Kōrero

Tēnā koutou katoa e te whānau o Craighead

Topic covered in this communication:

• Principal Appointment

Ko te piko o te māhuri, tērā te tupu o te rākau

The way in which the young sapling is nurtured, determines how the tree grows.

Principal Appointment: Ms Lara Hearn-Rollo

Amongst the busyness of Term Four, the Board of Trustees has been working tirelessly in the background to appoint the next Principal of Craighead. After a comprehensive and thorough selection process, the Board of Trustees, with the support of the Board of Proprietors, were delighted to announce that Ms Lara Hearn-Rollo has been appointed as the next Principal for Craighead Diocesan School, as of the beginning of 2024.

Ms Hearn has been impressive in her role as Deputy Principal, Curriculum. She came to Craighead in 2017, having worked in several Special Character schools, including St Cuthbert’s, St Catherine’s and St Oran’s Colleges. During her extensive teaching career, Ms Hearn has also held national leadership roles. She has been Chairperson for the NZ History Teachers’ Association and was a Social Sciences National Coordinator and Facilitator for Secondary Student Achievement. Ms Hearn has 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 is a published author. Given her current role at Craighead as Deputy Principal with the Curriculum portfolio, Ms Hearn now has a comprehensive understanding of the refreshed Curriculum (Te Mātaiaho), as well as an in-depth knowledge of the New Zealand Qualifications and assessment systems.

Ms Hearn is committed to promoting a culture of personal excellence at Craighead Diocesan School, as well as continuing to explore ways to allow students to be free to choose who they want to be. She will continue to be known as Ms Hearn by our staff and students.

An official welcome for Ms Hearn will be held at the beginning of February. There will also be licensing ceremony involving the Bishop of Christchurch, whereby the Anglican church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia will grant Ms Hearn a license to work as Principal of Craighead Diocesan School within the Diocese of Christchurch. I wish Ms Hearn all the best as she transitions to the role as the 17th Principal of Craighead Diocesan School.