Totara School has been under statutory management for more than two years as it dealt with staff departures, a board resignation, parent withdrawals and the past principal’s resignation in June last year.
Commissioner Cleave Hay reported "relational trust" and "governance and management" issues at the school at the time.
Now, Ministry of Education director of education Otago Southland David Tapp said a limited statutory manager (LSM) would be put in place at the school once a new board was elected.
"While a date for the election has not been set yet, the school is preparing for it," Mr Tapp said.
The LSM would start work when the new board took office. Until then, the current commissioner would continue in the role, Mr Tapp said.
He said Totara School was "making good progress", so the annual review had been brought forward.
Mr Hay met with the ministry in February as part of that process.
"The intervention remains in place for now and the LSM role is intended to provide stability as governance transitions back to an elected board."
Mr Hay, who as LSM was appointed to commissioner following the resignation of the entire school board in May 2024, said the work now under way was a "vital step" in returning the school back to local governance and ensuring the community had a direct voice in the future of the school.
"The school's going very well under the leadership of new principal Matt Hannagan. We wanted to give Matt a term here first."
While Mr Hay said there might be "question marks" from the community about his return to the role of LSM, he said it was because he already understood the school and was already working on what needed addressing.
"I could see the school was ready to elect a board again after we held governance meetings, essentially the same as a board and six parents attended. We also had good numbers from a formal expression of interest in being a board member," he said.
The school community had been informed of the next steps.
There would be a call for nominations, election dates set and an information evening about what being a board member involved and how that worked alongside an LSM, Mr Hay said.
While relief principal Judy Elvidge had kept good relationships and a positive atmosphere at the school, having a permanent principal was a key factor in re-establishing trust and re-building the school again, Mr Hay said.
"As soon as Matt started we saw an immediate change in perception publicly with locals and whānau. That certainty has now led to the decision to move to a board as a next critical step."
The LSM would look after employment and finance, Mr Hay said.
Another part of the school’s success would include new board members being "inducted and trained well" under LSM guidance. While there was no formal timeline to when the LSM would be able to hand the school back to its own independent governance, a "solid board" would be foundational to that.
Totara School principal Matt Hannagan said the school was taking "careful and appropriate" steps to "set the school up for success".
"We don't all want the school to be in a position in years down the line where it falls into a position that it fell into previously, which isn't great, so we want to do it successfully," Mr Hannagan said.
"Our main aim is to focus on how we can fortify and strengthen our school," Mr Hannagan said.
"It’s been a fantastic first term. What we wanted to bring was fun, collaboration, positivity and better communication and we're reaping those rewards.
"We’ve got great kids and we’re looking for more growth now this term," he said.
The rural school had 20 pupils.
