Wisps of Snow

by Ross Richdale

  Sandy arrived carrying an armload of newspapers and apologised for being late, which she wasn't and ushered the children inside. They rushed over to a table where their creations sat drying from the week before.

  "Your idea of letting our children use these facilities is marvellous, Karla," she said. "Coming here is the highlight of the week for my class and next term we're also going to use the cooking room once a week."

  "I'm pleased," Karla replied. "Having this modern block just sitting empty for half the time seemed a waste of a wonderful resource."

  She watched as the children all found their animals and began at once to carry on constructing. About half were at the painting stage while the rest were using small pieces of white paper soaked in buckets of paste to add final layers to their creations. There were the usual variety of results from an enormous dragon to a somewhat sad looking animal with its back legs just about falling off. However the little girl was enthusiastically applying huge pieces of newspaper to her model.

  Sandy went up to her. "Remember what I told you, Lisa," she said and sat beside her. "Instead of just adding huge soggy pieces of paper think of the paper as a bandage, tear off long narrow strips and wrap them around Charlie in a crisscross way." She glanced up at Karla. "Charlie is Lisa's horse."

  She ripped off several strips for the little girl, showed her how to use a brush to apply paste and helped her get the back legs secure.

  "Thanks Sandy," Lisa said and grinned at Karla. "I have a real pony at home called Charlie, Karla. You'll be able to see him when I bring him to Lamb and Calf Club Day at the end of the year."

  "I look forward to seeing Charlie," Karla replied. "And what colour will you paint this Charlie when he's dry?"

  "Brown like the real Charlie."

  Karla smiled and moved around the room to admire and chat with the children who were similar in age to those back at Tui Park. After twenty minutes she took her leave and was about to head along to the science lab to see the seniors when her mobile chirped.

  "Roxanne here. Sorry to disturb you but can you come back to your office, Karla? There are two ladies who wish to speak to you."

  "Local parents, Roxanne?" Karla was a little curious for she knew Roxanne wouldn't interrupt her over something trivial.

  "No, they're from Luxton Road School. Do you know it."

  "I'm afraid not."

  "It's another sole-charge school like Honeyburn but is in the other direction. They won't say the reason for their visit except that they are on the school's board of trustees and preferred to speak to you in person rather than to just phone or email you."

  Karla frowned. "Okay, give them a cuppa coffee. I'll be there in five to ten minutes."

  "Will do, Karla."

  THE TWO WOMEN PLACED their mugs down on the coffee table and stood when Karla entered her office. They looked to be typical country types about her own age with tanned faces and almost old-fashioned skirts and tops.

  "We were hoping to see Mrs Karla Spicer," the taller one said.

  "I am Karla Spicer. Roxanne, our school administrator said you both wished to speak to me."

  The second woman replied. "Sorry, we expected somebody older. You are the local executive principal who came here from a top Wellington school?"

  Karla nodded. "Yes, I am a Wellington principal who has been seconded to the Ministry of Education and am now based here at Tuckett Area School." She glanced up as Roxanne came in with another mug of coffee and a plate of muffins. "Thanks Roxanne."

  Roxanne hung around as if wanting to pick up what was said but Karla raised an eyebrow slightly and waited until she had retreated and closed the office door.

  The taller woman held out her hand. "I am Alison Beaumont and this is my sister-in-law, Maria Beaumont. We are both on the Luxton School Board of Trustees."

  Karla shook their hands, waved them back to their seats and held out the muffin plate. They both smiled in almost a shy way and hesitated as they munched on the food.

  "We don't know if you can help us," Maria said in a soft voice.

  "Something is obviously troubling you both or you wouldn't be here now. Just tell me why you decided to speak to me."

  "We have concerns about our principal, Ethan Gibbons and thought it would be wise to speak to someone like yourself," Alison said.

  "My brother has children here at Tuckett Area School and suggested we approach you. He said you have done wonders here," Maria added.

  Karla sipped her coffee and reached for a muffin before she spoke. This gave her a chance to study the pair and also for them to relax a little. Her first impression was that of two young mothers who were perhaps desperate for help but what it was, she had no idea. "Anything said here is entirely confidential and I will help if I can," she said.

  Maria reached for her purse and brought out a folder. "Perhaps this might be a good way to begin." She took out two exercise books and handed one to Karla. "This is my daughter's work when she was in Year 4, three years ago. Nora's now in Year 7."

  Karla looked at the wallpaper-covered book with a picture of a farm scene pasted on the front. She opened it to see an attractive first page with My Diary in coloured letters and a drawing of a girl feeding a lamb. The drawing was neat and typical of one drawn by an eight year old. Inside, was a page of writing headed up by the date from three years earlier and a drawing at the bottom. The writing was again typical of an eight year old with a pleasant story and a few errors and corrections. There was a stamp beneath and a teacher's positive comment.

