KEY POINTS:
Pupils could end up getting lessons in a sports stadium after the delayed development of the country's showcase senior high school.
North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams told a meeting of more than 400 parents of Albany Junior High students last night he had asked for an urgent report on the viability of using North Harbour Stadium in 2009.
Albany Senior High School was supposed to open that year to take the junior high students through their last three years of college.
But construction has been delayed for up to two years after the Education Ministry came up against "significant opposition" when applying to redesignate land use for a school site.
Mr Williams said the emergency measure could be taken to provide a base for about 300 Year 9 students.
The stadium idea was not without precedent, he said. In January 2004, Oteha Valley School opened in the spacious President's Lounge there when construction fell behind.
But outraged parents remained unhappy last night, saying they had heard the senior school could be operated in a shed or warehouse.
Many called for the junior high to extend its capacity to take Year 11 students in 2009. About 150 indicated they were looking to move their children from the school.
There were heightened tensions at last night's meeting after education officials failed to front up to answer concerns.
Junior high principal Mike Jackson said the ministry team pulled out last week because they were working with the senior high's principal and board of trustees.
He said their reasons for pulling out did not make sense. "It's the same group of parents."
Andy Bonner, who has children at the junior high, said the no-show added insult to injury. "I think they should at least front up and give us an update on where things are at."
Senior high chairman Simon Russell said a meeting would be held for parents on November 7 when options developed by the ministry would be presented.
The Albany Junior High Parents' Forum agreed to launch an email campaign to MPs to try to get action. It may also picket public engagements by Prime Minister Helen Clark.
