School board ‘renewed’

The board of trustees at a private Anglican school has been ‘‘renewed’’ after months of complaints from its community.

Anglican Bishop Victoria Matthews said Christchurch’s Cathedral Grammar School was under new governance. Local employment and education lawyer David Beck had been appointed as a specialist adviser, then elected as its chairman.

Beck had been ‘‘tasked with leading the school forward,’’ she said. ‘‘Healing the rifts between the community, parents and board will be his first priority.’’

The school came under fire in October when 34 parents wrote a letter to the cathedral chapter that appoints its board expressing ‘‘major governance concerns’’ and dissatisfaction with principal Scott Thelning’s leadership. It said half the school’s teachers resigned in the past two years.

In January, the school expelled three children whose parents were believed to be the complaint ‘‘ringleaders’’, sources close to the school said. Letters to the families from Thelning said the children’s enrolment agreements were terminated ‘‘notwithstanding the lack of any breach of the enrolment agreement or misconduct on their part’’. The decision was later reversed at the direction of the cathedral chapter.

On Thursday, Bishop Matthews said the chapter was confident Beck would ‘‘restore confidence in the school and will make sure the Anglican faith and unique spirit is nurtured and developed’’.