The first woman appointed as Maniototo Area School principal was a pupil there when it made history by becoming the country's first area school.
Patsy Inder, of Hamilton, will take up the principal's role next month at the start of the fourth term.
She replaces David Hunter, who held the top job for three years before becoming principal of Taieri College.
Ms Inder, who is in her 50s, said she had always been '' a big believer in area schools - I like the concept of one school, of it being being a real community and that seamless transition from the junior school to the senior school.''
''I also like the direction Dave was taking the school and plan to build on that .''
It would be a homecoming in many ways, she said. She grew up on a farm and was a pupil of Wedderburn school before attending Ranfurly District High School. At the start of her secondary schooling, in 1969, the school became New Zealand's first area school. Both her mother and her brother had taught there.
''I still regard the Maniototo as home and have very strong links there and extended family still in the area,'' Ms Inder said.
She is working now as a resource teacher but earlier worked with the Ministry of Education on a national initiative to improve outcomes for children who were not reaching their full potential.
Other recent roles included working with Massey University and the University of Waikato as a leadership and management adviser. She has served as principal at other Otago schools, including Caversham, Waitati and Tokoiti School, in Milton.
Her first post as principal was at Naseby School in the 1980s. Then, there were primary schools at Hyde, Waipiata, Kyeburn, Patearoa, Paerau, Wedderburn, Oturehua and Becks.
All of them, including Naseby, have since closed. Maniototo Area School board chairman John Pyle said Ms Inder was a ''standout applicant'' for the principal's job.
''The board are thrilled to have someone with such passion and experience to lead our school,'' he said.
Ms Inder is looking forward to becoming fully involved in the Maniototo community ''getting to know those people who don't know me yet and renewing acquaintances with those who do.''
She was already a life member of the Naseby Museum - ''and I'll get re-involved in that'' - and was a staunch sports supporter.
''And of course, I'm from the Maniototo, so I'm a keen curler.''
