Leader’s exit an end of an era
A prestigious Auckland college is about to lose its principal after 20 years of service.
Lynda Reid has been the St Cuthbert’s College principal since 1996, and for 20 of the college’s 100 year history. Her tenure comes to a close today.
St Cuthbert’s is an independent school with a leadership role in the sector. The college provides education to more than 1400 girls from years 1 to 13 at its campus in Epsom.
Reid is recognised for her leadership in guiding the school to many academic successes, including the introduction of NCEA and International Baccalaureate. In an audacious move she introduced the month-long Kahunui remote campus in 1996 to provide an educational platform for students to develop resilience and community oriented life skills.
‘‘I am proud that I leave the college more connected to the wider educational community than at the point that I started. The college is actively involved in the education sector,’’ she says.
Reid’s relationship with the college began when she was a Dunedin-based deputy head principal. Her husband saw the St Cuthbert’s principal position being advertised and suggested she contact the school. Reid made the call but was embarrassed to be informed she was speaking to Diocesan School for Girls, not St Cuthbert’s College. Now, with her legacy well established, Reid reflects on this embarrassing moment with good humour, focussing on what she will miss most now that she is leaving.
‘‘When you work with young people all the time you can’t help but be inspired by their energy. I will very much miss the girls’ enthusiasm and I will miss the staff.’’
Reid’s commitment has been recognised with the presentation of the Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand Leadership in Education Award. She is the only head of an independent school to receive this accolade.
After leaving college life Reid will take time writing reflections on the NZ education system, leadership within the sector, and problems such as the upcoming teacher shortage crisis.
St Cuthbert’s College trust board chair Simon Allen says he ‘‘would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Mrs Lynda Reid for her outstanding 20 years of leadership at St Cuthbert’s and the extraordinary legacy she leaves for the college’’.