Archive for the ‘Council’ Category
Council Meeting June 2010
Meeting held at Rec Centre – Senior Campus
Meeting Opened: 6:40
Present: Adam, Grant, Theo, Jake, Mark, Stuart, Julian
Apologies: Chris, Peter, David, Donald
Matters Arising from Minutes:
No matters arising, but we want to start tracking things through in Matters Arising for future meetings, so we keep things ticking over. This is the list to be followed up on at the next meeting:
• Strategy Meeting
• Country Reunion
• World Cup Functions
• The Totara
• One Database initiative
• Website – stats, news
• New School Leavers initiatives
• Cock House
• Presidents Dinner
• Rurul Campus Donation (use the Totara?)
• Newsletters (Email and Post) – we can send an email each month after the meeting
• Winter Sports (and of August)
Financial Report
Our financial situation is good. Should be receiving grant from Trust Board soon.
Grant passed the Balance Sheet out and this was discussed
We want to always look at ways to use the available funds for the benefit of Old Boys.
General Business:
Need to put Arch Deacon Prebble Obit and some words on the Website.
Strategy Meeting: After the Country Meeting we can have a separate Strategy Meeting to discuss options in this regard, so we come to this meeting for this specific purpose. We can do it at Galbraiths, have a few beers, and brainstorm strategies. We found the Trust Board very receptive to the Old Boys Association so we believe they will be supportive of good strategies we put in place to further our cause.
New School Leavers Initiative: Like the idea each year to have a meal at a time (Say April or May each year), proper sit down food and drinks, DOBA, Trust Board and Principal and other invited guests to attend. For boys left school in last two years – to keep them in contact. Can be made in to a big deal. Linked with the handing out of the Old Boys Association Membership card at the end of each year. At that point they will be informed about the date and location for the dinner, well in advance of it. A chance to see how the boys are doing and for them to know that the Old Boys Assoc is there. Like the idea of having the event at the School where the Kitchen can prepare one of their splendid meals. We could about other strategies around this to keep the boys in contact and to help them with the start of their lives on leaving school.
Country Reunion:
Motion: Book a DOBA Room – which can be a meeting place to chat and drink. Two younger boys can use it. We pay for it, and there responsibility is to man it.
Seconded: Adam
Carried
Adam sent out a document today to us. Details in it on options for the weekend. We discussed the following options for the reunion:
Look into the Murray Wilton Cup for a golf tournament. Touch base with Murray on this and place details in a newsletter.
May want to look into Bowls.
Waimarina for kayaking
Fishing charter
Snooker/Billiards/Pool tournament – popular with Jake and Mark.
Astrolabe for dinner – $50/head for dinner to be confirmed
Who will we pay for at the Astrolabe? ie our guests
We will put some wine on the table and will do a deal with Astrolabe in that regard
Ten Pin Bowling
Skeet Shooting – Stuart likes this idea.
Sunday morning breakfast – bacon, eggs, pancakes etc at Stephanies (Mark’s sister) place
Share transport and billet options
Trust Board Meeting Wrap-up:
Went really well.
One Database initiative received well.
Will support events around the world cup – if we come up with a good plan, they will put funds in to it.
We should look at putting some strategies into play over the next few years. So we should sit down and have a strategy meeting to think about what we can do.
Meeting Closed 7:40pm
In the Junior Campus Meeting Room
Meeting Opened: 6:40
Present: Adam, Grant, Peter, Theo, Donald, Chris, Callum, Jake, Mark, Stuart, David, Peter Vos
Apologies: Ian
We held this meeting at the Junior Campus. Was a great night and thanks to Principal of Junior Campus, Peter Vos and team, for the excellent hospitality.
Matters Arising from Minutes:
Newsletter – 3rd of June is the deadline. Chris to draft, and include: Country reunion, AGM report, Warren Watson interview, School reports, plug for the Junior Campus meetings of the council + regulars.
