She receives a copy of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (Random House), by Rachel Joyce. Kirstin's letter was published on Wednesday.
Before readers judge either the terrible situation which has unfolded at one of Dunedin's highest achieving primary schools or the amazingly dedicated staff who continue to provide exceptional learning opportunities for the children despite the unpleasant ongoing situation and media attention, I would ask that they read the 2011 ERO report for Rotary Park School. While it mentions the relationship issues, it goes much further with the educational content highlighting the high-level teaching and the engagement of children which at the end of the day is what schools are about.
Schools are for children to become the best they can be - Rotary Park School culture fosters and embodies that philosophy and the graduating children from the school stand out among their peers, thanks to a strong and dedicated teaching staff who have more than delivered for the children and families of the school.
How is it possible that at every turn, where the community thought help had arrived to "fix" the problem which had manifested, we have been let down?
Lately, the Education Minister and Secretary for Education have been seen in the media on several occasions stating "we want better quality teachers and better quality outcomes for the children".
How then does a school with the highest quality teachers and the highest possible outcomes for all children, regardless of their strengths, find itself so unsupported on every level and facing closure?
Dunedin education is definitely poorer for the loss of such a high achieving school and its excellent teaching staff. Let's hope they are snapped up by other schools - families will follow.
Kirstin Quin(parent of Rotary Park School child),
Andersons Bay[Abridged]
