Commissioner Nicola Hornsey said after rector Paul Jackson's announcement he would be leaving the school at the end of the year, an ''expression of interest'' had been submitted to the Ministry of Education, seeking approval for the school to advertise the vacancy with a Principal Recruitment Allowance of an additional $50,000 per year for a fixed term of three years.
The allowance is on top of other remuneration and, in turn, the recipient is expected to provide the leadership needed to improve a school's pupil achievement.
''This approval is being sought because, in my view, Waitaki Boys' High School needs to attract a highly successful, experienced principal, the school not being well placed to support a first time principal,'' Mr Hornsey said.
Schools with ''significant challenges'' could submit an expression of interest to the ministry to be considered for eligibility to offer this allowance as part of the recruitment process.
The ministry appointed Ms Hornsey as commissioner in October last year under its intervention process, after the school board of trustees stepped aside.
In that role, she was ''totally responsible'' for appointing the school's new rector, but she expected she would assemble a panel to assist with the process.
If the school was granted a Principal Recruitment Allowance, a panel member would be automatically appointed by the Ministry of Education.
Ms Hornsey said pupils, parents and staff would soon be consulted on the desirable attributes they wanted to see in a new principal.
''It's a really important process to get right,'' she said.
On September 21, Ms Hornsey announced the Ministry of Education had forecast a 12.5% roll drop at the school next year, from 474 pupils to 415, and the school's provisional staffing entitlement would reduce from 36.4 to 32.8.
Ms Hornsey said a review of staffing levels needed to be carried out.
While it was hoped the necessary changes could be managed by way of not replacing personnel lost through retirement or resignation, Ms Hornsey said the next stages of ''dealing with the surplus staffing situation'' might need to be implemented.
''This will cause unsettledness amongst staff,'' she said.