Website – many people are connecting with the Association through this. Suellin Roy is hoping to reunite with any Old Boys with knowledge of the School in the 1920s, as she is researching her father Dudley Berryman Roy’s life as an Old Boy at that time.
Reunion Dinner – three course smorgasbord meal expected to cost about $45. Dignitaries to be invited at the cost of the Association are: Headmasters, Heads of Campus and Chaplain. Also, the Patron and a select group of official invitees will be circulated for the next meeting. Ticket price and inclusions for all other guests are to be confirmed. Idea floated that a guest speaker be invited to give an address at the dinner. Mark to canvas for speakers. Invitation to be circulated with the newsletter, and a list of attendees to be published in simple spreadsheet form for guests to peruse.
Adam – spoke at a conference for the International Boys Schools Coalition on the workings of Dilworth, and championed its successes. Recognized the value of brotherhood instilled in Boys while at Dilworth. He also attended the Scholars night at Dilworth – mixed and mingled with top students and parents before their successes were celebrated officially in the David Beattie Centre at which George Barker spoke.
Centennial Trust – generating funds in order to donate books to the libraries at Dilworth. Looking for a new trustee – Simon Curran suggested as an ideal candidate.
Website: much interest in the website, particularly in the guestbook and the newsletters. Facility to pay for the reunion dinner to be included on the website.
Country Reunion: 3rd weekend of August, (13th, 14th and 15th) in Mt Maunganui. Dinner on Saturday, activities to include: fishing, golf, sightseeing, sports on the Saturday. Accommodation options to be discussed and finalized. “Astralabe” is one option for the dinner.
Old Friends: idea that we actively recruit the 200 odd OB’s who are registered on this site. This will enable us to gain further contact details. Mark has pledged to organized the IM-a-thon but volunteers required to process 2 pages of messages each. Adam and Chris have pledged to assist.
Also, Mark has pledged to adjust the website so that Old Boys can log in using their school numbers and a unique password. Details could be shared with other old boys on an opt-in basis, and all information would be private unless the Old Boy approves it.
Winter Sports – will be in August. More detail to follow.
Inward / Outward Correspondance:
Guestbook has received many entries on the website. This is to be encouraged as a means of contacting the DOBA.
Thank you notes sent to Martin, Donald and Mike Moore for the highly successful gala dinner.
Principals Report:
Les Miserables: could be the best production ever at Dilworth! Please attend.
Premier Sports: not much joy , but Premier basketball beat Mt Albert Grammar 65:35, last week, and beat Onehunga High by 15pts.
Staffing: looking for Maori teacher. Know anyone?
New Projects – equipment and items from the former Hotel du Vin were auctioned last weekend for a sum much greater than the reported $30,000. Many decisions to be made around vineyards, architecture etc. All positive.
Isabella Dilworth Lodge: being extensively renovated, and the Lodge will be up and running by the end of this term.
Letter from Mr Roger Neil (64-71) expressed disappointment with our reporting of John Key as a Rt. Hon. on our website. He in fact should be referred to as the Honorable John Key, NOT the Right Honorable John Key! Error duly noted by the Council.
Silverware – is currently located in the cupboard at the back of the Sports Centre. These were checked recently and have been audited as in stock. Crystalware – some exists in the cabinet next to Donald MacLean’s office
Junior Library – The Dilworth Old Boys Foundation library does indeed have the correct name and the gesture on behalf of the Old Boys is very much appreciated. Some form of commemoration around the opening of the rural campus (involving books and reading?) should be something that we pursue further, but it may not necessarily involve the naming of a library.
Concern expressed about the visibility of the Old Boys within the Junior School community. This was the main purpose behind stamping each library book with an Old Boys insignia. The two campuses are simply arms of one school – and as much as possible we as Old Boys should attempt to raise our profile across both campuses.
Junior Campus Report: constant and stable staff. Veggie garden is being established with the view of training students for participation in the Rural Campus. Go-Cart building programme will be underway in term four. Music is very strong – 130 boys learn an instrument.
