17 Apr 2014

Setback for Maori charter school

6:30 am on 17 April 2014

A Maori charter school in Northland has had another setback, this one the resignation of its business director.

Te Kura Hourua ki Whangaruru, south of Russell, is advertising for a new chief executive officer.

Governance facilitator Chris Saunders said business director Glen Sadler was leaving at the end of this week.

Mr Sadler was the equivalent of a co-principal at the charter school, alongside curriculum director Natasha Sadler, who is his niece.

Mr Saunders said he could not comment on why Mr Sadler had resigned, but the school was now looking for a chief executive to take overall management responsibility for the kura.

The Whangaruru school, which is located on an 80ha farm, is still short of 1.5 full-time equivalent teachers.

Staffing challenges at the kura could be related to its isolated location, and the opposition of teacher unions to charter schools, Mr Saunders said.