New boy in school

Photo: SHANE WENZLICK

BRIGHT YOUNG THING: Judd McLauchlan loves his new position as principal of Rowandale School.

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Having fun might not top the priority list of most principals but it's an essential for Judd McLauchlan.

"I like to have fun," says the new principal of Rowandale School.

"If I'm not having fun, the kids aren't having fun and if no one's having fun then no one's learning."

Mr McLauchlan started at Rowandale School at the end of last year, replacing Jackie Farrington who had been leading the school for 19 years.

He was principal of Greenmeadows Inter-mediate for two years and spent two years working in international schools in Singapore and Hong Kong before returning to south Auckland.

One of Mr McLauchlan's first aims at Rowandale will be to increase the school's roll of 407 to its highest capa-city of 500.

He'll also introduce more education outside the classroom, learning about sustainability and "cooler, funkier uniforms".

There'll be a push to get the community involved with the school and to have better home-school relationships.

But above all, Mr McLauchlan says he wants to raise student achievement.

"It's the ultimate goal for everything we do - everything else supports this," he says.

Already the school has had a shake-up - it now has a new senior management team and 12 new teachers.

As far as principals go, Mr McLauchlan is just a whippersnapper at 37. Dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, he admits that while he does wear a suit he prefers casual clothing so he can play sports with the kids at lunchtime.

When he's not in the classroom, he likes surfing, mountain-biking and skateboarding - hobbies that "keep me sane".

Mr McLauchlan says he took the role at Rowandale because he saw it as a challenge.

"I saw a lot of potential in this school. I know that I can make a difference.

"Our kids are so cool, I really like them."

- © Fairfax NZ News