MAC Mag 06

BOT Chairperson’s
Report
Here’s something to think about!
Felix Schelling – 19th century
educationalist and philosopher said : “True
education makes for inequality. The inequality
of individuality, the inequality of success;
the glorious inequality of talent, of genius!
For inequality, not mediocrity; individual
superiority, not standardization, is the measure
of progress in the world….”
As well as the myriad of governance
requirements that the Board of Trustees has
to meet – ensuring legislative compliance,
improving student learning outcomes,
being a good employer, managing staff
performance, being fiscally prudent…(the list
goes on!) – we have an underlying goal of
fostering a unique and identifiable culture for
our school community.
We sum up our goals and aspirations for
you - our students - with the phrase “Enjoy
Success”. Having this as our maxim presents
us with a huge challenge. How do we ensure
that students at Mount Aspiring College
are experiencing success and having the
opportunity to enjoy it?
The key, I believe, lies in promoting inequality!
This doesn’t sound very politically correct,
but if you think of it in the context of Felix
Schelling’s words, it begins to make more
sense. It starts with valuing and nurturing
individuality and the belief that every person
in our college community has some unique
skills or talents. We can’t all be good at
everything. We aren’t all good at the same
things. But we all have at least one thing at
which we excel. The challenge for you is to
figure out what that thing is, and to foster it
- to pursue any and all opportunities that are
available to you for growth and development.
The challenge for the Board and for the staff is
to provide an environment in which individual
talents can be nurtured and celebrated,
however diverse they are, without fear of
failure or judgment or ridicule. Identifying and
developing each of your special individual
talents enriches our learning community and
provides a successful foundation for other
learning.
I would like to take this opportunity to
acknowledge our exceptional staff and the
contribution they have made to your success.
I truly hope that those of you who are leaving
Mount Aspiring College this year take with you
more than “paper” qualifications. I hope that
you also take with you some understanding
of your unique personal ‘inequality’ – a pride
in who you are and what you have achieved
and the will to ‘enjoy success’ in whatever
challenges life presents you.
Kia Kaha.
Sally Battson
Chairperson, Board of Trustees
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