Troubleshooter sent in to school after board stands down

A Ministry of Education trouble-shooter has been brought in to a West Auckland school after the entire board resigned.

Long-standing parent trustees at Swanson School stood down after an apparent falling out with the new principal.

Bruce McLachlan was appointed principal at the beginning of last year.

By the start of this academic year seven elected board members - one who had been in place for 11 years - had left.

Over the same period, two senior teachers including a deputy principal had resigned.

Some former board members have also removed their children from the school.

The close-knit community around the 600-pupil school has been divided by the fall-out, according to one former board member.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said she had been involved in hiring the principal.

"But what we interviewed was not what we got when he was appointed."

There was a "breakdown in communication and consultation" over a number of contentious issues.

She said there was a perception that the board had been "dysfunctional" but that was not the case.

"I have concerns about the professionalism and leadership," the former trustee said.

Another former board member, who had been a trustee for seven years, said there was unrest at the school.

"The board had very good relationships with previous management, but then five resigned over four months, which tells its own story."

Swanson School was founded in 1887 and enjoys a good reputation.

Commissioner Collene Roche said she had been appointed following the resignations of the board members, but she would not comment on the reasons for their departure.

She said Mr McLachlan could not comment, as part of the agreement to have a commissioner in place.

"My job is to work very closely with the principal and make sure all governance matters are running well," she said.

"The school has always done well and there's a very fine atmosphere among teachers and kids. It's business as usual."

Outside help

Schools which have been run by commissioners recently include:

* Cambridge High School: Ran into a series of inquiries over its NCEA results and the business activities of its former principal, Alison Annan.

* Glenfield College, North Shore City: Appointed a commissioner after staff publicly accused principal Mel Cooper of bullying.

* Tauhara College, Taupo: Called in Cambridge High's commissioner, Dennis Finn, after principal Peter Grant blamed his school's falling roll on NZ Idol finalist Michael Murphy going to the rival secondary school.