Photo: RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod
The embattled Mangakōtukutuku College has a new acting principal even though the current principal, who is on leave, is expected to return after the school holidays.
The school, an amalgamation of the former Melville intermediate and high schools, has been marred by violent student brawls and a regular police presence since it opened at the beginning of the year.
Some of the fights have been recorded and posted to social media, with one Instagram account showing a girl being stomped in the head, before it became a private page.
Now Barbara Cavanagh has been appointed to the role of acting principal, according to a school newsletter and update on the school's Facebook page.
The former Huntly College principal will lead the college alongside Limited Statutory Manager Dr Shane Edwards, who was appointed in April, in the absence of current principal Dr Thilo Govender.
It is understood Govender has been away from school on leave for all of term two and Edwards said the expectation was that she would return in term three.
Edwards confirmed Cavanagh was now acting principal but would not comment on when she began, however, a Facebook post by him on 18 June announced her appointment alongside the stepping back of deputy principal Samantha Farook, who had been in the role temporarily.
When asked if Cavanagh would continue next term when Govender was expected to return, Edwards said it was "undecided".
"We don't know for sure whether the principal is going to be here or not. We'll know when the principal lets us know."
Last week, in a newsletter penned by Cavanagh, parents were informed of a draft new timetable structure that reduced the number of classes per day from six to four, but making each class 75 minutes long.
Starting in term three, there would be two breaks of 30 minutes each at 11.30am and 1.15pm each day.
On Mondays, a 75-minute class would be dedicated to Whānau Time, allowing for only three classes that day while on Wednesdays, assemblies would take up the last 75-minute period of the day, with only three classes on that day also.
Edwards said they were still working on the timetable structure but said the reason for the change was to "settle" the school.
When asked what that meant, he said it was to "provide quality education to New Zealand's learners".
He said the two half-hour breaks were to "allow people to have fresh air".
A description of the changes online said one teacher would be allocated for each class with a reduction in movement around the campus.
The youngest students, Year 7 and 8, would be in their home rooms with one teacher for most of the time and would go to specialist teachers for languages and technology.
Year 9 and 10 students would also be in one classroom for their core subjects and specialist teachers would go to them other than for languages, technology and physical education.
In his Facebook post, Edwards said there had been some challenging and confronting moments in recent times for everyone.
"But I am confident that if we fast-forward a few months we will be able to see clear and significant progress across different aspects of school life, but particularly in the prevalence of some of the antisocial behaviours that have been at the forefront.
"I appreciate that the image of our school and community has been negatively affected and that this unfortunately, may continue in the short-to-medium term."
He said it was critical that students focused on quality learning and achievement and that everyone needed to feel safe and happy.
Edwards said poor behaviour would not be tolerated.
"...we will continue to take firm and immediate action when health, safety or wellbeing are put at risk - we have strong processes in place at the college to address concerns and behaviours from formal disciplinary processes, through to pastoral care and counselling or a range of other supports and structures."
One mother spoken to by RNZ said she was struggling to convince her Year 10 son to return to school next year for NCEA because he did not want to go back.
She said he wanted to study by correspondence and get a part-time job.
Cavanagh has also been principal at Ngāruawāhia High School, Te Awamutu College and Albany Senior High School.
