Totara School, just south of Oamaru, is under statutory management with its commissioner Cleave Hay in place since June after the board resigned.
Mr Hay said formal consultation with staff, pupils and whanau in mid-August on the future of the school had gone "very well".
"A happy, safe, caring and inclusive school, that’s what people want."
Meanwhile, some of the school’s disaffected community have raised issues about the statutory management process with Waitaki MP Miles Anderson.
Mr Anderson said it was "disappointing for the community" the school was now in this position.
"I feel for everyone involved.
"This is not something that any community wants to experience."
However, he described Mr Hay as "an experienced education consultant".
"I have every faith in his abilities to work through the process with the community to ensure that the school has a strong future."
That included more "whānau engagement" and ideas for the future.
"Simple things like more library books, camps and support.
"Not necessarily big things, more about opportunities."
The school team planned a "vision map" for the entire school community, "so it’s all transparent".
Principal Sandra Spekreijse said the consultation process was about "striving for inclusivity".
Having a "united voice" and a "whānau-based school" was important.
She had seen "lots of agreement, in terms of the future and the strengths".
"It’s great to have everyone feeling that sense of belonging."
Mr Hay said their focus is better engagement with the pupils’ parents.
Mrs Spekreijse said they were considering more tailored education options for individual pupils.
This was a "really exciting" opportunity for the school.
"I worked at a special school where all our students were on IEPs [individual education plans] and we had lots of engagement and learning partnerships.
"So that’s a space that I really value."
She also valued the voice of the pupils, and wanted to draw on the "skills and passions" of their parents.
Mrs Spekreijse praised the parent support for a recent kapa haka workshop and other activities including mathletics, art, and an upcoming camp at Waihola.
They had a "great school team" who were "passionate" and cared about the "kids being impacted by positivity".
