School board elections create high interest

Press, 28 April 1989, Page 5

School board elections create high interest

By

CULLEN SMITH

Parent interest in school boards of trustees elections around Christchurch is high, according to a survey two days before the polling deadline.

From the tiny twoteacher Ladbrooks School to the country’s largest secondary school, Burnside High School, principals report an encouraging response from parent voters. Polls will close at noon tomorrow and most schools reached in a random survey by “The Press” yesterday said ballot boxes were filling rapidly. Parents will have had two weeks to consider their candidates for the five places available on each school board of trustees under the Government’s “Tomorrow’s Schools” plan, which gives parents more responsibility in running their schools. All of the Christchurch schools approached in the survey have more nominations than required and principals are generally pleased with the calibre of candidate and the number making themselves available. The 38-pupil Ladbrooks School, for example, has 11 parents standing for

election. “We have had marvellous parental support. Interest in the elections has been extremely high,” the principal, Miss Marge Wong, said. A “meet the candidates” evening run by the school attracted 44 parents of the 46 with children at the school.

Ladbrooks School parents have not been slow to cast their ballot. Miss Wong said 46 sets of voting papers had been sent out and all returned. At the other end of the scale, Burnside High School with a roll of 1956 — has 26 parents standing for the five places on the board.

The Burnside principal, Mr John Godfrey, said his school opted not to conduct a candidates’ meeting because it was difficult to arrange a suitable date.

Burnside, like most schools surveyed, sent out information sheets on all candidates with statements restricted to about 75 words. Mr Godfrey said Burn-

side parents appeared keen to take up their new school role, judging by the way ballot boxes were filling and a high level of mail. “Certainly the level of interest is high, judging by the number of nominees,” he said. An election last year for eight places on the old school board of governors attracted just eight nominations for the four places. “It’s good to see such a high level of interest. It shows parents care,” Mr Godfrey said. Twenty candidates are standing in the Ham School elections and the principal, Mr Bill McLean, said there was a healthy interest among parents. Just over 100 parents from the 320-pupil school turned out to hear the nominees’ views after information sheets had been sent to homes. Mr McLean said parents were starting to send in their voting papers, but he could not yet accurately assess the response.

The Avonhead School, with a roll of 372, has 12 nominations, but the principal, Mr Barry Moore, said he was a little disappointed at the mix of 10 men and only two women. About 100 parents attended a candidates’ meeting and Mr Moore said the level of interest was a little higher than for the old school board elections. Sixteen parents have put their names forward for the 360-pupil Belfast School and a spokesman said returns were looking good with “two or three supermarket bagsful” already. Shirley Intermediate, with a roll of 500, has 17 candidates standing. The principal, Mr Maurice Evans, said parents responded well to a candidates’ meeting held in a positive atmosphere. Mr Evans was unable to estimate a likely voting response, but said he was worried the level of interest in the elections was “perhaps not as great as it should be.”

The 13 candidates standing at the 353-pupil Spreydon School decided against a meeting with parents, but the deputy principal, Mr Alan Richardson, said between 50 and 60 voting papers had already been returned. Thorrington School has 15 nominees standing for its roll of 239 pupils.

The principal, Mr Gavin Price, said a meeting with parents was worth while and a steady stream of voting papers had been arriving at school over the last two weeks.

St Albans School, with 235 pupils, attracted 13 candidates. A meeting for parents was well attended and photographs of the nominees were on display at the school, a spokeswoman sajd. Parentshave until noon tomorrow to cast their votes. Counting will begin on May 8, allowing time for posted voting papers to reach returning officers. Results are expected to be announced the same day.