Small school loses full-time teacher
A country school’s one full-time teacher has been cut, despite a mayor’s attempt to help.
In September, Bunnythorpe’s school roll had dropped to 15 pupils. The school is north of Palmerston North.
This prompted the city’s mayor Grant Smith to meet with Ministry of Education officials to stop the looming drop in salary funding for the school.
Principal Margie Sutherland said the ministry declined the mayor’s appeal, having already funded a 30-week extension that had been used. So, at the end of term three the school farewelled its senior class teacher.
‘‘I think it’s disappointing,’’ she said. She is hopeful the roll recovery has begun, but says losing the teacher isn’t helpful.
Another three pupils have now started at the school, taking the roll to 18. During 2018, there are seven 5-year-olds expected to start, but four pupils will leave at the end of 2017.
As before, Sutherland continues to teach 3.5 days a week and a ‘‘release teacher’’ takes over for 1.5 days a week. But now both the senior and junior classes are combined, keeping them both on their toes.
The roll has to reach 26 before the school can get its full-time teacher back and Sutherland thinks this is possible by mid-2018.
If it does hit 26, there is only a nine-day wait until ministry funding is delivered and Sutherland is confident she can organise a teacher to start within that.
At the moment, she is the only adult on site for a significant amount of the week.
‘‘Hopefully this will change under a Labour Government, as to me it does not fit well with the new health and safety laws.
‘‘It’s never been an issue and we don’t have problems with behaviour, but it does surprise me.’’
Sutherland had been working on strategies to build the school’s reputation – promoting its rural character, spacious old-fashioned building and grounds, and the pupil-toteacher ratio and individual support.
Smith used his mayoral discretionary funding for an advertisement for the school, currently running on the back of a bus.
He has previously said the school should be protected because it will be in demand , as the young population in northern Palmerston North quickly grows.