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Ministry of Education New Zealand

Principal's decision

  1. If a student fails to comply with any conditions imposed by the board, you may request the board to hold a meeting to reconsider its initial decision. You are not required to request a meeting if you do not wish to.

  2. You may wish to investigate a possible failure to comply with conditions. Refer to Investigation, paragraphs 15 to 21.

    Investigation

    In particular you should consider taking care to act fairly, consider involving the student and resolve major disputes and uncertainties (if possible).

  3. The board must hold a reconsideration meeting about the student’s case:
    1. within 7 school days of the request; or
    2. if the request is made within 7 school days of the end of term, within 10 calendar days of the request.
  4. If you have requested a reconsideration meeting for a student whose suspension was lifted with conditions, the student must remain at school until the meeting.
  5. If an incident has occurred that you think is sufficiently serious to justify a new suspension, you may choose to suspend the student rather than call a reconsideration meeting. In such cases you will need to take care to follow the suspension process from the beginning.
Tip

Hint

Care will need to be taken to distinguish a reconsideration request from a new suspension.

You may wish to seek professional advice from the NZSTA Trustee helpdesk if you are uncertain.

How to request a reconsideration

  1. The request for a reconsideration meeting should be documented. You will also need to prepare a report for the board to consider which states why you believe specific conditions have not been complied with.

Information about reconsideration meeting

The board must notify the parents of the reconsideration meeting as soon as practicable after deciding to hold the reconsideration meeting.

Refer to Part 2, Appendix: Model letters, Letter 4 – Reconsideration of suspension letter.

Appendix: Model letters

The board must ensure, however it gives this information, that it is able to reach the student and his or her parent at least 48 hours before the reconsideration meeting.

Refer to “Giving a document” note.

During a suspension

  1. The board must tell the student and his or her parents in writing:
    1. when and where the reconsideration meeting will be (so they can make arrangements to attend); and
    2. what options the board has at that meeting for dealing with the suspension (so the student and his or her parents know the possible repercussions of failing to meet the conditions and the options available for the board to decide upon).
  2. The board must also give the student and his or her parents in writing:
    1. information about the procedures that it follows at reconsideration meetings (so they know what to expect)
    2. advice that the student and his or her parents and their representative may attend the meeting and speak at it about the reconsideration of the suspension (so that they know to prepare)
    3. the principal's report to the board on the reconsideration of the suspension (so they know the case they have to answer); and
    4. any other material about the reconsideration of the suspension that the principal or board are going to present at the meeting (so there are no surprises).
  3. Information given to the student and parent must be as complete as possible. This is a requirement of natural justice. Boards should seek professional advice about how to protect the privacy of other students when providing information to the student and parent.