from term 1, 1987, the minister for education directed that the former maitland boys high and the former maitland girls high were to be co-educational; he announced that the schools would be renamed maitland high school and evatt high school in honour of the evatt family whom he described as "the finest family that maitland has produced, arguably that australia has produced". the decision caused public controversy and the former maitland boys high school was renamed maitland high school, and the former maitland girls high school was renamed maitland grossman high school in honour of jeanette grossmann who was headmistress of maitland girls high school from 1890 to the end of 1913.