ooh, I've been elected as a school governor!

[edam]

Not that I'm boasting or anything, but there were two other candidates...

Have got my first meeting tonight. And the head wants to show me round (even though my son's in year one) but not until they are back in September.

First meeting tonight and apparently I have the chance to go to Afghanistan in the autumn.

[GrapefruitMoon]

Err why Afghanistan?

[edam]

Absolutely no idea! Presumably some school liaison thingamummyjig?

[GrapefruitMoon]

I thought schools were short of money - haven't budgets been cut recently? Think as a parent I would take a dim view if governors were going off on junkets fact-finding trips.

(No offence - just preparing you for all the flak you will get as a governor!)

[1dilemma]

Oh congrats it's very interesting!

(Agree I would take a dim view of governors heading off too) I'm sure it's not your schools money but as a taxpayer I can think of better uses

[GrapefruitMoon]

Yes, sorry, should have said congrats too! How are things in general btw?

[edam]

No idea how Afghanistan is being funded, might well be not school money.

Things are OK-ish, don't think dh is making enough effort though (assuming that's what you mean?).

[sinclair]

Congratulations Edam i think i posted on your application thread! Sure you will really enjoy it. if you haven't got them already ask head for latest version of School Development Plan and the current Self Evaluation Form - you won't be short of holiday reading! Great time to start with a new school year starting in Sept too.

[madwomanintheattic]

being a governor is a fantastic way of being involved in education - it gives you a whole new outlook on schooling. well done!

school development plan might also be called 'excellence plan' depending on individual tastes lol.

afghanistan?
weird. i can't imagine why, or how they are going to organise that trip lol. are they taking out additional insurance?

[edam]

thanks Sinclair, yes, I think you did!

Madwoman, I do hope they've taken out insurance... at least I get to compete with my father who is always tripping off to countries like former Soviet republics ending in 'zhan' or 'stan', Arab nations where there has just been a bombing - his next trip is to Ethiopia which I do hope is little less dangerous these days.

[blametheparents]

Our School Development Plan is called the School Improvement Plan.
Fun reading!
Could also ask for minutes from last Full Governors Board Meeting

[UnquietDad]

Congratulations edam!

At our last school governor election but one, the head published the raw results in the school letter, so we could see that one bloke only got 12 votes!

Thankfully this time the (new) head just told us who won and thanked the outgoing governor for his work (without saying if he came second or last).

[GrapefruitMoon]

Yes that's what I meant. Is ok-ish good enough for now?

[edam]

It'll kind of do. But I probably need to be more forceful about it.

UQD, thank heavens our head hasn't published the results, for all I know I got in by one vote and my opponents are really pissed off.