TWO associate principals appointed at a troubled west Belfast secondary school are to step down from their roles.
The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) has confirmed that associate principals Imelda Jordan and John Wilkinson, appointed earlier this year at De La Salle College, will step aside.
The CCMS said the appointment of two associate principals was only ever a temporary arrangement.
De La Salle has been in turmoil over a breakdown in relations between some of the 70-strong staff and the principal Claire White for several months.
It has seen pickets by parents and sixth form pupils amid fears that summer exams will be affected, although protesters have agreed to temporarily suspend their daily public protest at the school gates.
Senior Vice Principal Marian O'Neill will take on the role of acting principal from Monday "until further notice".
In a statement CCMS has said the governors at the school have "great confidence in Marian’s capacity to continue the work programme developed by Mrs Jordan and Mr Wilkinson.”
A spokesman from Concerned Parents Committee said they did not support the appointment of Mrs O'Neill.
"We are at a loss as to how a board of governors could ever think that this is in any way an appropriate appointment. Therefore, as per our original call we again ask for the existing board of governors and vice principals to be stood down with immediate effect."
Principal Mrs White has been absent from the school since the middle of April and no time scale has been given by CCMS for her return.
The appointment of an acting principal at the schools indicates that it is unlikely she will return before the end of the current school term.
"CCMS thanks Imelda Jordan and John Wilkinson for the tremendous contribution to the leadership and management of De La Salle during the school term," CCMS said.
"They are no longer available in these roles as the term comes to an end, however to ensure continuity, they will both provide support to the school as educational associates through CCMS," a spokeswoman said.
