Our School Board
Our School Board
Lleuarne Panoho – Parent elect
Michelle Gissing – Parent elect
Natasha Peterson – Parent elect
Mandi Buswell – Parent elect
Tania McBeth-Stanton – Parent elect
Matt Elliott – Co Opted
Kelli Hedges – Staff Elect
Board meetings are held in the school staffroom from 5:30 – 7:30pm on the dates indicated below.
The Board of Trustees meets twice a term, and meetings are open to the public.
The Birkdale Intermediate School Board is governed by 5 elected parent or community Board members, an elected staff representative and the school’s Principal. The current Board members bring a variety of skills and expertise to guide the success of the school.
School boards play a central role in the educational achievement of children and young people and there operate with four primary objectives, which help the Board to focus on what matters most for learners and their whānau:
1. A board’s primary objectives in governing a school are to ensure that:
· (a) every student at the school is able to attain their highest possible standard in educational achievement; and
(b) the school–
(i) is a physically and emotionally safe place for all students and staff; and
(ii) gives effect to relevant student rights set out in this Act, the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, and the Human Rights Act 1993; and
(iii) takes all reasonable steps to eliminate racism, stigma, bullying, and any other forms of discrimination within the school; and
(c) the school is inclusive of, and caters for, students with differing needs; and
(d) the school gives effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including by–
(i) working to ensure that its plans, policies, and local curriculum reflect local tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori, and te ao Māori; and
(ii) taking all reasonable steps to make instruction available in tikanga Māori and te reo Māori; and
(iii) achieving equitable outcomes for Māori students.
If you have any issues or concerns, as a parent or community member, your first point of call should be your child’s teacher, and if you are not happy with the outcome escalate this to the school’s management team. If for any reason this is not resolved, the Board can be contacted at bot@bis.school.nz
Board meeting dates and meeting minutes 2026
- Meeting 1: Thursday, 26th February
- Meeting 2: Thursday, 26th March
- Meeting 3: Thursday, 20th May
- Meeting 4: Thursday, 18th June
- Meeting 5: Thursday, 13th August
- Meeting 6: Thursday, 10th September
- Meeting 7: Thursday, 5th November
- Meeting 8: Thursday, 3rd December