CHRISTINE O'NEILL PRINCIPAL

I feel privileged to begin the journey as Principal of Christchurch Girls’ High

School and I am very much looking forward to working with the staff, students, parents and community of the school.

We are fortunate to inherit the legacy of the strong and visionary women who founded and have led the school through its history. Inherent in treasuring that tradition is the challenge to be progressive, to look to the future and to move ahead of the times while reinterpreting the meaning of excellence in education in new contexts.

As one of four sisters, a mother of three daughters and grandmother to three granddaughters, it is important to me that our girls are wahine toa – ready for their futures, having agency over their lives and choices, and young women who are loving, courageous, authentic and grateful for life and all it offers.

Moreover, as young women of aroha their education needs to be embedded in compassion and advocacy for those young women whose lives are less fortunate and whose rights and humanity are diminished both here and globally. In this way we continue the vision which first made history in establishing this school for girls in 1877.