Principal forced to leave college

A Waikato principal was forced to resign after a damning report that highlighted an ‘‘ongoing underperformance of kids’’ at Huntly College.

The Education Ministry has called in a limited statutory manager (LSM) – the second appointee in two years – to keep students achieving and in school.

Tim Foy was the principal of Huntly College for 13 years and said the ministry no longer had confidence in his leadership.

Among the things the report highlighted was a lack of student progress, the inability to accelerate student progress and Foy’s ‘‘lack of community involvement’’.

It also revealed that, after two years, the ministry had decided it would continue to intervene.

The Waikato Times requested the full report but was told it would need to file an Official Information Act request.

Foy said he couldn’t believe what he was listening to when the report was read at a school board of trustees meeting last term.

‘‘They said there was a lack of community involvement by me and I thought, I can’t believe I’m listening to this.

‘‘I give my all, 24/7, seven days a week: coaching, mentoring, supporting kids in youth court.

‘‘And to say that … that cut me to the core, that one.’’

A 2012 Education Review Office (ERO) report found ‘‘a significant number’’ of students were leaving without qualifications and the school found retaining senior students was a challenge.

In 2014, ERO recommended more training for teachers to target ‘‘very low achievement in literacy’’ and more support for the principal and board.

Foy said he offered up suggestions and was ignored.

‘‘I still believe we should be heading firmly down the trades/vocational pathways, where our kids do very well.

‘‘In the trades area, for example, they’ve built a house and now they’re building a container house to be transported offsite.

‘‘But that doesn’t count.’’

He hopes a new principal will be what the college needs to flourish.

Education Ministry deputy secretary Katrina Casey said most schools operate successfully, but a small number ‘‘develop difficulties that they cannot resolve without outside help’’.

Casey said the ministry intervenes only as a last resort.

The previous LSM, John Carlyon, had been working alongside the board and principal on issues to do with employment, communications, health and safety and the curriculum and assessment.

He resigned in October and was replaced by Hemi Rau.

Rau said he’s from the North Waikato and believes ‘‘that you should go and work in your backyard before you go across the road’’.

He’s not sure how long his appointment will last, since it differs for every school. The average time is 18 months to two years.

‘‘My role is to work with the staff and the board to help improve achievement, particularly when there’s about 80 per cent Ma¯ ori students,’’ Rau said.

‘‘Having an external person does help the process. Boards are elected by the community and they’re elected based on popularity, not necessarily on competence.

‘‘So as an LSM and as a commissioner, you have to go through a strict process with the ministry to convince them that if we were ever offered one of these positions, we had the competence to do the job.’’

Rau said he will be meeting with staff this week and appointing an acting principal. He says a permanent replacement principal is unlikely this term.