Student protests and parent outrage have failed to save the job of a popular principal in Saint John.
The Anglophone South School District has named a new principal for Saint John High School – a disappointing decision for students and former colleagues of Marijke Blok, whose contract was not renewed, although no one has said why.
“I know you’re looking for more information and this is very much a personnel issue,” says Zoe Watson, superintendent of the Anglophone South School District.
Nearly 100 students, parents showed their support for Blok outside the school district’s office on June 14.
The district has appointed Celinda VanHorne as the new principal of Saint John High School. She had been the principal at Hampton High since 2006 and held similar positions on Grand Manan and in Nunavut before that.
Retired vice-principal Richard Thorne was among those opposed to Blok’s dismissal and now he hopes the school and community can turn the page.
“I think what’s important now is to have some reconciliation,” says Thorne. “It’s a principal who is new to the school, but not inexperienced, and I think she will be able to have some distance from the situation and probably view it with a degree of neutrality.”
The New Brunswick Department of Education is backing the decision, despite the student protests and outpouring of support for Blok.
Although she is no longer principal, Blok continues to inspire loyalty among her former students.
“If it wasn’t for Marijke Blok, I’d definitely still be in Grade 10,” says graduate Jordan Skinner. “She got me into classes that I was interested in and she knew that I would like. She understands what the students want and I think it’s terrible how they took that from her.”
Blok has not commented on the matter since the controversy began last month. While she won’t be returning as principal in the fall, she will return to the classroom as a teacher at Saint John High School.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Mike Cameron
