Minutes:
Present:
Kara Hamblen, Mr Karuiki, Gill Marshall-Andews
School update:
The new HT started in January 2019.
There are now 17 TSC teachers in the school which is amazing - and very unusual.
The BOM currently pay for 3 teachers but this will reduce to 1 when the term ends and 2 of them have served out their notice. Then the school staffing complement will be 18 which is sufficient to service 16 classes plus 2 additional teachers to enable specialist support eg librarian. Most of the teachers are new and young.
There are 578 students on roll. Standard 1 has 60 and Standard has 72.
The mean score was disappointing, and has been for several years. The HT is determined to see that it improves.
The accommodation is a mixture. 6 new classrooms built by TAS and CDF. 9 older classrooms of reasonable standard. 2 classrooms of poor quality - holes in the floor, broken windows etc and one in an extremely poor state with earth floor and no glass.
The HT has said we will undertake to improve these last 3 classrooms within existing resources.
There are also 2 classrooms which are ruined. He will decide with the BOM whether to apply for funds to renovate, or rebuild these buildings. If they were usable the older classes could be split and thus enjoy a more conducive environment for teaching and learning.
A new Board of Management is about to be elected.
The MCA has not yet been contacted but will be approached about conducting a water survey in the school. At present the hand washing area is defunct some buildings are without gutters, some tanks and gutters are broken.
GMA presented the TAS Child Protection Policy and Code of Conduct. The HT agreed to discuss this in school and will urge all staff to sign the document for collection by Nicole in due course.
GMA also presented a document outlining the TAS approach to school improvement and success indicators. These also will be discussed within the school.
Possible projects for TAS funding:
3 x classroom refurbishment
Courtyard re-surface
Sports equipment
Posters for display.
Projects for the school:
Guttering and repair of the tank on the admin block.
Repair of floors in 3 classrooms.
Renovate the display board.
Clean throughout and paint where necessary.U
Request from the County:
Conduct a water survey and cost the work needed.
Tree nursery:
This looked to be in good order albeit suffering from drought. Some species had fared badly eg pines and cassorena??
There are 7200 seedlings alive- some exotic and some indigenous. Children have collected seeds from the forest eg Podo and planted them. They are involved in the care of the trees on a rota basis organised by Mr Chege Maximo who teaches Maths and Social Science at the school.
The HT will welcome Nicole to the school in due course and hope that she may be able to bring copies of the proposal forms.
GMA will try and make contact with the MP Martha Wangari to see if there is mileage in partnering over the classroom projects.
Kara and Nicole will meet to discuss bringing Kara on to the TAS committee as a trustee and signatory.
The HT phone number is 0729 215358.
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