Craighead Diocesan School has announced its new principal as it prepares to farewell Lindy Graham at the end of the year.
Stepping up from her role as deputy principal, Lara Hearn-Rollo will take the reins at the beginning of 2024.
In a joint statement, the Craighead board of trustees and board of proprietors said Ms Hearn-Rollo was a ‘‘standout in a high-calibre pool of applicants’’ and they were impressed with the passion she had for education as well as her previous work as the deputy principal.
Ms Hearn-Rollo started at Craighead in 2017, having previously worked in several special-character schools, including St Cuthbert’s, Kristin School and St Oran’s College.
She said there were no second thoughts when it came to accepting the position.
‘‘When I got the news I was really excited. It’s a real privilege to be offered a position such as this, especially at Craighead. I’m absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to lead such a great school.’’
During her extensive teaching career, she has held several other national leadership roles.
She has been chairwoman of the New Zealand History Teachers’ Association and was a social sciences facilitator and later the national coordinator for social sciences under the Secondary Student Achievement Contract.
Ms Hearn-Rollo has also worked for both the University of Otago and University of Canterbury Colleges of Education and was on the national advisory group for the Māori Hitori project.
She said her main focus when coming into the role would be maintaining consistency and stability.
‘‘Education is in quite a considerable period of change at the moment with the refreshed curriculum, NCEA change package and a new minister coming in and things like that.
‘‘I want to get the year 11 diploma really embedded and one of the key things we are looking at here is providing pathways for all our students; focusing on the whole person, the who — who they want to be, who our girls want to be as opposed to just what they want to do.’’
Ms Hearn-Rollo said it was great to have Ms Graham as a mentor.
‘‘Her guidance has been absolutely invaluable.
‘‘I have learnt so much from Lindy over the last seven years, first as her assistant and then as her deputy, so I am incredibly privileged to have worked with her and to count her as a really close friend.’’
An official welcome will be held at the beginning of February.
There will also be a licensing ceremony involving the Bishop of Christchurch, where the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia will grant Ms Hearn-Rollo a licence to work as the 17th principal of Craighead Diocesan School within the Diocese of Christchurch.
