Chameleons Montessori School battles on regardless....

I've just been reading through an email sent out to parents of children at Chameleons that outlines their plans for 2011.

Personally I find it a bit premature that they've got all sorts of exciting plans to boost the numbers of students there when, as yet, we still have no idea what the results of the testing procedures will be.

Surely it would be prudent to wait to find out whether they can in fact claim there is no contamination of the school premises and that children are not being exposed to these poisons before dragging in another batch of unknowing customers?

The school has finally, 5 years after starting at Nitida, been forced to acknowledge the possibility that there may be a danger posed by these chemicals and has said it is doing some testing to discover the reality of the situation. I haven't been able to get anyone to confirm that anything is actually been done as yet but we wait in hope. In the meantime though, the management of the school seems mainly concerned with making up the numbers lost due to people leaving over fears of possible pesticide exposure.

To me it all seems to demonstrate what many of us have come to expect from the school. Come what may and regardless of whatever evidence and facts are presented they will not be moved. All we can hope for is that people with no vested interests there will see the obvious potential for harm and not put their children in such an obviously risky situation.

It's also somewhat odd that while one of the teachers who've tendered their resignation is mentioned and wished well, the other, the actual directress of the primary school, is not mentioned at all. All we are told is;

We will use 2011 to source a dynamic Senior Primary Directress to recreate this class again when we are ready.

It's quite sad that this is how the school treats anyone who, for perfectly legitimate reasons, decides to leave them. From what I understand this lady practically created the primary school single-handedly as neither the principle nor her sister had the qualifications nor experience to do the job themselves.

The following is taken from the schools inappropriately optimistic email of 11 October 2010

Pre-school: Development Plans for 2011

Our two current pre-school classes (Butterflies & Ladybirds) are already full for 2011. As part of our strategic plan, as well as due to increasing demand, we intend introducing a third Pre-school class which will be situated at the Primary Campus in the room currently being used by our Senior Primary Class. Filling this additional class is already underway with only 12 more enrolments needed to have a full compliment for 2011.

The Year Ahead

We remain very enthusiastic and inspired for the year ahead. With this plan we will increase our Chameleons enrolment to 112 children across all campuses – our highest ever!! We are confident that our strategic plan is well grounded and will meet the needs of all our 2011 families.

2011 will be a year of stability, growth and further development in all aspects of Chameleons and we look forward to the re-introduction of our Senior primary class again in the near future as this remains an integral part of the future development of the school.