Mount Aspiring College (MAC) hosted the first in a series of community meetings on Monday evening (March 16) in response to a critical Education Review Office (ERO) report late last year.

A board of trustees (BOT) initiative, the school community session was an open forum for parents to hear updates from the school, share feedback and ask questions.

Principal Wayne Bosley attended with the senior leadership team (SLT) (deputy principal Dean Shepherd, Hamish Crosbie, and Vicki Ashton) and BOT members (chair Glenn Peat, deputy chair Martin Toomey, Ed Nepia, Tracy Gibson, Shona Brown, teachers’ representative Roy Gawn, and student representative Isobel Smith).

“All in all it was a positive start. It was a good initial introduction with the community and gave people an opportunity to get things off their chests,” Glenn told the Wanaka App.

A group of about 30 MAC parents held a meeting on Sunday evening (March 15) to discuss their concerns prior to the community session.

The group, Parents of MAC, identified three key questions which were raised at the Monday session by Aidan Craig: 

“Does the board agree there is a significant issue with the culture of the school, one that has developed over multiple years, is systemic, and is badly impacting the students, teachers and the wider community? What is the board doing, or planning to do, to rectify the specific leadership issues raised in the ERO report which relate directly to the actions, non-actions, skills and expertise of the senior leadership team, and in particular the principal? Does the board intend to independently assess and benchmark the leadership needs and skill set required for the school to successfully change, plan for its significant growth, and set it on a path to being one of the leading schools in New Zealand?”

Glenn had said in his opening remarks that, while change is required, the board has “confidence in the leadership team”.

MAC principal Wayne Bosley faced parents’ concerns at the meeting. PHOTO: Wanaka App

Wayne said he believed, with the help and support of his team and the board, “we can make the necessary adjustments”. 

“I understand and accept that there are doubts over my personal performance now and there is only one way to do this: through my actions as well as my words.”

Wayne, who described last year’s ERO report as “a kick in the guts”, added that he is currently being supported by an educational mentor.

Glenn said the leadership team is “not just a one-man band. We are working with the SLT and with Wayne personally to make sure that we are on the right path.”

A number of other contentious issues were also raised at the meeting, including the use of mobile phones, drugs, alcohol, bullying, sexual harassment, and the status of a member of staff who had been suspended earlier this year. 

Wayne admitted the school’s “level of communication has not been up to par”, and that he had “dropped the ball” in ensuring that MAC staff had clear and transparent channels to communicate with the SLT.

The school reiterated there would be a survey of students in June and another of staff later in the year.

The Wanaka App approached a staff member who attended the meeting, who said: “I have been afraid if I speak out loud, on the staff and in the community, about how I feel - there will be negative effects for me and my children. So it is great to see parents speaking in a public forum with confidence and kindness.”

Glenn sent a letter to parents on Thursday (March 19), which outlined the work programme to be discussed at the next BOT meeting on Tuesday (March 24). Action included the possibility of a mobile phone ban; review of the school’s discipline policy; ensuring consistency by staff on existing policy; creating a parent satisfaction survey; and collaborating with Kahu Youth over issues of interest to parents.

PHOTOS: Mount Aspiring College