Chris to draft a letter to Angus Ta’avao congratulating him for making the NZ Rugby under 20s team visiting Argentina for the Junior World Cup. Old Boys to send cufflinks to reward him for this achievement.
General Business:
World Cup – We will look at opportunities for dinners and functions to coiincide with the World Cup on 2011. This will be discussed over the next few months.
Idea: to alternate meeting locations – Senior Campus, Junior Campus, Galbraiths – on consecutive 1st Tuesdays of every month. Council in agreement that this is a good idea.
Old Boys membership card – idea that a unique number be assigned to leavers to join the Association. Council to be issued with a Gold card. This would be a good way to catch leavers to join the Association from the outset. Jeweller in Remuera has on record a cast of the School crest that can be used to make this.
Idea: that the Association should implement a policy of placing death notices in the Herald upon the death of our Association members. Some discussion had around this but the Council felt that this would create a number of difficulties including the onus of observing the death of each and every Old Boy and the offense that may result if this was not possible. In the end it was decided not to pursue this.
Patron’s photo and honours board: Thanks to Peter Hargreaves for organizing this, plan is in place for this to be taken and framed in time for the AGM. The new honours board is also to be mounted in the Sports Centre in time for this. Exact colours are still to be confirmed.
Thanks: to Peter Hargreaves and Donald MacLean for the impeccable appearance of the School expressed on behalf of the Council.
Meeting Closed 8:15pm
Old Boys at the AGM
The AGM started at 5:30pm after Old Boys shared a few drinks and caught up.
DOBA President, Adam Hiron, called the meeting to order and we listed apologies.
We discussed the minutes of the previous meeting.
There was some discussion to clarify the minutes and to determine that the motions passed for action had been carried out.
They were accepted as true and correct.
Grant Steel presented the Financial Reports.
The unaudited 2006, 2007 and 2008 accounts were accepted as a best effort and so that closed that matter.
The audited 2009 accounts were clarified and there was some discussion around some missing Fixed Assets (some Totara purchases prior to 2006 along with badges and ribbons).
Grant assured the AGM that he would look into the Totara but did make note that they had not been listed on any previous accounts as Fixed Assets.
The badges and ribbons probably are not Fixed Assets.
Grant was congratulated by those at the AGM for his efforts and the audited 2009 accounts were accepted by all at the AGM.
Adam Hiron and Grant Steel
We then received reports from Murray Wilton regarding the Benevolent Trust and from John Simpson regarding the Centennial Foundation Trust.
Both trusts are travelling well and you will be able to see full details of these on this website in the near future.
The Patron, Murray Wilton, and Vice Patrons, Bruce Owen and Donald MacLean were unanimously retained.
The same occurred for the current Council and President Adam Hiron – who were retained as a group for a second term.
Those at the AGM spoke up in support of the current council and the promising progress that had been made over the last year.
The President, Adam Hiron, then presented his report, making special note of the DOBA Website and the importance of that in Council efforts to reach out to the Old Boy community with current news and events.
His Presidents report was accepted as read.
Old Boys at the AGM
The Principal, Donald MacLean, presented his report.
Donald started out by expressing his thanks to the Council making mention of the interest the Council has shown in the School, the good mix of Old Boys in the Council (including three School Head Prefects) and the exceptional activities of the Council.
Many thanks Donald for your continued support!
Donald also talked about the Academic success of the School which has far outstripped anything in Dilworth’s past history.
The new initiatives were discussed with special mention of the latest – 39 Market Rd – which was settled on Founders Day (12 March).
Donald also reminded the AGM of the generous donations of the Centennial trust for the magnificent organ, the Maori Gateway and the subsidy for the Spirit of New Zealand training voyages.
Finally Donald talked on the ethnic breakdown of the School with 42% being NZ European and 48% being of other ethnicities.
This invoked some discussion in the Council - that we would like to see these other ethnicities represented on the Council.
