Pipitea Management Committee
Pipitea Childcare Centre is a non-profit parents co-operative. The choice of organisation structure reflects the philosophy of the centre, that we:
Are an inclusive early childhood setting in a caring learning community, in which every child is accepted and valued.
Encourage and value the input of families.
Provide a safe and welcoming environment, where parents, children and staff feel comfortable about participating in the programme.
Promote an atmosphere respectful of ourselves, other people and their opinions, belongings, and the wider environment.
Acknowledge that children are capable learners.
Work to provide an emergent curriculum whereby the children set the programme for learning at their own pace and according to their own interests.
Strive for quality. This is reflected in our practice, by which we provide a stimulating environment for children, enhanced by teachers who value and are supported in professional development.
Given the value Pipitea puts on parental involvement, the Management Committee has an important role to play. The precise role and powers of the Committee are defined in the Constitution. Here we provide a high level overview of how the Committee operates.
Role of the Committee
The Management Committee undertakes the Governance of the centre. The role of the Committee members is to represent the interests of the centre, rather than their own individual interests. The main functions of the Committee are:
To set the centre philosophy, direction and priorities over the next 3-5 years;
To set the centre budget;
To ensure that there are processes for regulatory and legal compliance;
To set plans for managing the centres assets;
To set the policies to guide the centres operations;
To monitor the centres operations;
To create a culture for success and continual improvement.
The role of Governance is distinct from the day-to-day operations of the centre, which are the responsibility of the centre manager. The centre manager set plans and processes consistent with the broad priorities set by the Committee. Relationships with the teachers are maintained by the management team. In practice the Committee works closely with Lisa, Tenaya and Angela to ensure strategic decisions make sense on the ground.
Over recent years the majority of Committee time has been taken up with advancing improvements of the physical environment, reviewing policies which guide the operation of the centre and ensuring that staffing, revenue and salary policies comply with ever changing Government regulation.
