Aparima College to get new principal

Embattled Aparima College in Riverton has good news on the horizon, with a board of trustees set to be appointed after its new principal is recruited.

The parent representatives on the school’s last board of trustees resigned en-masse in 2014, citing a breakdown between the board and school management.

Principal Kaye Day was subsequently slammed for her leadership at the school in an Education Review Office report in July this year, and on Friday she resigned from her position.

Nicola Hornsey, the Education Ministry-appointed commissioner of Aparima College who has held the position since the board resigned in 2014, said work would begin immediately to find the next principal.

Her first task would be to ask the staff and parents in the community what attributes and skills they were looking for in a principal.

‘‘Once the appointment is in place, I imagine the Ministry of Education will give permission to have a board election.’’

Ideally, the new principal would be signed up and ready to go at the beginning of the 2018 school year, she said. ‘‘We need the best person for the job.’’

In the meantime, Hornsey said she was looking to ensure three key areas were focused on at the school; staff wellbeing, student wellbeing, and ‘‘making sure everyone is feeling on top of their game so student achievement is lifted’’.

Hornsey had conducted surveys at the school. ‘‘As a trend, staff were saying that compared to last year their sense of wellbeing at work was lower than it was last year.’’

She said the teachers at the school were superb.

‘‘So whatever has gone on in that leadership space, the teachers have always remained focused on the students, and committed.’’

The issues at the school had not affected the children’s learning, she said.

She would work with acting principal Leah Fraser to help boost the staff’s morale and enjoyment at the school, while identifying areas to make the school a better place.