Armidale Secondary College will be getting its third principal in four years after the announcement yesterday that Bree Harvey-Bice has moved on.
In a letter dated 10 January sent to the school community, Matt Hobbs, the Director of Educational Leadership for the NSW Department of Education, advised that Harvey-Bice had taken up another appointment. The department’s media team refused to confirm that the new appointment was within the Department of Education, or provide any additional information than what was in the letter.
Rumours and gossip about the departure of Harvey-Bice swirled yesterday in the absence of any detailed information from the Department of Education. It is believed Harvey-Bice has been seconded to work on a project within the NSW Department of Education.
Harvey-Bice herself came to the school in a relieving capacity for the first 16 months after the former Principal was seconded, before being officially appointed as Principal in October 2022. If this pattern is repeated, it may be a very long time before the beleaguered school gets strong and stable leadership.
Deputy Principal Sarah Travis, who has acted in the role a great deal recently during multiple stints of leave for Harvey-Bice, will again step into the role temporarily for Term 1 while recruitment of a new Principal takes place. Ms Travis has been mentioned positively by a number of parents and guardians throughout our series on ASC as someone more dedicated to doing what is right rather than what looks good, in stark contrast to the leadership of Harvey-Bice.
There appears to have been no movement on repeated calls for the de-merger of ASC back to Armidale High and Duval High. Multiple requests for comment, including to local MP Adam Marshall, were not responded to by deadline.
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