John Paul College performing arts director lodges Fair Work Commission complaint

A PERFORMING arts director at one of Queensland’s most prestigious arts schools has lodged a complaint with the Fair Work Commission after he was forced to leave the college grounds last month.

John Paul College at Daisy Hill, south of Brisbane. (AAP image, John Gass)

A PERFORMING arts director at one of Queensland’s most prestigious arts schools has lodged a complaint with the Fair Work Commission after he was forced to leave the college grounds last month.

A hearing will be held between Bobby Gallo and John Paul College next Wednesday in Brisbane.

According to the commission, the hearing will consider an “application to deal with other contravention disputes”.

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Mr Gallo said he could not comment on the specifics of the case but said he was very keen to return to work as soon as possible.

“I believe that is best for the school and for my students,” he said.

It comes less than three weeks after The Courier-Mail revealed the school’s renewed academic focus had outraged parents, with some considering pulling their children from the college.

Principal Karen Spiller told The Courier-Mail last month that many of the changes to co-curricular activities had been made following feedback from concerned parents.

John Paul College principal Karen Spiller. Picture: Liam Kidston

“We provide our students with one of the most diverse choice of academic subjects and co- curricular activities in our region,” she said at the time.

“By any measure, we are a holistic school.”

Ms Spiller had told parents via email on March 12 – the same day Mr Gallo left the school – that he had taken a “short period of personal leave”.

However, The Courier-Mail understands a replacement teacher, Kelly Shepard, was there to fill in for Mr Gallo that same afternoon at choir practice and had already been interviewed by Ms Spiller.

The school’s director of marketing and communications Niki Dowding has also since resigned after comments she made on social media about JPC and its rival Canterbury College surfaced online.

The school has been contacted for comment.