Acting principal brings wealth of experience to job

Willy Kersten, Hereworth School's Acting-headmaster. Photo/Paul Taylor

When Willy Kersten resigned at the end of last year, after a decade as principal of Rathkeale College, he was not expecting to take charge of Hereworth School.

But now just four weeks into his new role as acting headmaster of the year 1-8 school, he is fully immersed in the school culture.

Towards the end of March it was announced that former headmaster, Steve Fiet had resigned to "pursue other challenges in the education sector", after taking over in July, 2015.

Kersten was appointed as an interim measure for the remainder of the year, while the school Board searches for a new, permanent headmaster.

He said it was a good way of "integrating and re-integrating with the Havelock North and Hawke's Bay communities".

"I guess in some ways it has brought a strength to the position in that I have some familiarity with the region."

Before his stint at Rathkeale, Kersten was associate rector at Palmerston North Boys' High School and deputy principal at Central Hawke's Bay College. He has 23 years of senior management experience and has taught at seven schools, including boarding, non-boarding, co-ed, single sex, special character, state, independent, rural and urban.

"We are really pleased with the decision we made to return to Hawke's Bay and feel fortunate to be part of Hereworth - it is something that I hadn't anticipated when we left 23 years ago," Kersten said.

"We enjoyed Havelock North very much, but my career progression and family matters and our journey followed a path we hadn't determined entirely."

And while there are several differences between the two schools, Kersten sees a lot of similarities. "They have a similar ethos," Kersten said. "They have the expectation of boys' maintaining standards and values, a responsibility to provide guidence in that area as young men grow up and develop their personal values and inter-personal relationships."

"Both schools are very much about providing a holistic education and that's obviously the academic, sport, performing arts and they have that spiritual dimension which we see as vital."

During his short time at the school he has been focused on seeing how things work.

"I've got to be mindful of where the traditions and expectations of the school fit into some of my thinking.

"In my time here, I will look to make suggestions and provide advice and guyidence that will assist hereworth to best set itself up to achieve the aspirations it has for the boys' and their families.

"We want to be a school that is an attractive propisition to families outside of the immediate area as a boarding school option for their son, we want the school to be a place where boys feel there are opportunities, where they are challenged, where they gain a sense of achievement and feel fulfilled."

The new headmaster has tweaked the structure slightly and is ensuring that communication lines are open and clear. "Communication is always important and we are continually addressing that."

He does not plan on taking on a permanent role at the school and does not know what is in store for him next.

"Possibilities will come along I'm sure and if they don't, we will create them."