Kia ora koutou

It is with regret that we inform you that the Board has accepted the resignation of our Principal, Craig Steed. Craig will finish his position at the end of Term 1, 2024.

Craig has been involved in secondary education for over 30 years, starting his teaching career in 1993. Over this time he has worked in a number of leadership roles and has spent the last 14 years in senior leadership. On finishing at Paraparaumu College he will have served nearly six years in the role of Principal.

We wish to acknowledge and thank Craig for his leadership over the past few years. He has helped the school develop its strategic direction, managed the school during a period of growth and helped set in motion the master plan and building developments required to ensure the future needs of the school. He has also successfully led the school through the challenges of the COVID pandemic.

He is passionate about equity and has helped continue the journey of the college to honour its commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, further growing Paraparaumu College as a place where rangatahi Māori can learn as Māori.

Similarly, Craig has demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring Paraparaumu College is an increasingly inclusive space for all learners and has been motivated to foster students’ sense of belonging to the school.

However, he has decided the time has come to explore opportunities outside of senior leadership. Craig has an open mind around what those possibilities are but his passion for community, for young people and for the environment are likely to feature. He remains committed to remaining and working in Kāpiti with the community he and his partner Kath happily call home.

Craig’s desire was to signal his resignation well in advance of finishing at Paraparaumu College to ensure the Board has time to carry out a thorough recruitment process and to support a seamless transition to a new principal. The Board is dedicated to finding a principal for Paraparaumu College that will be a proven leader, who will build on Craig’s achievements and guide our school through the years ahead. We will be in touch soon with further information around this process.

For now though, I am sure you will join the Board in thanking Craig for his leadership and his commitment to the staff and students of Paraparaumu College.

Ngā mihi nui

Greg SelbyPresiding Member, Paraparaumu College Board