  Karla turned the page to see another story. She flicked through what was five months work with every page dated and marked with the final page showing good progress from the first entry. Nora was obviously a bright little girl who had progressed well.

  "Lovely work," Karla said and handed the exercise book back.

  "I know. That was with John Reed, the previous teacher at our school the year before Ethan arrived," Maria said and handed the second exercise book across. "This is Nora's latest effort. She doesn't know I took it from her desk after our board meeting last night."

  This one also had a wallpaper cover but the picture of a male singer on it was scribbled over by a ballpoint pen with glasses and a beard sketched on the face, glasses added and scribbles down one side.

  Inside was a mess. The first few pages were quite reasonable but the decline was rapid. Dates no longer appeared, no lines were ruled, there were no illustrations and sentences were scratched out in pen and often work was incomplete. All the margins had scribbles and often stupid sketches in them. As the work, if it be called that, progressed the writing became more careless, untidy and structure disappeared as slang and crude words became more prevalent.

  The exercise book was about half full and Karla saw not one teacher comment, not even a tick. Even taking into account that older children often become more rushed and untidy in presentation skills, this was a disgrace.

  "This is certainly not the standard I would expect from a Year 7, even for free expression work," she said.

  "Everything else at school reflects this," Alison said. "There is no discipline, children just come and go as they please, children are bullied by others and huts have been built in trees." She sighed. "Everything we try to do is squashed."

  "How?" Karla replied. "You're both on the board of trustees. Surely you can demand that your teacher maintains a certain standard."

  "That's the difficult part," Alison continued. "Ethan is high up in the teacher's union and states that there is a demarcation between administration and professional running of the school and we have no right to interfere with his professional philosophy in running of the school."

  "And what's that?" Karla asked.

  "He has quite high academic qualifications, which was the reason he was selected in the first place but he believes that children all learn at their own pace and when self-motivated, will progress far better than if they are forced to fit into an adult's perception of what they should do." Maria
shrugged. "His words, not mine."

  "We're really worried, Karla." Alison said. "Nora will be off to boarding school in a year and a half and my own son a year later."

  "And in your opinion, all your children have gone backwards?"

  Both women nodded.

  "I teach Simon, he's my five year old, to read at home," Alison said. "He loves reading but does none at school. Ethan said he's not ready to start reading yet."

  "And the other parents?"

  "They are all of the same opinion," Alison continued. "I have several letters here that were written to the board." She grimaced. "The trouble is that we, as a board are being blamed for what is happening."

  Karla nodded. "But hasn't the Education Review Office picked up that standards are slipping?'

  "Their last review was just before John left. It was an excellent report and they stated that they did not need to come back for four years. That won't be until next year."

  "You can request an earlier visit."

  "Can we?" Maria replied. "If you can't help us, perhaps that is what we can do."

  "Ethan is good with words and can always explain away everything we've queried with educational garble, as my husband Brian calls it."

  Karla nodded. "Okay, have you any other information or points you'd like to bring up?"

  She listened for fifteen minutes or more as the two women told her about the situation at the school. Her first opinions of the pair appeared to be close to the mark. They appeared to be trying to be helpful and not vindictive and told some good things about this Ethan Gibbons as well as the problems. It appeared that he was quite popular with the children themselves and there was no indication that he bullied or disciplined the children in a negative way. If there were fights he would hold discussion groups and ask the children to solve the problem in a democratic way.

  "But how can a six year old do that?" Maria asked.

  "I agree," Karla replied. "In my opinion, you have legitimate complains that should be followed up but I shall have to contact the Ministry of Education on how I can help. An informal visit to your school will be of little value, if for example, Mr Gibbons refuses to let me in the door."

  "This is quite likely," Alison agreed.

  "However, there are legal requirements that all New Zealand schools, both public and private, have to adhere to. I will need to contact the Ministry of Education and find out if I in my present position, can help and, if not, who we can contact to help." She glanced at their disappointed faces. "Don't worry. I'm sure I will be able to intervene at your school. Will you be in Tuckett this afternoon or do you need to get back home?"

  Alison glanced at Maria. "Our husbands can pick up the children after school. We can stay in town, if you wish."

  "Good. Give me an hour or so. Come back after lunchtime, okay?" Karla stood up and shook their hands again. "Will one-thirty be suitable? That's when the children all return for afternoon classes."

  "We'll be here," Alison said. "Thank you so much for your time and for listening to us."

  "See you after lunch," Karla replied and escorted them out to the foyer.

  "OH MY GOD, YOU'RE ON the ball," John Cosgrove replied after Karla's phoned him. "I was just collating a pile of information about that gentleman at Luxton Road and was ready to give you a call in the next few days. He's been on our Watch and Wait list for a couple of years now."

  "Watch and wait?" Karla queried.

  "Let's say we've been waiting for him to just step over the mark but he's a clever devil. Knows how far to go and how to get the union behind him. Came from a deputy principal's job in a large school in Dunedin, if I remember correctly."

