Angela is excited about the opportunity to further represent the body overseas and nationally and to lead policy within the organisation and in Wellington.
"I am enough of an idealist to never give up, but also enough of a realist to not get down when ideology rather than proven best practice wins out."
She says the government's current path is leading education down a dangerous road.
"They are making policy in isolation.
"It is not so much about more money as better targeting our resources.
She says the association is about fair wages and working conditions, but for her it is also a professional body where she can have a voice.
She foresees some of the issues on the table next year to be "the constant seeking to cut funding", standardisation of performance and league tables.
"Nobody is scared of accountability, but it is the way they are doing it."
She says some of the shifting goal posts are ambiguous.
"On the one hand they say they are going to lift post-graduation qualifications, but then they are pushing charter schools that would not need to appoint qualified teachers. There is no crises in education. Sure, we can improve, we are up to it, but work with us and look at the evidence.
"It is going to be an interesting year."
She will be moving to Wellington for the year with partner Ian Anglesey, a WITT technology teacher in Stratford, and children James (8) and Sarah (3), taking a leave of absence from Stratford High School.
But, she says returning to Stratford is strong on her agenda.
"I will miss the students too much. They ground me.
"I see this as a huge opportunity ... to have input into saving our education system - if I could enable someone to stand up for what is best for our schools and our communities, that would be fantastic."