Hillcrest Christian College principal Jeff Davis reappointed
The principal of an elite Gold Coast private college has been reappointed to his $400,000-a-year role, in a move that has angered some parents and staff.
Education
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THE principal of an elite Gold Coast private college that has been rocked by turmoil has been reappointed to his $400,000-a-year role, just weeks before a planned shake-up of the school board.
Jeff Davis, who has presided during more than a year of unrest at Hillcrest Christian College, has been given a new contract two months before his current six-year term as ‘executive head of college’ was due to expire.
The move has angered some staff, parents and members of the Reedy Creek Baptist Church which runs Hillcrest.
It comes ahead of the college’s annual meeting on July 26 where the constitution is planned to be amended and board control ceded to the Baptist Union of Queensland.
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The existing board announced on Friday that Mr Davis has been reappointed.
In a statement, board chairman Jame Lewis said the decision had been made after an ‘extensive review’ of the college’s achievements since Mr Davis’s original 2015 appointment.
These included reviews of ‘issues raised by some staff and parents’ and the findings of an Independent Schools Queensland review of Mr Davis.
Mr Lewis said ‘many educational, co-curricular and community highlights’ had been achieved under Mr Davis’ leadership, including the Class of 2019 achieving the highest year 12 results in the college’s history, a $20 million expansion and 500 new students.
“Mr Davis will continue the exciting journey of innovation and growth that Hillcrest has enjoyed in recent years …,” he said.
His reappointment comes after the private schools watchdog, the Non State School Accreditation Board, launched an investigation into the college’s administration and governance.
An overhaul of the school’s governance, including giving board control to the Queensland Baptists, was the major agenda item for the college’s annual meeting.
“It’s (Mr Davis’s reappointment) outrageous,” a Reedy Creek Baptist Church source said.
“It has been announced during the school holidays, two weeks before the AGM, and undermined the authority of a new college board.
“The college has been racked by months of turmoil under Jeff Davis’ leadership and yet he’s been reappointed without the company members being able to ask questions.”
Hillcrest had been rocked by unproven bullying allegations against Mr Davis – which he has strenuously denied – the departure of a slew of senior staff and controversy over the establishment of a private company to commercialise a school reading program using hundreds of thousands of dollars in school loans.
A $1 million deal to sell the I Love Reading program has not proceeded.
Mr Davis last year apologised to staff after explosive recordings emerged of him calling teachers ‘nuff-nuffs’ who can ‘barely pass year 12’.
There have been more staff departures in recent weeks, including a popular Year 4 teacher who staged a one-man protest outside the college with a placard proclaiming ‘I will not be silenced’.
The college claims the teacher was the subject of multiple bullying allegations.
A Hillcrest spokesman said Mr Davis had been cleared by four separate independent reviews and ‘the false and malicious attacks on the principal have to stop’.
“His reappointment has been ratified by the Queensland Baptists board, as well as the local college board,” he said.
“Future board governance matters are unrelated and not relevant to the reappointment. In any event, the board changes will be incremental over time.
“Reappointment negotiations were triggered by Mr Davis’ contract, and no other timing consideration. The upcoming AGM will not consider the principal position.”
Queensland Baptists director Stewart Pieper did not address Mr Davis’s reappointment but said the Hillcrest board had proposed governance changes following the NSSAB review.
“The college is controlled by its company members, so the proposal is a matter for them to consider and vote on at the AGM,” he said in a statement.
“Queensland Baptists has been approached by the board and supports the proposal.”