  "So he dropped a grade to come across here. Do you know why?"

  "Is arrogant enough to think he knows it all and wanted to put his theories into practice. We thought he might get kicked upstairs."

  "Meaning?"

  "Oh a job at one of the university teacher training schools. He has the academic qualifications and his views about education goes down well in some academic circles."

  "I doubt if I can do much to change his ways then."

  "Probably not but the new regulations have more teeth than the old ones."

  "So you mean I should speak softly and carry a big stick?"

  John laughed. "That's about it. Give me a couple of days and I'll get you the authority to do whatever is necessary."

  Karla chuckled. "And can I tell the ladies here about this?"

  "Tell them you have the power to intervene but not the details. Also, don't forget to make full notes of all your observations and write down why you are taking the action that you do. This sort of guy is certain to appeal against any measures taken against him."

  "And if I find he isn't quite as bad as I've been told or he does decide to improve?"

  "There are several levels of reprimand in the latest act; from doing nothing to an oral warning, written warning, having a probationary time in which to improve, suspension on full pay while an investigation is followed through, transfer to a larger school under a senior principal to dismissal, though the last is usually reserved for something criminal such as molesting children. If you think he is useless as a teacher you can recommend dismissal but the Minister of Education makes the final decision. In all the other levels, your position as executive principal entitles you to make the ruling."

  "And he takes the case to a court?"

  "He will have to prove he does not deserve such a punishment rather than the ministry proving on your behalf that it is deserved."

  "Rather draconian!"

  "Yes but the spate of complaints against teachers over the last few years has made the general public tired of bad apples getting off on technicalities."

  "And would you like an input on any decision I make?"

  "It's not necessary but you could drop me an email to tell what you did and why. A copy of your field notes would also be appreciated just in case he hires one of those smarmy lawyers."

  Karla sighed. "As if I haven't got enough here at Tuckett on my plate."

  "But you're loving every minute of it. See yah!" The phone went dead.

  BOTH ALISON AND MARIA appeared apprehensive when they arrived back at school right on time and Karla guided them back into her office.

  She smiled and sat down on the couch beside them. "I have the authority to do whatever is necessary to improve the situation at Luxton Road School but a confidential invitation from your board to visit your school would be appreciated."

  "But as principal, Ethan is a board member," Maria said

  "When there is a complaint against a principal you can hold a special meeting without his or her knowledge. My suggestion would be to have it in one of your homes rather than at school."

  "So when can you visit?" Alison asked.

  "Will today, week do?"

  "The board an myself appreciate that," Alison said. "Thank you."

  Both women looked relieved as they thanked her and walked out into the rain that was beginning to change to snow. Karla ignored Roxanne's curious gaze and walked through to the adjacent assembly hall. She had been invited to see the two junior classes practising dances for an upcoming junior school dance evening.

  THAT SATURDAY, THE Otago Daily Times had an educational supplement tucked inside the paper. This was mainly an advertising pullout where local boarding schools or tertiary organisations advertised their programmes for the coming year. In return, an article was written about the institution by a junior reporter. These articles were sandwiched in between the adds. As well, the supplement included other educational news that affected the country and the local area.

  One such article was about the new government positions including change and executive principals, expert and lead teachers. Beside this was a smaller item stating that the Change Principal at Tuckett Area School, Mrs Karla Spicer had also been appointed Executive Principal for Central Otago. According to the article, principals, boards of trustees or the Education Revie
w Office could ask for her help in schools, if it was needed. Individuals and parents with queries were advised to consult their principal or board of trustees first.

  "Did you see this?" Ryan said over the breakfast table and handed the supplement over to Karla.

  She read the article and pouted. "It's more or less right," she said. "The editor of this supplement called me yesterday and said that a Ministry of Education officer had told them of this appointment and could I confirm the fact. I did, but that bit about the whole of Central Otago was stretching it a little."

  "To help make your visit to Luxton Road School sound more authoritative?"

  Karla glanced up from her bowl of cereal and nodded. "It sounds like John Cosgrove's sneaky little hand to me."

  CHAPTER 9

  Six days later when Karla told Don Trow she would be away from the school the following day because of a visit to Luxton Road School, he sighed in relief. Let some other poor sod put up with her prying. The more she was away from Tuckett the better. He grimaced. Mind you, he quite liked Ethan Gibbons over there, bit of an egghead with far out ideas but still a colleague who should be warned about her.

  He reached for the phone, glanced at a chart on his office wall that listed other schools in the district and punched in the number shown.

  "Luxton Road School, Ethan speaking."

  "Hi Ethan, Don Trow here."

  "Hi Don, inter-school winter sports tournament been postponed again?"

  "No, I'm phoning on a different matter. Did you read that bit in the paper about the new government policies and the appointment of a Karla Spicer as executive principal for our area?"