Freyberg Community School

Christine Wilson

Principal, Freyberg Community School

Christine was educated in Gisborne and attended Waikato University where she gained her teaching qualifications with Distinction and completed her Bachelor of Education degree. She completed a Diploma in Theology by correspondence whilst bringing up her four children and has recently completed her Masters in Education Management which demonstrates her absolute commitment to lifelong learning. “To be a leader in education you have to keep up the learning yourself.” Christine’s first school was in Tokoroa, however after a year she returned to Gisborne, to Te Wharau School where she taught until she had the first of her four children, all now adults. “I came back to teaching at Ilminster Intermediate School and then took principal roles at Ngatapa School and South Makirikiri School in Marton.” In 1999 Christine moved to Takapuna Normal School as a relieving teacher for twelve months while her family settled in to Auckland. She then had a year with ERO, a term as Deputy Principal at Southern Cross Primary School in Mangere and took a principal position at Hunua School before becoming principal at Freyberg in 2002. “I have found this school to be one of the happiest and most fun-filled places I have been at. We have high standards in learning and behaviour, innovative practices, a highly astute board and excellent and committed teachers. Our children learn and live the twelve school virtues that we focus on individually every month and we are grateful for the huge community input that adds value to our diverse programmes. We have a pre-school, a primary school, and adult community school, a swim school, we have a pilot of the Arohanui Special School, we run a gifted and talented programme and we have after school programmes. We are very involved in sports and school productions and we have a lovely choir”. “Freyberg has an inclusive and family atmosphere. It is like a big family.” Christine plays the piano, speaks French, and runs before school every morning with her husband.