Honorary Old Boys were listed and the Right Reverend John Paterson and Sue Garner was added to that list this year. Rt Rev’d John Paterson, the Bishop of Auckland, has served as Episcopal Visitor to Dilworth School from 1995-2010. In that time in this unique role he has become a lot more than that – he has become a friend to the School and a personal friend to many. We were honoured ourselves to be able to bestow this honour on Rt Rev’d John Paterson and at the Founders Thanksgiving Service he assured us that although he was now retiring as Bishop of Auckland he will make certain to continue his yearly visits to the School. As an Old Boys Association we will welcome him into our family gladly. The first step will be to get him on to our Old Boys Mailing List! Sue Garner thank-you for the all of the work you have been doing for the Old Boys Association in the office – for your support of our community we welcome you as an Old Boy.
Derek Firth was re-appointed as Legal Council and Donald Findlay of Goldsbury and Associates was appointed as Auditor.
After some General Business was discussed the meeting was called to a close and we all headed over to the School Hall for the Reunion Dinner.
Adam, Grant, Peter, Callum
Present: Adam, Callum, Julian, Theo, Grant, Mark, Peter, Ian, Jacob, Donald, Stuart, Peter
Apologies: Chris
Meeting started at 7pm after a nice dinner was provided by the School. (stewing chops, sweetcorn, peas, potatoes along with cheese cake for desert)
Note, in the photo to the left Grant has in his hands the Audited accounts. Adam requested we take this photo!
Previous Meetings Minutes
Correction: Payment of $2000 has been made to the Centennial Trust. Otherwise the minutes were moved as complete and correct.
Principal’s Report
6 boys received 8 scholarships last year – in Statistics, Geography, English and Classics.
One boy (Edward McNight) was only in year12 (6th form) well done!
He is repeating the dose this year with a different set of subjects.
February 2010 Council Meeting
Present: Adam, Grant, Peter, Julian, Theo, Donald, Chris, Callum, Jake, Mark, David, Ian
Meeting started out at 6:35pm, with an excellent turn out. First on the agenda was Graham Watson, Past President. But he did not show up.
We are going to send flowers to Christine Wilton who is recovering from an operation at present. We hope you recover well and soon Christine.
It was determined that rather than posting the full minutes on the Website I would from now on do as I did for the 4th August 2009 meeting and write up a summary of the meeting and post it as an article. Something a bit more warm and friendly – which will cover the key points but also make a good read. Will include pictures as well.
We talked about the AGM and Sports Day – Cricket, tennis, touch and lawn bowls all to be offered on the 13th of March. AGM to start at 5:30, reunion function to follow at 6:30 for 7:00. Thanks to Callum and Jake for their organizing the sports. Agenda to be circulated. We aalso be supplying refreshments throughout the afternoon, so a really god reason for Old Boys to attend the sports and stick around until the AGM and later the reunion function.
Dilworth School
Founders Day Weekend will be held from Friday March 12th until Sunday March 14th. The Summer Sports with be held on Friday 13th March and the AGM and Reunion Dinner will be on Saturday 13th March. The AGM will be at 5:30pm and this will be followed by the Reunion Dinner (a 3 course smorgasbord) at 6:30pm for a 7pm start. So, now is the time to block those dates and times into your calendars!
Pay now for dinner (using the PayPal button below) and get your seat booked for the Reunion Dinner. Seats cost $60.
At 9:15am on Friday the 12th will be the Founders Assembly at which the Prime Minister will be speaking. Old Boys are encouraged to attend and hear this address in the School Hall.
On Sunday March 14th there will be the Founders Day Chapel service which Old Boys are always welcome and in fact encouraged to attend. We will post further details as they come to hand.
Pay and reserve your Reunion Dinner seat now using PayPal ($60):
Old boys should never forget, most especially the younger ones, that the Old Boy network is very large and is always willing to help.
