The principal of St Peter’s College in Gore says she has no confidence in the ability of the school’s board of trustees chairperson to lead and she wants her to resign.
Principal Tara Quinney says she has a dysfunctional relationship with the board chair Ruth Mitchell and won’t be able to work with her in the future.
St Peter’s College has been placed into the limited statutory management of lawyer Nicola Hornsey after the school’s board of trustees sought Ministry of Education support to govern the school.
Quinney said she was speaking out about the issues that triggered the ministry intervention to allay any community fears about the health of the school.
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It had been heartbreaking when people who had paid for and built the school more than 50 years ago had approached her at church in recent times with worries for its future, she said.
“I know we are a strong Catholic school which has an amazing history and support behind it. I don’t like people feeling unsettled about the future of our school when it is actually very safe and strong.”
Mitchell did not respond to questions regarding Quinney’s specific concerns, including that Mitchell and three other board members were perhaps there for “the circles they themselves socialise in”, rather than being there for the whole school.
Hornsey replied on behalf of the board in regard to Stuff questions to Mitchell, saying it acknowledged Quinney had some concerns about the governance of the school.
The board was confident the appointment of Hornsey, as limited statutory manager, could address these.
The issues between the principal and board chair began before Christmas.
Quinney said four members of the board, including Mitchell, had wanted to meet with four senior leaders of her school staff, without Quinney present, about a parent survey the board did in the community.
Quinney was away at a conference at the time, and she stopped the meeting going ahead as it was outside the board’s governance duties, she said.
The board had conducted the survey to find out what the community thought about certain things at the school, and it was focusing on a lot of the negatives and not the positives, Quinney said.
“I didn’t think it was appropriate for the board to share the survey summary in the middle of term four in a very stressful time of the school year.”
The staff had had three years of Covid behind them, were exhausted and trying to make it through the end of the year, she said.
Supplied/Stuff
Lawyer Nicola Hornsey has work to do as the limited statutory manager at St Peter's College in Gore.
She recommended, “even though it was outside the bounds of governance,” that the board hold off and meet with the senior leadership team, including herself, early in the 2023 school year.
“That was not an option that was taken up,” she said.
Quinney said mediators had become involved and Mitchell had stopped meeting with her.
“I have always been open to meet with her [Mitchell].”
She said the board of trustees was made up of almost entirely new members since September, and she believed the issues stemmed from most of them not being trained in board matters.
She said Mitchell had repeatedly refused get free training for the board members.
It was fantastic when a new board started with enthusiasm and good intentions, but training was an “absolute must” regardless of people’s experience and backgrounds, Quinney said.
“If we all got the training from the experts, which is the NZ School Trustees Association, I believe we could have worked together.”
A ministry spokesperson said new board members were offered free training to support them in their role. But it was not compulsory as board members had varied backgrounds and training needs.
Quinney said she wanted to see a school board that was committed to the character of the school.
If Mitchell did not resign, Quinney would not be walking herself.
“I wouldn’t give up on my staff or students or this community.”
The board acknowledged Quinney had some concerns about the governance of the school. As such, the board had sought assistance from the ministry to ensure the school had a strong governance framework to support the work of the school.
The ministry had appointed Hornsey, an experienced limited statutory manager, to work alongside the board and take responsibility for employment, policies and procedures, curriculum management, and to support the special character of the school.
“This is a governance-led appointment,” the board statement says.
“We are confident the appointment of the limited statutory manager will address concerns and ensure the school remains well-placed to deliver a high-quality Catholic faith-based education to all students.
“The limited statutory manager is currently working through a scoping phase to gather information and perspectives.”
Hornsey earlier said the school was in good financial health.
St Peter’s College is a co-educational state-integrated Catholic secondary school with about 450 students.
School principal wants board of trustees chair to resign - Stuff
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