The Radford College board chair has resigned saying attacks on her character had taken a toll on her health but a parent action group says it does not end their concerns around the management of the school.
Vicki Williams will step down as chair and retire from the board at the end of the school term after the school significantly raised fees at the beginning of the year.
A group of parents had pushed for the Anglican Diocese to remove Ms Williams as board chair, arguing the school's financial situation was not as dire as the board said when presenting the fee increase.
In a letter to the school community, Ms Williams said the past year was one of the most challenging periods of her time on the board but she defended the "difficult decisions" the board made.
"Some of the commentary directed at me personally, however, has moved beyond disagreement about decisions and into attacks on my character," Ms Williams said.
"Its sustained nature has taken a significant toll on my health and wellbeing. After much reflection, I have concluded that stepping down at the end of the school term is the right decision for me and my family.
"I hope my decision will not only support my health and wellbeing but also provide Radford with the space to move forward and focus on its students and future. It should not be interpreted as a loss of confidence in the board, the college or its direction."
A spokesperson for the parent action group said the resignation of the chair was not the end of the matter, but it was the first step towards accountability.
"Parents are now calling on the Anglican Diocese to take our concerns seriously and appoint a new Chair in genuine consultation with the school community," the spokesperson said.
"That person must be committed to reversing the increasingly elitist direction of the College and restoring Radford to the path towards the beautiful, inclusive school we all know and love."
The spokesperson said the resignation came after 10 months of sustained calls for Ms Williams to step down after a town hall meeting where attendees overwhelmingly supported a vote of no confidence in the board.
"This was not a 'personal attack', but a community united in their desire for change.
"The Chair holds immense power and influence over decisions involving millions of dollars. Ms Williams has still not taken accountability for the choices she made that have had a devastating impact on hundreds of children and their families."
In her letter to families, Ms Williams acknowledged the board's decision to raise fees "has had a real impact on families".
Ms Williams said she had "complete confidence" in principal Chris Bradbury.
"Chris inherited significant and complex challenges and has met them with professionalism, resilience and determination."
The board chair said the school would soon reveal its fees for 2027 and it would show the about 20 per cent fee increase in 2026 was "a one-off reset of the fee base."
"The 2027 fees will reflect prudent cost management by the college executive, the economic and policy environment in which Radford operates and the need to ensure the College remains sustainable for generations to come," she said.
"My decision to step down is not connected to that process."
The parent action group maintain the fee hike was "unnecessary and opportunistic".
"Ms Williams has referred to the 'complex challenges' inherited by principal Chris Bradbury," the parent spokesperson said.
"Ms Williams was the chair during the genesis of these "challenges" and she has now cast a shadow over all of her own decisions made during this time, including the appointment of Mr Bradbury himself."
