Students and staff at Ponsonby Intermediate School will farewell one of Auckland’s most admired principals on Friday, as funeral plans are confirmed for Nick Wilson following his sudden death.
Wilson’s funeral will be held at All Saints Chapel, with the school closing at midday so the community can attend together.
Families have been asked to wear yellow, the colour of Wilson’s beloved Rimu house at the school.
“While we may not yet fully realise it, the education sector has lost a giant who had so much more yet to give,” board chairman Hamish Hopkinson said, describing Wilson as a leader who dedicated 30 years of his life to the school and its students.
Wilson, 50, died on Saturday evening after a sudden medical event.
He was survived by his wife of 25 years, Racheal, and his two children.
Hopkinson told the Herald he was an “amazing friend, mentor, motivator and human being”.
“He loved his family, friends, staff, the school, and teaching students.
“We will continue to build on his legacy.”
When you looked at Wilson, you would not see a principal, Hopkinson said. Instead, you might assume he was a project manager at a construction company.
“He drove a ute, played golf with a great handicap and loved fishing. But behind this, he had this enormous passion for education and, man, was he good at it.”
Wilson’s ethos as a principal was letting kids shine in their own way, whether it be through the arts, on the sportsfield, or academically, and he was always “highly visible” around the school, Hopkinson said.
“He would ref lunchtime sports on the field, staff the road crossing, walk around the classrooms, be present in the staffroom and, with much humour, often be on the losing team at the Friday afternoon staff quiz.
“He once said, with a grin, that ‘Kids don’t get excited to come to school to learn maths and English, but they’ll run to school to do all this other cool stuff that we do and that is when we can teach them all the important stuff’.”
Operators of the Young Guns Skate School remembered Wilson as their first true supporter almost two decades ago.
Wilson introduced skateboarding as a school activity, something that was a “dream come true” for his young students.
He then backed their skate school more than a decade later, “without hesitation”, the owners said.
“He believed in young people, thought outside the box, cared deeply for his students and community and created opportunities that shaped lives far beyond the school grounds.
“[Wilson] was a truly good man, an incredible leader and someone whose impact will continue for generations to come.”
Ponsonby Intermediate was closed on Monday but reopened yesterday.
The day began with a full school hui, where the assistant principals addressed the school.
Counselling services have been made available throughout this week.
An email sent to parents on Monday from the school’s assistant principals described Wilson’s death as a “devastating loss”.
They thanked the community for its wrap-around support while the school navigated heartbreak and grief.
“As a school, we know the news of Nick Wilson’s passing will hit differently across the community.
“As a staff, we are heartbroken and appreciate the wrap-around support we are receiving at this time.”
Tributes have poured in throughout the week, saying the death of the “great man” was an “enormous shock”.
“I’m incredibly saddened by [Wilson]’s sudden passing,” one person wrote.
“Nick was a dear long-time friend and someone connected to so many happy memories growing up.”
Auckland-based Labour list MP Camilla Belich wrote:
“Devastating news for the Ponsonby Intermediate and wider Auckland school community. Nick was a fantastic principal and will be sorely missed.
“Thinking of his family, friends and the staff and students of Ponsonby Intermediate. Moe mai rā e te rangatira.”
A Ministry of Education statement said its traumatic incident team would be supporting the school for as long as needed.
“Our thoughts are with the family, staff, students and wider community at this very difficult time,” a ministry spokesperson said.
Rachel Maher is an investigative reporter covering Auckland issues and education. She started at the Herald as a breaking news journalist in 2022, before joining the Auckland team this year.
Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.