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Verdon to Become Year 7-13 School; Survey of Parents Reveals Most in Favour

Posted on: Wednesday, 7 September 2005, 15:01 CDT

VERDON College would become a year 7 to 13 school from 2006, Education Minister Trevor Mallard announced yesterday.

The announcement followed a survey of parents and parishioners in the Invercargill area on whether they supported the proposal for the college to take year 7 and 8 pupils from its three contributing Catholic schools. They would become year 1 to 6, with the college year 7 to 13.

The results showed a clear majority of the adult Catholic community was in favour of the proposal, Mr Mallard said.

Of the 1442 survey forms returned, 59.36 percent were in support and 40.64 percent were against.

The decision means Verdon College will accept year 7 and 8 pupils from next year and Sacred Heart, St Patrick's and St Theresa's will become years 1 to 6.

It was an "exciting opportunity" to align the Catholic schools with the State schools in the Invercargill area, Mr Mallard said.

All State secondary schools became year 7 to 13 under a review he pushed through last year.

The ministry would continue to support the schools as they implemented the changes, he said.

Verdon College principal Laura Hawdon said the school appreciated the quick decision, which meant everyone could prepare for the future.

"We understand there will be a lot of strong emotions in this whole process. It's a change in education, that's how we have to look at it.

"We have to move forward," Mrs Hawdon said.

Verdon College would be advertising for teachers for the junior school, but she hoped those who would lose their jobs in the contributing schools would consider Verdon as an option.

The school had five months for extensive rennovation, including new classrooms and new blocks to house the year 7 and 8 pupils and a new technology area to meet their curriculum needs.

"It's all very exciting ... it's the way Catholic education has to move," she said.

In a statement sent to the Catholic schools, Bishop Colin Campbell thanked Mr Mallard and Invercargill Labour candidate Wayne Harpur for their efforts.

"I pray parents and the community will work together to develop a strong, lasting and unified system of Catholic schooling in Southland," he said.

Source: Southland Times, The

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