Delegation of Authority Policy

Adopted 17th June 2019
Next review date: April 2027  (Reviewed Triennially)

Policy Statement
The School Board of KingsGate School may delegate any of the functions or powers of the School Board, either generally or specifically, to any of the following persons by resolution and written notice to the person or persons.

Delegation of the Principal’s Authority
In their absence, the Principal has the authority to appoint the Deputy Principal to manage the school's day-to-day operations on their behalf for periods of up to two consecutive weeks.

Deputy Principal’s Power to Act for the Principal
The Deputy Principal has full authority to act on behalf of the Principal in the Principal's absence in all student discipline matters.

Delegation of the School Board Presiding Member Authority
If the Presiding Member (PM) is unavailable, authority is delegated to the Deputy PM. When the PM will be unavailable for more than one month, the delegation shall be confirmed by a School Board resolution.

Self-Review
The School Board delegates to the selected members of the Policy Committee the authority to review policies and procedures on its behalf. 

Principal’s Appraisal
The Presiding Member is responsible for undertaking the Principal’s annual appraisal.
The School Board Presiding Member may employ an external consultant.

Staff Professional Growth Cycle
The KingsGate School Board delegates the responsibility for ensuring all staff engage in annual Professional Growth Cycles to the Head of each campus. 
The Head of each Campus may delegate aspects of this process to senior staff or external consultants as appropriate. 
The Principal retains ultimate oversight of the Professional Growth Cycles, ensuring they align with the school's strategic goals, professional development priorities, and regulatory requirements. This approach supports staff in continuous professional growth and the delivery of high-quality education.

Staff Appointments
The Principal is delegated full School Board authority to appoint staff, subject to the limitations detailed in the procedures for staff appointments. A Proprietor’s Representative on the School Board and/or other elected School Board member will be allowed to attend the interview for all tagged teaching positions.

Position and those able to employ
Principal Full - School Board
Senior Management and positions - Principal and at least two School Board members, one of whom must be a proprietor’s representative.
2 MUs and above - Principal
Administration and ancillary staff - Principal or Deputy Principal

Discretionary Leave
The Principal is delegated full School Board authority to grant discretionary leave to teaching staff of up to 5 days and complete authority to grant leave to support staff.
The Principal may delegate this task to the Deputy Principal.

Attestation of Teacher Performance for Salary Increment
The School Board delegates to the Principal the task of attesting to teacher performance and signing off on the renewal of Teachers’ Practising Certificates. 

STAFF DISCIPLINARY ISSUES
Support Staff
The Principal is delegated full School Board authority for all employment issues, including disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
Teaching Staff:
The Principal is delegated the authority to investigate complaints and to issue verbal and written warnings, as appropriate, in accordance with employment law and the relevant Collective Agreement.  Any such warnings must be reported to the School Board Chair within 24 hours of issuance and to the School Board at its next meeting. 
The Principal may suspend any employee during an inquiry or following receipt of a complaint if satisfied that the welfare and/or interests of any student attending the school or any employee at the school so requires.
Where the initial investigation indicates a serious case to answer and that dismissal could result, the Principal will refer the matter to the School Board. The School Board will delegate authority to a Board subcommittee to initiate a formal investigation and determine the outcome.
The Principal has delegated authority to instigate competency procedures for teaching staff in accordance with the Primary Teachers Collective Employment Agreement (PTCEA). Any procedures must be reported to the School Board at their next meeting.

The School Board’s Committee
The School Board delegates to the Chair of the Finance and Property Committee, the School Board Chair, and the Principal the authority to make decisions as an executive group on finance matters only when urgency requires it.

School Board Chair Financial Delegation
The Presiding member has the authority to approve expenditures up to $500 per month for matters relating to the School Board.

Principal’s Financial Delegation
The Principal has the authority to spend up to the limits of the approved annual budget within respective categories. Accordingly, the budget spending limits require it to be divided into thirds, with a third spent in the first third of the year and so forth.

Principal’s Right to Delegate
The Principal has authority, within the limits imposed above, to delegate spending limits to identified staff.

Principal’s Authority to Replace Capital Items
The Principal has the authority to replace capital items not approved in the budgeting process on an ‘urgent’ basis.  Power exercised under this authority will be reported to the School Board's next meeting and is limited to $5,000. 
The School Board Chair will be informed immediately. 
The Finance and Property Committee must approve any item exceeding $5,000.

Signing Authority
All bank accounts and authorities may be signed on behalf of the School Board by any two of the following:
The Principal
Office Administrator
School Board Presiding Member

Investments
The Principal is granted a delegation to invest School Board funds in compliance with the Education Act and Training Act 2020. Funds may not be invested outside the school’s bank unless the School Board authorises it.

Payroll
The Principal has authority to administer the payroll (with the exception of the Principal’s salary). Appointments and resignations will be reported to the next School Board meeting. Increments will be in accordance with the Collective Agreements.

Property Administration
The day-to-day administration of property is the responsibility of the Principal.  

Property Management
The Principal is delegated the responsibility of managing individually approved projects. Larger projects may involve appointing an external Property Management Consultant.

Property Management – Limitations
The Principal has the authority to spend up to the approved budget limit. Accordingly, the budget spending limits require it to be divided into thirds, with a third spent in the first third of the year and so forth. External Property Management Consultants will have contractual spending limits within the approved budget for the specific projects.

Discipline Committee Powers
The School Board delegates to at least two full School Board members the authority to serve as the school board's discipline committee and make a final decision.

Emergency Plan Coordination
The Principal is delegated responsibility for Emergency Plan Coordination; the Principal may delegate this task to a senior staff member.

Privacy Officer
The Principal is delegated full authority of the School Board to act as the School Board’s Privacy Officer. 
The Privacy Officer will implement and/or follow the specific criteria outlined in this position's Terms of Reference. The Principal may delegate this task to a senior member of staff.

Overnight Trips
In consultation with the Principal, the Presiding member is delegated the authority to approve overnight trips that have not been through the usual School Board procedure. All approvals must be reported to the full School Board at the next meeting.

School Closure
The Principal has the authority to close the school if necessary due to exceptional circumstances, e.g., on the advice of the Ministry of Health regarding pandemic issues.

Signing Declarations
The Principal can sign declarations on behalf of the School Board regarding information required by the Ministry of Education.

Public Relations
The Presiding Member and the Principal are the only members permitted to make press releases or speak to the media on behalf of the school. The Principal may delegate this to relevant staff to promote school and student achievements.