Christchurch employment lawyer Peter MacDonald confirmed yesterday Mrs Cooper would be leaving the school immediately, after the two could not come to an agreement about issues brought up by the Educational Review Office (ERO).
"In the context of the circumstances, it was best for the school that the principal be given due notice, and we can all move forward and go ahead."
Asked if Mrs Cooper had stood down or been asked to leave, Mr MacDonald said "the principal had left Wakatipu High School".
Mr MacDonald was appointed in May to work with the school's senior managers after a review from ERO identified a lack of trust among staff members. He released a "proposal for change" to staff on September 8, but no resolution had been reached.
"Over an extensive period we've been having discussions in relation to the issues of ERO-related concerns.
"As a consequence of that, we had to come to an understanding. But that hasn't been reached and as a result she has left."
A proposal had been made to cut the number of senior management staff, which consisted of the principal, a deputy and two assistant principals.
Mr MacDonald said the main issues highlighted in the ERO report were "divisions in communication within the senior management structure".
He said he was employed to resolve "issues that possess significant risks to smooth operations of the school and the wellbeing of staff and potentially students", as stated in the ERO report.
"There were communication issues within the senior management team and obviously the principal is the leader of that team."
Mr MacDonald said he had a "considerable amount of respect" for Mrs Cooper, but "at the end of the day it had to be resolved".
Head of communications for the school's board of trustees Greg Turner told the Otago Daily Times yesterday the school would miss the principal, and people must not lose sight of the fact much had been achieved during her time at the school.
"I don't think anyone could be pleased to see things end so abruptly."
He said since Mr MacDonald had been appointed by the education office, the board had "sat on the sidelines".
"Everyone's in a bit of shock at the moment. There's a school to run and there's no principal tomorrow."
Deputy principal Grant Adolph will stand in as acting principal while the position is advertised.
Mr Adolph could not be contacted yesterday.
"It is fair to say it'll be a matter of urgency in which to sort the day-to-day operations of the school, and a big part of that is finding a new principal," Mr Turner said.
"Hopefully, when the dust settles, people will realise she did a lot of good things."