As a case in point early this year an Old Boy member of the 60’s cohort committed suicide on his mid fiftyish birthday. A member of a network that Bill Barker (61-69) has put together for the purpose of updating like aged and minded Old Boys of such events was advised that the deceased Old Boy had died destitute due to his having invested unwisely, and that his family would have extreme difficulty in covering the costs of the funeral and cremation in Wellington, where he lived, and a memorial service in Auckland on the arrival “home” of his ashes. The costs of flying the body home meant that was not an option.
An appeal was launched amongst that network under the management of The Dilworth Old Boys Benevolent Trust and the outcome was that, as other parties in fact provided funding for both the funeral and the memorial services, the collective feeling was the funds raised should go to the surviving mature son and daughter. They duly received the donated funds of $4,000.00 just before Christmas.
They have indicated their deepest gratitude, and commented that even greater than the value of the monies received was the knowledge that their father was and remains deeply loved, and reminded them at a special time of year, that the man who left such hurt in their hearts had been a good and loyal friend of many and parent to them. They accept that knowledge was the single greatest Christmas present of their lives. They have undertaken to invest the funds in furthering their own educations.
If anyone would like to be added to Bill’s “news list” which currently numbers some 42, most especially those of the 60’s cohort, please contact him at wbarker4@xtra.co.nz; the age groups that list currently involves covers some 4 decades and includes most life members of the Association, many past councillors and past Presidents and other staunch and devoted Old Boys and it spans the globe.
Dear fellow Old Boys,
The concept of Doba “Uncles” or “Big Buddies”, (and I shan’t use the word Godfathers,) has been promoted before but we have new methods to spread the word. The proposal is we change the “Business Directory” on the website to a list of those Old Boy’s prepared to assist, advise, counsel, train or simply encourage other younger Old and Current Boys.
It is envisaged any given senior Old Boy would list his particular field of expertise or experience with contact details, and any registered member of the site could then contact anyone listed for assistance in their area of expertise. And I include in the meaning of “expertise” simply that of having been there, done that, parent of mature children, willing to talk and give an alternate perspective, etc. And yes, I will say it, ……. even down to reformed alcoholics, drug abusers or those who have suffered clinical depression even though I am sure no-one on this list is any of those, although one never knows. Everyone has the ability to support, in some field, it may be separation issues , handling the death of loved ones, dealing with unemployment, pastoral care, liquidation of a business, personal budgeting, whatever. Let’s be that proactive.
We could even go so far as where the assistance that could be provided may be so “contentious” that the willing provider could have anonymity and be given the right of contacting anyone requesting assistance in that area. Obviously the webmaster would need contact details, but I am confident it could be made secure.
Please indicate if anyone would be interested in providing such assistance, as it would be nice if when we launch the list on the website, we could pre-load it with some profiles and contact details.
Kindest regards,
Bill Barker
Dear Old Boys and families,
Warm Christmas greetings to all. I am pleased to report that 2009 has been a busy and productive year for the Old Boys Association, with the newly appointed council working steadily to serve the Old Boys and the current students of Dilworth School. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Association for your support and also report on some of the highlights of the year for the Association and the School.
The relationship between the Old Boys and the current students continues to grow, with strong numbers participating in both the Summer and Winter sports days. These events highlighted the positive connection between the Old Boys and the School and were greatly enjoyed by all. In both events the Old Boys proved that skill and experience will outperform youth and agility and the Old Boys dominated both events (including a clean sweep of the Winter Sports!) – Thanks again to Jake deBerry and Callum McGibbon for help in organising these events.
The Cock House event in December was also a great day out – Donegal House won by just one or two points this year and together with the 2009 Leavers , they took over the Waiwera Waterpark for a day to celebrate.
