Special Character Policy

  • Rationale
  1. To ensure the gospel values and teachings of Jesus Christ, as contained within the practices, worship and doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, are taught and expressed within the St Anne’s Catholic School community.
  2. To provide an atmosphere where the staff, parents and children will experience a Catholic faith community; where prayer and reflection form an integral part of daily life for students, staff and trustees.
  3. To educate students within an atmosphere of Christ’s love, which permeates all that occurs in the school.
  • Delegations
      1. The Board requires the Principal and DRS to deploy staff of the school to promote and witness Gospel values, and provide professional development for staff.
      2. The Board requires the Principal and DRS to develop systems to address integrating Gospel values into all aspects of school life.
      3. The Board requires the Principal and DRS to consult with the parish community in regards to, but not limited to, school masses, class masses, reconciliation and sacramental programmes.
      4. The Board requires that the Principal and DRS undertakes 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 above in compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements and with appropriate consultation within and beyond the school.
      5. The Board delegates that their proprietors representatives complete and send the annual proprietors report to the Diocesan office.
  • Procedures
      1. The Board requires the Principal and DRS, in conjunction with the Board of Trustees, to develop planning, self-review and reporting procedures for this policy and to table these, for Board approval, at the meeting following enactment/review of the policy, or at any other such time as the Board determines.
      2. The procedures will include provision for reporting to the Board as requested and required and to other agencies as required.
      3. The following procedures, but not limited to, will be developed for this policy:
        1. Annual Planning and Target setting – as part of the annual charter
        2. Reporting to parents/caregivers and the community
        3. Annual reporting to the Bishop of Palmerston North Diocese
        4. Internal review
        5. Pastoral care
      4. Relevant resource material:
        1. Private Schools Conditional Integration Act 1975 – Education Act 1989
        2. Education (update) Act 2017
        3. Integration Deed of Agreement – St. Anne’s School
        4. School Charter
        5. BOT Handbook – Catholic Integrated School
        6. NZCEO website – www.nzceo.catholic.org.nz
        7. Special Character competencies required of BOT of Integrated schools
        8. Sport in Catholic schools
        9. Values and virtues of a catholic school
        10. Code of Ethics
        11. Pastoral care in New Zealand catholic schools
        12. Building relationships between catholic schools and Maori communities
        13. The philosophy of catholic schools
        14. The role of Proprietor’s appointee on the Board of Trustees
        15. The Catholic Education of School-age Children
        16. Catholic Special Character Review for Development
    2. Accountability
      1. The Principal shall provide the Board with a regular report and other such reports as requested by the Board that report all aspects of special character development within the school.
      2. The Board of Trustees accepts, and requires the Principal and DRS to accept, that the Special Character values and philosophy of St. Anne’s Catholic School underpin all governance and management policies and procedures.
  • Review
  • This policy will be reviewed in accordance with the Board’s regular policy review process. 
  • This policy links to the school’s Mission, Values and Strategic plan
  • Ratified by St Anne’s Catholic School Board of Trustees
Policy ratified by St Anne’s Catholic School BOT  6 August 2018
Next review date: February 2019