Children have moved on, but dad's still at school

Ian Alexander. Photo / Brett Phibbs

It's been several years since the youngest of Ian Alexander's four children was at school, but that hasn't stopped the Aucklander putting his name forward again for this year's board of trustee elections.

After serving on school boards since they were created 21 years ago Mr Alexander did consider giving it up this year, but his Rosehill College colleagues encouraged him to stay saying he had "too much to contribute".

With their support and a feeling he still has a bit to offer he's standing again in the elections which will be held next month.

The former Southlander became involved with board of trustees when they were created in 1989 under the "Tomorrow's Schools" policy.

This replaced the school education board system with one of community responsibility.

"The reason I joined then was one, I had a child at primary school with more children to come, plus I believed I had skills which would be useful to a community board," he said.

There was no template of how a board should run, so it was a big learning curve.

Since then Mr Alexander has served on boards for four different schools, despite his youngest child now being at university.

He has remained on boards for so long partially because of his interest in children's learning and partially because he feels he has something to offer that could benefit the community.

"For me I suppose it comes back to my upbringing. I come from a family that was very involved in community service ... and that's what I see it as, a community service."

Board of trustee elections, which are held every three years, are one of the largest democratic processes in the country.

About 13,400 people are on school boards, not including staff, principal and student representatives.

The School Trustees Association's Auckland regional election co-ordinator Chris France said selecting a great board was about having a wide variety of people who represented the whole community.

There had been a shift in focus in recent years towards seeking out people who brought with them specific skills such as strategic thinking and professional competency.

But Mr France said people without those skills were still welcome - anyone who was passionate and willing to learn could make a good board member.

"While there is a desire and a need to have those strategic, futuristic and other competencies that we all know about sitting around the table, that's got to be a group that's also grounded in reality and in the local world."

Anyone over the age of 18, excluding those with criminal convictions that sent them to jail, can be nominated.

"If you are willing to learn and you want to be part of a group of people who want to be able to make decisions and think in a quite strategic, looking into the future sense of what their children should look like at the end of schooling, they are the sort of people you want."

Nominations close on Friday.

ELECTIONS TIMELINE

* Nominations close Friday, 12pm.
* Voting papers distributed April 28.
* Voting day May 7.
* Votes counted May 13.
* New board takes office may 14.

For more information about nominating someone or voting visit www.trustee-election.co.nz