The principal of Mangaweka School, Maryann Roberts, grew up in a family steeped in education, she said.
"We were in the business of education."
Her dad was principal at four different primary schools while she was growing up, and her mum was a teacher and a deputy principal, she said.
But Ms Roberts said the last thing she ever wanted to be was a teacher. "To be honest, it wasn't something I ever wanted to do."
Her friends never gave up on her, she said.
"They kept saying I'd be a great teacher, even though I had a good job in market sales. One was so determined she sent me the enrolment forms for Teachers' College, and I thought, 'Why not?' - and there is where it all started."
But now, after 10 years of teaching in smaller country schools throughout the area, she is moving on to a bigger challenge.
Next year she takes over as principal of Aranui School in Castlecliff, Wanganui.
"I am so looking forward to taking over at Aranui. It is a beautiful school, and it has a real heart. Former principal Shaun Priest has done a wonderful job there."
For Ms Roberts, teaching is all about the children.
"I know there is pressure about National Standards and achieving, but for me it is about helping children learn and learn well."
And the decile ratings of schools are just not true indicators, she said. "Look, it's a stigma. It always will be. I'm looking forward to being at Aranui School. I don't care that it's decile one ... that's just a funding indicator - and challenging children are part of every school," she said.
"No matter what the school or where, there are always children facing challenges, whether it's behavioural, learning, social .. . so there will always be children at every school needing extra support."
The move to Wanganui was something she was looking forward to immensely.
"I love it here. Mangaweka is a lovely little village, and I have enjoyed it. But Wanganui, I know, will be great. I already go there a lot for netball."
The roll of 112 children at Aranui, compared to just 30-odd in Mangaweka, was exciting, she said.
"I'm so looking forward to meeting every one of them and working with the fantastic staff ... it's a great move for me, a great challenge," she said.