Hobsonville Primary

Margaret Doherty

Principal, Hobsonville Primary

Margaret was born and raised in Durham in North England and came to Auckland with her family when ten. From Dominion Road School and Mt Roskill Grammar School Margaret entered teaching training at the Auckland College of Education (ACE). “It was something I never intended to do but in those days it was either nursing or teaching for girls and I chose teaching. My first school was Mt Roskill Primary with a wonderful principal. Next year it was a new entrant class in Mt Wellington which I came to realise was not my skill set, so I promptly moved to Blockhouse Bay Intermediate. Then I had my family and when I came back to teaching in 1970 I was at Flanshaw Road School in Te Atatu where my children also attended. I loved it, enjoyed the teaching, spent nine years there and along the way another principal, David Dalgliesh told me, You have the potential to go further with teaching. Buoyed by the encouragement I embarked on additional studies in Science and then moved into Science Advisory work.” Margaret’s next school move was to Don Buck Primary, for another nine years, during which she had responsibility for the library, for sports and later became deputy principal. Then two years at Epsom Normal School, principally with the objective of acquiring the skills that would see her gain her own school. As deputy there, working with Peter Franks, Margaret assumed responsibility for adult trainees (student teachers) of which they had many. “I loved the personal and career development aspects of it.” Titirangi Primary was Margaret’s first principal-ship at the commencement of ‘Tomorrow’s Schools’ and she thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of recruiting and building a professional teaching team of diverse and extraordinary talents. “The camaraderie was great and with the community’s faith in us our reputation grew as did the school.” After nine years it was time to move again, so in 1999 Margaret came to Hobsonville Primary School. “We value different teaching styles as well as children’s learning styles and the school as one has embraced RRAP – Responsibility, Respect, Achievement and Pride.”