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Simon O’Connor / Stuff
Green School principal Stuart MacAlpine is understood to have resigned. (File photo)
Green School New Zealand founding principal Stuart MacAlpine reportedly resigned after less than a year in office.
His resignation came amid political controversy following the Aug. 26 announcement that the Taranaki private school would benefit from an increase in funding of $ 11.7 million.
However, MacAlpine’s decision to resign was due to his acceptance of a position “in one of the most prestigious international educational foundations in the world”, Newshub has reported.
MacAlpine moved to New Zealand from Singapore with his wife Francesca and their three children for the directorial position. The school opened in February 2020.
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SIMON O’CONNOR / Things
The Green School opened in February 2020 and has a current role of 55.
He seemed excited to have taken on the job, previously describing the first official school week as phenomenal.
“You are just building community, strength and relationships and that’s the kind of foundation for good learning,” he said. Stuff at the time.
MacAlpine had previously worked in UK schools before transferring to the United World College of South East Asia in Singapore, where he was Director of Teaching and Learning.
MacAlpine was also a Founding Director of Education and a member of the Leadership Team for Sky School, a coeducational high school for refugees that currently operates in six countries.
He remains the director of Hesscairn Learning Design Studio, according to Linkedin.
Two weeks ago, Green Party co-leader James Shaw announced that a plan to expand the Oakura-based school would be supported with $ 11.7 million from the ready-to-use fund to help the nation recover from Covid-19.
The funding decision angered Green Party members and supporters, parents and teachers across the country.
Marfell Community School Taranaki principal Kealy Warren sent the government a bill for $ 26.9 million in an attempt to obtain the same treatment for her students.
Twenty-eight other directors of Taranaki followed suit.
Later, Shaw publicly apologized for his role in funding the Green School, calling it “an error in judgment.”
But despite the funding furor, the school’s roster has not been affected, it said Wednesday in an emailed statement.
“New registrations have kept coming for the past two weeks.”
The school, founded by Taranaki’s partner Michael and Rachel Perrett, has a current list of 55 with student fees ranging from $ 16,000 to $ 43,000 a year.
Stuff has reached out to Green School for an answer.
