DHS appoints new principal from rival Glenwood High
GLENWOOD High School’s acting principal Tony Pinheiro will take the helm at Durban High School (DHS) from the start of term this Tuesday.
The move comes after 23 years at Glenwood, where he had been standing in for former head, Trevor Kershaw.
Kershaw, who retired in March, is expected to stand trial this year for allegedly defrauding, alternatively stealing from, the school. He has denied the charges.
Pinheiro’s career move is not just a hop across the N3, but also a move from one archrival institution to another.
“We don’t begrudge him,” said Glenwood governing body chairman Rob Young, explaining that the position of principal at Glenwood had not yet been made available by the Department of Education. “It’s a career opportunity for him.”
Young said Pinheiro had contributed to “a lot of advancement” at Glenwood, where he had also been deputy principal.
“He was the first team rugby coach some years ago. Rugby excelled. The Cambridge Education System (enabling pupils easier access to overseas universities) came to Glenwood through his work,” said Young.
Pinheiro admitted his move made for “an interesting turn of events”, but it was time for a new challenge.
He would spend his first time at DHS “seeing what it is I can add to the school”.
While the two institutions had their differences, they were also very similar as traditional boys’ schools.
“There is a whole array of abilities I can bring,” he said, mentioning his previous involvement in Glenwood’s boarding hostel, having been in charge of discipline and involved in sport.
Pinheiro, who is a past pupil of George Campbell School of Technology, said he saw the DHS community involving not just the boys and the parents, but also the old boys, many of whom had made a significant impact on society.
Pinheiro is the successor to Leon Erasmus under whose watch DHS turned 150 last year.
Andri Barnes will step into Pinheiro’s shoes as acting principal at Glenwood.
Meanwhile, Glenwood’s Facebook page attracted comments, some of which expressed surprise that Pinheiro was joining “the enemy”.
“Mr Pinheiro’s legacy speaks for itself. I’m just struggling to digest the move to DHS! When we were at school… he wouldn’t even refer to them by that name,” wrote Ryan Naidoo.
“They were simply, ‘the school from across Berea’. Anyway as an old boy… I am scared. Glenwood has to push harder, because Mr Pinheiro is going to do wonders at DHS.”
Former parent Graeme Bridger wrote: “Very very sad… a guy like Mr P can never be replaced… DHS will rise… he was the reason my boys attended Glenwood High. Am totally shocked… as an old Grey Boy and wanting to have my children grow up with us was sure we made the right choice with Glenwood… so very disappointed… if the wrong headmaster is appointed now this whole area will fall… tread carefully… appoint strong leaders that are an example to the boys in the way they walk and talk… please walk tall Glenwood High.”
While at Glenwood, Pinheiro played a trouble-shooting role as acting principal at Brettonwood High School having taught at Stanger High School in KwaDukuza before that. He trained as a teacher at Edgewood College of Education, now part of University of KwaZulu-Natal.