The Board of Trustees

In terms of the Notarial Trust Deed of the Michael Oak School Association, the Trustees are responsible for ensuring that the objective of the Trust is achieved, essentially to organise and promote the teaching of children in accordance with the principles and methods expounded by Rudolf Steiner. The Trustees are ultimately also responsible for the long term sustainability and the legal and financial stability of the school. Their roles and responsibilities are set out in the Board of Trustees Charter and depicted in the governance Organogram.

The Trustees comprise of a minimum of six and a maximum of twelve members, at least three of whom need to be teachers. The parent members are selected annually as recommended by the Nominations Committee, which is made up of two members each from College, the current Trustees and the Links Group. The Trustees can co-opt new members in the course of the year where space allows. The treasurer and bursar are co-opted members of the Trustees.

Current Trustees : Anette Bestwick (staff), Winifred Bond (staff), Richard Cox (staff), Peter Digby (parent), Julie Fischer (treasurer), Jane Johnston (bursar), Ann Kantey (staff), Genevieve Langenhoven (parent), Tony Loubser (parent), Rob Macdonald (parent), Greg Mann (parent), Shehnaaz Moosa (parent), Delia Sesiu (staff), Garth Solomon (chair). Secretary to the Board is Lesley Swart.

Sub-Committees

 In order to fulfil its responsibilities the Board of Trustees has formed the following sub-committees. Each committee has its own terms of reference that set out its key responsibilities.

• The Finance & Audit Committee
  Fincom's key responsibilities are: administration, financial systems and planning, the monthly management accounts and cash flow, the annual budget and recommended fee increases, recommendations to the Tustees on the appointment of the auditors, the annual audit and preparation of the annual financial statements.

  2011 members: Julie Fischer (Treasurer & chair), Richard Cox, Jane Johnston, Steven Sollinger and Brett Paton, Jen Craig and Anza Fischer (secretary).

  The following working groups are accountable to Fincom: the finance side of the Admin Group, Debtors Group and Audit Group.

• The Sustainability Committee
  Sust-com's key responsibilities are: enrolment and monitoring of children numbers per class, fundraising, diversity and bursaries, marketing and events, including monitoring of web-site, our community and feedback from Links Working Group.

  2011 members: Rob Macdonald (chair), Genevieve Langenhoven, Richard Cox, Jane Johnston, Lesley Swart, Douwe Raaths.

  The following working groups are accountable to the Sust-com: PR & Marketing group, Diversity group, Fundraising and Enrolment Group and Links Working Group.

• The Personnel & Remuneration Committee
  Rem-com's key responsibilities are: the overall remuneration philosophy regarding guaranteed pay, variable pay, performance of non-teaching staff, leave, sabbaticals, medical aid and provident and pension fund contributions, employment contracts, the employment and performance of non-teaching staff grading and guaranteed pay on an annual basis for all teachers and staff, variable pay on an annual basis any other issues relating to the employ of teachers and staff.

  2011 members: Garth Solomon (chair), Richard Cox, Julie Fischer, Ann Kantey, Jane Johnston and Anette Bestwick.

• The Risk Committee
  Risk-com's key responsibilities are to: oversee the development and annual review of a policy and plan for risk management to recommend to the Trustees, monitor the implementation of the policy and plan for risk management, ensure that risks are assessed on a regular basis, ensure that new risks are identified timeously, oversee the annual insurance premium renewal, advise the administrator on all material legal matters.

  2011 members: Garth Solomon (chair), Richard Cox, Julie Fischer, Carl Wesselink, Jen Craig and Jane Johnston.

• The Building, Maintenance, Garden, Safety and Security Committee
  Build-com's key responsibilities are: the maintenance of the buildings, the upkeep of the gardens, plans for and the management of new building projects, systems and procedures regard to the safety of the staff and children, security matters, projects relating to protecting our environment.

  2011 members: Gregory Mann, Richard Cox, Winifred Bond, Anne Coop and Shehnaaz Moosa (chair).

  The following working groups are accountable to the Build-com: the Development Group, Green Group, Gardens Group, Safety & Security Group and Maintenance Group.