The school's establishment board chairman Dr Ian Hall said yesterday that there were 17 applicants for the job.
``We are delighted to appoint Jodie who is well known in our local community and who has a strong track record as an outstanding educational leader.''
Mrs Howard graduated from the Dunedin College of Education with a diploma of teaching and is also a graduate of the University of Otago with a bachelor of education and a postgraduate diploma of education (teaching). She has been deputy principal at Hawea Flat since 2005.
The new school is due to be built next year and open at the start of the 2020 school year. It will cater for 400 pupils on a new site in the Three Parks subdivision