Whanganui Girls' College dean Bev Franklin-Browne (right) escorts new principal Sharon Steer with year 9 students and their families on to school grounds for the welcome powhiri.
Photo / Bevan Conley
Whanganui Girls' College dean Bev Franklin-Browne (right) escorts new principal Sharon Steer with year 9 students and their families on to school grounds for the welcome powhiri.
Photo / Bevan Conley
Sharon Steer is relishing her new role as principal of Whanganui Girls' College and enjoying the warmth and welcoming attitude of the wider community.
"I feel very warmly welcomed by the school and the community," she said.
"I went to the River Traders Market on Saturday and everyone was sofriendly."
Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Steer has been teaching in New Zealand for over 20 years but this is her first principal appointment.
"Most recently, I was deputy principal at Kelston Girls' College in Auckland where I worked for four years and before that, I was assistant principal at Pukekohe High School.
"I'm really impressed with the school's NCEA achievement levels which have been consistently high and I'm told that the ASTRA programme has played a big part in that success."
Steer said she is pleased that her new school incorporates the principles of Te Kotahitanga.
The programme, written by Russell Bishop, Janice Wearmouth and Mere A Berryman to improve Māori students' learning and achievement over five years ago, is proving to be very effective, says Steer.
"Empowering Māori students to achieve as Māori within mainstream education is a very good pedagogy."
New Whanganui Girls' College principal Sharon Steer flanked by her daughter Meggan Steer (left) and year 9 dean Bev Franklin-Browne.
Photo / Bevan Conley
Whanganui Girls' College also welcomed 17 year 9 students this week and Steer said it was a moving experience to share her welcome with the new students and their families.
"The way they were welcomed was so warm and inviting," Steer said.
"It makes for an excellent start to their secondary education."
Steer was to receive another welcome from the school boarders at the Ad Astra Hostel on Thursday night.
"They have invited me to dinner and I'm really looking forward to sitting down with them.
"There are 47 girls living in the hostel this year."
Steer has two adult children and one granddaughter living in Auckland and her daughter Meggan walked beside her as she was welcomed on Wednesday.
"It has been quite hard to move away from them but I'm sure we will visit each other often.
"In the short time I've been here, I have bumped into people I've known in Auckland who were visiting because they grew up here or have connections to Whanganui.
"It's a beautiful city and I know I am going to enjoy living here."
Steer replaces Tania King who left the principal role in August last year.
Nita Pond has been acting principal since King's departure and she will now resume her role as deputy principal.
"Nita and all the staff here have been amazing," Steer said.
"They are a truly dedicated and talented team and I'm looking so forward to working with them all."
