Taradale High School's long-serving principal resigns to pursue other interests

After 12 years at Taradale High School, principal Stephen Hensman has announced his resignation. Photo / File

After 12 years as principal of Taradale High School, Stephen Hensman is moving on.

He announced his resignation yesterday but will continue in the role until April 12 next year.

Hensman said it had been a tough decision to make, but he knew it was the right thing to do.

"The highlights of my time have been the tight-knit senior leadership team, the many and varied students I've met and the characters on the staff. This large, rambling family of
a school has a strong gravitational pull that makes it hard to draw away from."

"I am truly going to miss the people - the supportive staff, their collective energy and passion for educating young people. I have also loved working daily with teenagers. They are a joy to work with. Most of them are more inclined to want to please than to rebel. They are creative, enthusiastic, caring of one another and full of life."

Hensman said he had given the Taradale High School Board of Trustees five-and-a-half months' notice to ensure there was time to run a rigorous recruitment process.

Board chair Liz Read said Hensman had been an outstanding and dynamic leader responsible for considerable change at Taradale High School during his tenure as principal.

"His compelling vision for Taradale High School, emotional intelligence and ability to influence others has resulted in the implementation of endless quality improvement initiatives during the last 12 years.," she said.

Hensman, currently the chair of the Hawke's Bay Secondary Schools' Principals Association and a part of the executive of the New Zealand Secondary Principals' Council, said the most satisfying part of his tenure at Taradale High School had been the gradual improvement in academic outcomes.

He may be leaving, but he is not retiring. After a short break, Hensman will begin working as an independent education consultant, and would remain in Hawke's Bay.