The Ministry of Education has again intervened in the
operations of Rotary Park School, this time by appointing a
commissioner to govern the troubled school.
The ministry appointed Timaru business director Cleave Hay as
a limited statutory manager in June last year, to take
control of the 66-pupil school after staff allegations of
bullying by principal Carmel Casey.
Mrs Casey left on sabbatical to Auckland University soon
after the manager arrived, a move which was planned before
the manager was appointed and was not related.
An Education Review Office report said there were issues
between the board and teachers, and the principal and
teachers, that led to "dysfunctional" relationships at the
school.
When news of Mrs Casey's return to the school started
circulating among staff and parents late last year, levels of
concern began to rise.
Many parents at the school investigated sending their
children to other schools.
Chairman of the school's board of trustees Bruce James and
four other board members resigned in mid-December because
they had come to the realisation the situation was
"unfixable", and Mr James said a "toxic environment" had
developed within the school, causing it to become a "sinking
ship".
Ministry of Education acting regional manager, Southern,
Kathryn Palmer said the Rotary Park School Board of Trustees
was officially dissolved on December 19, 2011, after five of
its six members resigned.
As a result, the ministry's secretary for education, Lesley
Longstone had since appointed Mr Hay as commissioner for the
school, to cover all of the duties and powers of the board.
"The commissioner is vested with all of the functions, powers
and duties of the board of trustees as an employer," Ms
Palmer said.
Mr Hay will govern the school until a new board of trustees
can be elected. While Mr Hay was disappointed and frustrated
with the situation, he said he would continue to work through
the issues affecting the school, which centred on a formal
complaint by a staff member about working relationships.
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