The Victor Scott Parent Teacher Association President has promised to fight to keep the school’s principal following an announced shake-up.

The organisation plans to hold a meeting tonight to discuss its doubts about Government’s decisions to move principal Valerie Williams to East End Primary in the coming school year.

“Our principal [Ms] Williams doesn’t want to leave, we don’t want her to leave, and we don’t want a new person coming in here just after two years of stability to ‘see’ if she can run this school,” said PTA president Azuhaa Coleman.

“And what if it doesn’t work and our children start failing once again? Will they then send us yet another principal and then another? Then, once again, our children will be back at the bottom of the dumpsters.

“We have out our boxing gloves and this is a fight we will win! We will fight for our babies. We will fight for their future. We will not stop until Ms Williams gets a note stating her transfer has been cancelled.”

Ms Williams became principal for Victor Scott Primary School in 2009, replacing Gina Tucker.

Dr Tucker had served as the school’s headmaster for eight years. She was dismissed after counsellor Anthony Peets filed a grievance against her.

Mrs Coleman argued that two years is not enough time to make a solid change in the school and that when Ms Williams leaves, the future of the school will be again left up in the air.

“Our principal was hands-on our school. Our principal was in every classroom, taking children home and she genuinely loved each and every child,” Mrs Coleman said. “She, as a young girl, walked the halls of Victor Scott and it had always been her lifelong dream to become its principal.

“She has brought stability and a sense of unity to her students and staff. Our children are in a whole class of their own and Ms Williams is the only principal who understands our children.

“We understand that she is talented and we understand that maybe some of her talents can help East End Primary School but according to most locals East End Primary School is fine.

“Victor Scott School is fine, East End Primary School is fine. If it ain’t broke why fix it?”

The move was one of four announced last week by Education Minister Dame Jennifer Smith. Purvis Primary School principal Judith Alexander was selected to fill Ms Williams’ position at Victor Scott.

East End Primary principal Idonia Beckles will move to TN Tatem Middle school, while the current principal there, Francine McMahon, will move to Purvis Primary School.

Dame Jennifer praised all of the principals involved in the four-school trade when she announced the switch in the House of Assembly last week.

“Each of these principals has provided a solid foundation at their particular school and they bring specific experience and expertise which will augment the school to which they are being transferred,” she said.

Tonight’s meeting will be held at 6pm in the auditorium at Victor Scott.

“We are asking all parents, community leaders and members of that area attend,” Mrs Coleman wrote in an e-mail circulated to parents. “A petition will be ready for you to sign and we will need this on order to move forward.”

A Ministry of Education spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment by press time yesterday.

lAre you a PTA member of the other schools affected by the swap? What do you think about the moves? E-mail news[AT]royalgazette.bm.