A Commissioner will take over the running of Rudolf Steiner School in Christchurch.

It follows the appointment of Limited Statutory Manager Nicola Hornsey who was brought in at the start of the year following allegations of financial mismanagement at the school in Opawa.

Hornsey confirmed the changes to Chris Lynch Media and forwarded an email sent to parents today by Board chair Mark Lewis.

“The Board agreed to escalated intervention to help us manage the current challenges that our kura is facing.”

He said last year the School Board, with agreement of the Proprietor Trust, approached the Ministry of Education and requested support in the form of a Limited Statutory Manager.

“Our hope was that, with this support, we would be able to return to a sustainable and normal governance framework. Unfortunately, over the past few months, our challenges have not decreased, but increased. These challenges are beyond what can be reasonably expected of competent volunteer elected members of any board to manage on a day-to-day basis.

“Based on this context, that the CRSS Board agreed to accept increased support from the Ministry of Education in the form of a Commissioner to the school.

“By having an external governor take control and assess our situation to create a plan for us going forward, we hope to return to governance as usual, as soon as possible.

“As soon as the Commissioner has been appointed to the school, the current School Board will be dissolved and you will receive a further update.”

Over the weekend, Ministry of Education South Leader Nancy Bell told Chris Lynch Media “the Board of Trustees is seeking assistance from the Ministry.

We met with the board last Thursday and are now considering the best options to support the school and its students.”