Backing the call: sand, safety and a board’s response

When Balaclava School in Dunedin temporarily closed in November due to concerns about asbestos contamination in coloured play sand, Principal Gary Marsh’s response was swift, transparent and process-driven.

While the incident made headlines, Marsh’s approach highlighted the importance of clear operational leadership, steady communication and governance that builds trust – particularly in moments of heightened public attention.

“It started with a message from the Secretary of Education,” Marsh recalls. “The Ministry alerted schools to concerns about certain brands of coloured sand, so I immediately asked staff to check. Even though our sand didn’t match the original recall, I had a gut feeling it would go wider. So, we isolated it right away.”

That decision proved wise. As more brands were identified in the recall, Marsh proactively contacted WorkSafe and a local licensed asbestos removal company. He credits Scope as “outstanding” in supporting schools through testing and remediation.

Balaclava initially closed one classroom and an entrance area. As the list of affected products grew, Marsh ordered testing for all sand types on site, not just those flagged by authorities. “I wanted my community to know we had thoroughly tested, not just ticked boxes,” he says. “We weren’t going to wait for the next update. That was key.”

While the incident was operational in nature, Marsh was clear about when and how governance entered the picture. “I had to get board approval to close the school,” he says. “It was a Sunday when I realised I physically couldn’t house students safely. I rang my board chair, and we agreed – closing was the only responsible option.”

Because Balaclava was already managing renovations that reduced classroom space, the additional closures left students with nowhere to go. “If I’d had access to those rooms, I wouldn’t have needed to close,” Marsh says. “But given the situation, we acted fast.” The school reopened the next day after receiving negative test results.

Throughout the process, Marsh maintained close communication with his board. “I kept them in the loop: here’s what we found, here’s who I contacted, here’s the advice I followed,” he says. “The board didn’t need to step in and make decisions – they needed to be confident the right steps were being taken.”

Marsh used Balaclava’s communication system to alert families on a Sunday evening. “We said: we’ve got sand that might be affected. We’ve isolated it. We’re testing everything. Your kids won’t be near it until we have results.”

The response was overwhelmingly positive. “Normally you’d get the odd snarky email when schools close,” he says. “But this time, I got five emails of support and not one complaint. That’s the value of being open and honest.”

Marsh believes that governance in situations like this is less about intervention and more about trust and preparedness. “When things go wrong and boards panic or try to solve everything themselves, that’s when mistakes happen,” he says. “But if the board is confident the school leader is following the right processes, policies and procedures, then it’s just that – a process to follow.

“Our board was able to say, ‘yes, we’re aware – everything’s being done properly’. That’s what the community expects.”

A key part of this confidence stems from the school’s health and safety governance. Balaclava has a health and safety committee – including board representation – that meets each term. The group reviews the accident register and hazard logs and reports to the board with updates and recommended actions.

“It’s an active process,” Marsh says. “We try to encourage everyone – staff, students, even whānau – to raise hazards. Then we mitigate or eliminate them where we can.”

Asked what advice he would give to other school leaders and board members facing high-profile safety issues, Marsh is clear: communicate early, clearly and honestly.

“Just say what’s happening. Say: we’ve got the product. We’ve isolated it. We’re testing. Kids won’t be back until we’re confident it’s safe. Don’t overcomplicate it. Just be reassuring and direct.”

As part of the IoD’s commitment to building governance capability across all sectors, our School whole board membership offer supports the collective development of school boards. The offer includes a 33% preferential rate on each board member’s annual subscription, with no joining fee. It is available until 31 December 2025, and boards that sign up during this period will retain the preferential rate for the duration of their tenure with the IoD.

Additionally, for insights on how boards can lead effectively during disruption, see The board’s role in a crisis.