Parents upset over Georgies holiday programme being cut

PARENTS are upset and a petition is circulating, after the George Street Normal School board of trustees announced it is ceasing operations of its popular holiday programmes next year.

The board sent a letter to parents last week, telling them the board had undertaken a review of the Georgies holiday programme in recent months.

The review looked at the services offered, an analysis of risk, the drain on the senior management team of the school and the financial viability of the programme.

‘‘As a result of this review, the board has decided to cease the operation of the holidays programmes and therefore the holiday programmes running in December [2020] and January [2021], will be the final holiday programmes offered by the school,’’ the letter said.

The Georgies before and afterschool care would continue to operate during term times.

Parent Melissa Lethaby said up to 100 pupils used the programme each day, and many parents were angry about the decision to close it because they had not been consulted.

‘‘The email from the board of trustees has a number of families feeling extremely disappointed, especially when the school speaks of valuing parent partnership.

‘‘In this instance, the school has let many families down and not taken into consideration the impact this decision will have on parents who are reliant on holiday programmes, many of whom chose the school because of the beforeschool, afterschool and holiday programme care that was available.

She said parents were planning to meet tomorrow to discuss the issue, and a petition was already circulating.

Board chairwoman Greer

Harper said the board made the decision to ‘‘follow a correct change process’’ and consult only with the staff that the change would affect.

‘‘Given that we knew that our parents that currently use the holiday programme would want to keep it going, consultation could be considered disingenuous, given our reasons for disbandment would not be able to be addressed via the parent community that use the programme.’’

Asked if there was any way the decision could be reconsidered, she said the board stood by its holiday programme decision and ‘‘occasionally decisions like this need to be made’’.

Principal Robyn Wood declined to comment.