The GMS Team
Larry Forbes, Dennis Finn, Barb Judge, Judy Hucker, Alan Curtis, Kath Hon and Peter Tait comprise a group of professional and skilled consultants who, collectively have many years of experience in governance and management roles within a wide range of educational and other nonprofit organisations.
Our personnel understand the issues facing governors, professional managers and leaders in addressing today’s pressures. All organisations have to face changing needs and challenging issues. The experience of others who have faced similar issues is especially beneficial in helping facitlitate those transitions.
Judy was previously a primary school principal. She has proven strengths in curriculum and school leadership. She has developed specialist skills in the personnel areas of performance management (appraisals of principals and teachers) and principal appointment. Judy also has particular skills in working in schools where there are high levels of conflict. She has a highly successful track record as a Limited Statutory Manager in Ministry of Education intervention contracts.
Dennis Finn
From a background of over 25 years serving schools and the tertiary sector Dennis has developed a special expertise in all governance and employment issues. He has been appointed Commissioner, Limited Statutory Manager and Specialist advisor in a range of schools requiring specialist support and guidance. He also is a recognised Board trainer. Dennis has encountered challenging situations and his skills with people have enabled the issues to be dealt with equitably and wisely.
Barbara Judge
Barbara is highly experienced in governance and industrial relations. She is a qualified mediator and trainer. She worked previously with the NZ School Trustees Association as an industrial relations/personnel advisor and since 2001 has provided advice, mentoring and mediation between individuals and groups in schools and resolving deep seated conflicts. Barbara provides specialist assistance with independent investigations and represents organisations in Employment Relations Service mediations and on occasion in the Employment Relations Authority.
Larry Forbes
Larry was formerly a primary and middle school principal. As an education consultant he is vastly experienced in performance management areas, including principal and staff appointments, principal and teacher appraisal and the delivery of innovative appraisal training and mentoring programmes.
Larry has developed specialist skills in designing and carrying out in-depth reviews of schools which are experiencing particular challenges, especially in relation to issues of employment and staff management.
He is a Ministry of Education approved provider of BOT training and is currently also a trustee on the Establishment BOT for a new school.
Larry has proven experience as a Limited Statutory Manager undertaking Ministry of Education support contracts.
Alan has over 20 years experience working with schools in governance and has considerable experience in the role and objectives of Boards of Trustees in today’s education environment.
Alan is currently a board chair, and LSM at another school and filling a number of special adviser roles for different schools. He is also providing board training through the current round of Ministry training and is currently developing a range of new training material covering the board's role in finance and in building and asset management.
Alan is also a member of the establishment board for two new schools.
Alan has a strong commercial management background as a manager and qualified accountant in the IT industry. He has extensive experience in employment matters, strategic thinking planning and direction, school accounting and finance and especially in ICT.
Peter has had a wide ranging experience in education, including as a teacher since 1987 and independent advisor since 2002. He has a wealth of experience from working with schools on how they can use data to improve learning; developing school-wide summary reporting tools; promoting a focus on progress with multiple stakeholders across the education sector; and being consulted by the Ministry of Education on analysing student achievement data. Peter has expertise in analysing change required to raise student achievement through effective self-review.
Kath Hon
For five years (1998-2003) Kath acted as a Financial Adviser to several large Auckland secondary schools on a consulting basis. This involved providing financial advice to Boards of Trustees and senior management and implementing change in financial systems including internal control, annual budget process.
She has considerable experience in financial reporting including statutory financial statements, annual audit process and monthly management reporting. Kath also has experience in the financial management of multi-million dollar Board and Community funded projects.
Kath has worked with large schools including Epsom Girls Grammar School, Rosehill College, Avondale College, Penrose High School, Macleans College and Tamaki College.
She was engaged by the audit partner of an Auckland accounting practice to manage the school audits they were performing in a large number of secondary schools (35), on behalf of the Auditor General. This involved providing training to the firm’s auditors in understanding the annual Audit Brief put out by the Audit Office; providing training to school finance personnel in the preparation of annual financial statements and the conversion to international accounting standards; offering advice to the audit team on technical and contentious matters; liaising with the Ministry of Education and the Office of the Auditor General as required.
During this time Kath provided her services to the Auckland College of Education for financial management training of new and aspiring school principals.
Alan CurtisAlan Curtis
Alan Curtis
Alan Curtis