After nine years as Maheno School’s junior teacher, Stella Macrae has been appointed as the North Otago primary school’s new principal.
She takes over from Ryan Fraser — Mrs Macrae was his first teaching appointment at Maheno — who left last month to become the principal at Ardgowan School.
The response to Mrs Macrae’s appointment had been overwhelming and humbling, and she hoped to have a positive influence on the school’s future.
"I’m really excited and looking forward to the challenge. Obviously, it’s a community that I’ve been in for a while, so it’s lovely," Mrs Macrae said.
Maheno, south of Oamaru, had a role of 51 pupils, whom Mrs Macrae was deeply passionate about, alongside her staff and the wider community.
Despite not being rural by nature, there was something about the country she loved.
"I really enjoy the country kids. They’re brave and they’re happy to help others.
"That’s the great thing about this school is we’re really passionate about helping others because our community helps us, but we like to also give back to our community ... I think that’s something our school does well."
Rural education is at the core of Mrs Macrae’s career. Growing up in Rotorua, Mrs Macrae studied at the former Christchurch College of Education through an outreach programme at the Waiariki Institute of Technology.
She taught at Mamaku School, a rural primary school outside Rotorua, before visiting her sister, Ann-maire Haydarieh, in Oamaru, and deciding to move south in 2014, joining Maheno.
"I visited my sister a number of times and really loved the positive, quirkiness of Oamaru and I could see that it was a town that was going places."
Since joining Maheno School, Mrs Macrae played a support role for Mr Fraser, and for the past three years held a leadership role in the Waitaki Ara Kahui Ako community of learning, supporting Maheno, Five Forks, Totara and Hampden Schools.
She looked forward to seeing Maheno’s building projects completed, a new literacy structure and continuing the good work already in place.
