PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - A groundswell of support has been shown for Greenwood Bay College headmaster Marc Falconer, who has resigned and is due to leave the school at the end of March.

Falconer is the second headmaster to leave the school in a year and parents were so shocked at the news of his departure that a WhatsApp group was started to rally support for his retention.

Nearly 300 join group

The group now has nearly 300 members, and sent out a lengthy questionnaire, one question asking parents whether they had faith in the school's future under the the holding company (ADvTECH).

Out of 85 responses by Tuesday 4 February, only one respondent answered "yes".

Kim Gnodde, a concerned parent, said the drive to "keep Mr Falconer as our headmaster continues".

News of Falconer's departure was conveyed to GBC parents on January 21 by Jane Coetzer, who said "it is with much sadness that ADvTECH announces the resignation of Mr M Falconer. We thank him for his tireless efforts and dedication to the pupils".

Deputy principal

Merice Roopram, the COO of the House Schools Group of the holding company ADvTECH, announced that Jane Coetzer, the deputy principal of the Prep School, had assumed the role of acting principal in the interim.

Following the reaction from parents Roopram sent another letter: "Our recent communication regarding Marc's resignation, has understandably evoked emotions from some parents with much speculation surrounding the matter.

"Please be assured that Marc's departure was due to challenges he faced in building the learning team he envisioned to support his academic vision.

'Highly motivated drive'

"While I understand the sense of instability that can arise when a principal leaves, rest assured that Jane Coetzer, our deputy principal, is highly capable of managing and leading the school during this transition," said Roopram.

Gnodde said due to the "significant and uplifting impact Mr Falconer has had on the school since his commencement, little over a year ago, there is a consistent and highly motivated drive to keep Mr Falconer as the Head of GBC… as the fallout this is having on the school, including but not limited to, the number of parents who are either considering or who are withdrawing their children is staggering".

'Issues not addressed'

"One of the most serious events in the history of the school has occurred and ADvTECH isn't on the horizon.

"It has simply sent out correspondence to the parents to try to pacify and appease them, not addressing the real critical issues at hand, of which there are many, but has seemingly rather sought to allow time to pass, perhaps in the hopes that this will go away.

"Mr Falconer is a relatable, trustworthy and stable figure at the school who has gained the trust and admiration of the students and parents during his headmastership.

"The nonsensical departure of Mr Falconer... has resulted in great uncertainty and lack of faith for parents and pupils at large.

"The drive to keep Mr Falconer as our headmaster continues," said Gnodde.

Confidentiality agreement

Falconer said he had signed a confidentiality agreement and could not comment on the situation.

Shedding light on the issue is the notification that was sent to parents by ADvTECH that he was not supported in creating an academic team to further his academic vision for GBC.

'Aware of frustration'

In a statement Mike Aitkin, MD of Greenwood Bay College, said the ADvTECH leadership is aware of the GBC parent community's disappointment and frustration following the resignation announcement of Falconer.

"Mr Falconer has built relationships with the parent community during his time at the school and some parents have reached out to express this and their concerns regarding his announced departure at the end of Term 1, 2025.

'Constructive engagement'

"We are also aware that there is a survey questioning the role of ADvTECH in the school, but we have not received any feedback or communication in this regard.

"We have however continued to communicate with parents and have requested that concerns or questions be directed through the Parent Association so that a single point of constructive engagement can be established to help navigate a way forward.

"We have confidence in the school management team and staff to continue to manage the school and we will continue to provide the necessary support," said Aitkin.

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