Viard College confirms new principal
Porirua’s Bishop Viard College has announced a new principal, after the surprise departure of Teresa Cargo earlier this year.
Rose SawayaBaxter, currently principal at Sacred Heart Girls’ College in New Plymouth, will take the reins at the beginning of next year.
She is excited to be taking over the school which impressed her at the O’Shea Shield speech competition in Hastings recently.
‘‘I hadn’t come across Bishop Viard before, but I saw the way the junior students were speaking. The passion and joy they were showing, along with the support, was impressive,’’ she said.
‘‘During my visit to Viard, a young student asked me if I needed any help finding my way around and the door was held open for me multiple times.
‘‘There seems to be a wonderful feeling and great heart in the school.’’
Sawaya-Baxter said she was not aware of the reasons behind the sudden departure of her predecessor in April.
Former Wellington High School principal, Prue Kelly, has been the temporary head of the school since.
‘‘I didn’t know about that until I applied,’’ Sawaya-Baxter said. ‘‘ My focus has been my school and my circle here in New Plymouth.’’
Bishop Viard’s Board of Trustees chairman, Allan Holden, said there were no outstanding issues regarding Cargo’s employment.
The school was pleased to be moving on to the next chapter and it was now focused on driving student achievement, he said.
Rose Sawaya-Baxter is originally from Wellington and said the move was a return home for her and her family, but she was also looking for new challenges.
‘‘It’s the first time in a while I’ve been at a coed school and it’s a school with high Pasifika, so I’m looking forward to that side of the challenge.
‘‘But I do love the school I’m at, so it took a bit of juggling to make the decision.
‘‘It’s something different for me and that’s what I’m looking forward to.’’