The Association was delighted to learn of the recent acquisition by the Trust Board of the site for a third school campus, formerly the Hotel du Vin south of Auckland. The Mangataphiri site will be a splendid addition to the already fine Dilworth campuses in Auckland, and will potentially allow for roughly a further 80 Dilworth Scholarships to be awarded. This is fantastic news, and the Association wishes the Trust Board and Mr MacLean every success as they seek to determine the best way to utilise this exciting new facility.
The DOBA accounts are in good shape at the end of 2009 and full audited accounts for 2009 will be presented at the AGM. It was agreed to at the 2009 AGM that audited accounts for the years 2006 – 2008 would be presented by the end of this year – however after consultation with several parties it is believed that these accounts cannot be fully audited with the current information that is available. As a result the Association will present at the next AGM a set of unaudited accounts for that said period. Whist this not an entirety satisfactory outcome we believe that given the current situation that this is the best result possible.
At present the date for the 2010 Annual General Meeting has been set to coincide with the weekend of Founders Day events, either Saturday 13th or the 20th of March. Next year the Association will invite those in attendance at the AGM to an informal dinner which will be held afterwards on school premises. Further details regarding the afternoon sports programme and the timings of the day will follow in the first newsletter of 2010.
Our website is going well thanks to the efforts of Mark Easton – www.dilwortholdboys.co.nz where you can pay your subs, catch up on latest news and soon we’ll have an archive of previous newsletters. Also don’t forget if you are a Facebook member to add yourself to the Dilworth Old Boys group as well.
Next year the Council is committed to providing a Country Reunion event, and is excited to announce that it will be taking place in Tauranga, on a weekend yet to be confirmed in August. We look forward to catching up with as many of you as possible. If you live in the Tauranga BOP area and would like to be involved in arranging activities, please contact us as would be great to have a local on the ground. Shoot Adam an e-mail on adam.hiron@gmail.com . In the meantime if you are interested in attending, block in August in your Diary and we’ll pin the exact date down closer to the time.
Kind regards to all and best wishes for the festive season.
Sincerely,
DOBA Council
Council Members at the Aug 4 2009 Meeting
Attended By: Adam, Peter, Jacob, Callum, Mark, Theo, Julian, Chris, Stuart, Grant, Chris, Ian
We started out at 6pm with dinner at the School Dining room. The food was very enjoyable and it was great to see a slice of life at Dilworth in 2009. Donald joined us for dinner as well which was most appreciated. We will join the boys at dinner each month as it is great for them to see the Old Boys council members around the school. Next month we will also get to mix and mingle with some 7th form boys.
Council meeting started at 6:45pm.
Peter was voted in as Vice President – first order of business for Peter is to talk to the boys at the Old Boys Winter Sports. Well done Peter!
Donald presented his report. Not a lot to raise this month as the School term only started this week. Donald reminded us about Rex Hooton’s retirement event next week on Friday 14th August at 9am at the Junior Campus. Old Boys are very welcome. If Old Boys cannot attend that then they can also attend the Senior Campus Assembly on Wednesday 12th August morning at 8:30am. Mark and Grant will be attending.
Donald suggested that members of the council attend Assembly at School at some point to be introduced to the School. The date for when this can happen is under discussion. Also a tour of the School will be organised for members of the council so that they can see the facilities.
For those of us that did not already have one, we were provided with the Special Centenary Edition Dilworthian 1906 – 2006. A great looking book, well done School! We will be selling this book for $30 on our Website along with The Dilworth Legacy for $90 – special subsidised prices for the Old Boy community. We will get those up on the Site very soon.
Adam is away from August 24th to September 24th, so will not be attending the next meeting.
The Old Boys Winter Sports is approaching so we discussed that. Jacob and Callum have it well in hand. It is always an excellent event so Old Boys are encouraged to attend. There will be an after match function.
The treasurer, Grant, presented his report. Grant has our accounts well in hand and made a lot of progress on a variety of tasks. We will also be purchasing MYOB to manage our accounts. So, well done Grant!
Bill Barker was acknowledged for his support of and assistance with the Website. Thanks Bill!
Meeting closed 8:02pm
