Sports and PE teams for their organisation, and to our girls for bringing so much energy to the day.
We’ve got to hand it to the P&F Committee, the Around the World Fundraiser Quiz Night held in Clouston Hall on Thursday 16 June, could have been re-named ‘Out Of This World’!
Everyone agreed it was magical to be back with one another after the two-year Covidgathering pause, in a very celebratorylooking Hall. Parents purchased tables with friends and visited during the day to theme them, with the interpretations not only varied but very fun. We saw plenty of countries represented, a considerate ‘save the earth’ theme and several Covid reflections. It was hilarious to see the juxtaposition of two neighbouring tables: one hosting Aliens who had just circumnavigated the globe, the other home to adamant Flat Earthers who refused to acknowledge the earth was round, let alone admit it was possible to travel ‘Around The World’.
Guests arrived dressed in their table’s theme and were welcomed by staff with a glass of bubbles. The hall entrance was brilliantly decorated and many parents stopped by the commemorative photo booth before going in to join their team mates for a fiercely competitive quiz. Raffle Ticket sales, Silent Auction pledges and Live Auction bids made the night a successful fundraiser, with the money raised going to our dedicated playground and outdoor spaces fund.
Our heartfelt thanks go out to the wonderful P&F Committee and staff who helped out on the evening and made it so special for the community. Enjoy a few (pre-dancing!) moments below…
A morning with Phil
Sitting across the table happily chatting and smiling is Phil McDonald, our Chair of Parents & Friends (P&F). Unassuming, relaxed and ever cheerful, Phil is the perfect calm against the upheaval we have had in the last two years. He took on the role of Chair for P&F in the middle of last year, during the uncertainty and upheaval of the pandemic. When asked why he assumed the role, his answer was, laughingly, “no one else wanted it!”
Born in Malawi, growing up in Zimbabwe, Phil has spent most of his adult life in the UK and in Australia, working as an investment banker. He now runs his own business and aims to lead a less stressful life. His daughters, Madeleine and Lilah, are fourth generation St Cuthbert’s students. His wife, Kate, Kate’s mother and great-aunt are all Old Girls. Three years ago, not long after Madeleine and Lilah joined the school, Phil saw an opportunity to get involved with P&F and joined as a committee member. He says he’s always helped in the children’s schools, and never saw a reason to not help in any way he can.
The P&F committee works to connect the community by organising events and gatherings, supports new parents, and decides on fundraising initiatives which benefit the students and the College community. Phil feels being a part of P&F is a great way to build community, connect parents, especially with new parents, and help the College meet its objectives through fundraising. The last few years have seen the Asian Friendship Group (AFG), a subgroup of the P&F, flourishing to become an active and vibrant subcommittee showcasing their culture and diversity. More recently with the restrictions lifting, Phil’s desire is to bring parents back for some exciting events and rebuild the community spirit that has been sorely missed with Covid. He finds it extremely rewarding to see parents being, and feeling, connected.
What would Phil like to see happen with P&F going forward? His wish is for more parents to get involved, doing “as little or as much as they want. It doesn’t need to feel cumbersome; we are grateful to them for any time and anything they can help with or participate in.” All parents are already a part of P&F and there are lots of different ways and opportunities to get involved, be it volunteering at a one-off event, becoming a class coordinator for a year, or joining as a committee member. Traditionally, the roles between mums and dads who volunteer have been more defined to Dads doing sports and camps and Mums doing the other volunteering. Phil would like to see parents breaking out of that mould and just coming to help when the College needs a hand, to join in for the fun of it all, and most of all, to show our students that giving back is important and rewarding.
If you would like to find out more about the P&F, Phil would love to hear from you: chairpf@stcuthberts.school.nz
And now that the campus is open to visitors, if you spot Phil around, stop to say hello and have a chat, and before you know it, you may be happily getting involved in the next College event and wondering why you didn’t do this earlier! It was lovely to be able to welcome parents into classrooms at the start of Term 2. The girls just loved being able to share some of their work! Our sincere appreciation goes to the Parents & Friends’ volunteers who helped make this lovely afternoon tea happen. Here are just a few moments captured.
P&F Committee Members 2022
Phil McDonald (Chair) Rachel Taylor (Deputy Chair) Jessica Yang (Treasurer) Anna Burt (Secretary) Nancy Zhang (Chair of AFG) Lauren Milne Liz Fraser Coco Chan Alice Yoon Rosie Piper Anna Perry Harriet Booth Shirley Sequeira Maria Cubi
P&F afternoon tea
