Three complaints about intermediate school
Ministry of Education representatives will meet with leaders of a Taranaki intermediate next week to discuss three formal complaints it has received about the school.
The complaints have been lodged against Ha¯wera Intermediate School with the Ministry of Education (MOE) in regard to health and safety, leadership and the curriculum.
In an emailed statement, ministry spokeswoman Katrina Casey said it was helping the school’s board of trustees to ‘‘address some challenges’’, and attending a meeting next week.
‘‘We anticipate that following that meeting, the board will communicate with its school families and wha¯ nau and the wider community its plan to move forward,’’ Casey said in the statement.
MOE has been meeting with the school board since early June ‘‘in response to concerns raised by parents and the wider community’’.
Prior to this year, the ministry had not received any complaints about the school in the previous five years.
The complaints come on top of a challenging year for new principal Wendy Sheridan-Smith, who left Pukemiro School, near Huntly, in December after three years in her role.
In July damning reports about Pukemiro School were released which revealed it had failed to meet its legal obligations in several areas. Sheridan-Smith, who has been in the education sector since 1983, has been approached for comment on the situation at her school.
In June, South Taranaki Mayor Ross Dunlop attended a meeting between concerned parents and board of trustees chair, Kimiora Te Wiki.
At the time he said she had assured him the school was putting solutions in place to deal with the issues raised.
‘‘It’s very concerning to hear some of the things that are being suggested happening at the school,’’ Dunlop said at the time.
‘‘I’m hopeful that they will be successful in dealing with the issues and am available to help in any way.’’
Multiple school newsletters have addressed students’ behavioural issues, as well as incidents involving cigarette and drug use and alcohol consumption.
However, it also addressed the issue of ‘‘Chinese whispers’’, in term two.
The school, which has a role of around 300, has also seen seven members of staff leave since the start of the year.