From quiet farm life to leading a school community
Growing up on 500 acres of farmland that doubled as both home and classroom, Marian’s early education was anything but typical. Homeschooled alongside her two younger brothers through correspondence school, she spent her childhood surrounded by chooks, lambs, cows and the daily rhythms of farm life.
Her father had taken on a 99-year lease for the island after studying agriculture at Lincoln, and her mother, a teacher, left Wellington to join him there. On Mana Island, Marian’s world was peaceful, hardworking, and small. Today, she leads one of Wellington’s long-established schools as principal of Khandallah School, leading with calm, warmth and a deep understanding of what children need to feel safe, seen and ready to learn.
At age 10, she came to Wellington and started primary school. The transition was a shock.
"I really hated the noise. I still remember sitting there with my fingers in my ears. You go from no noise to suddenly being in a classroom," she says. "I was very shy and withdrawn. It took a long time to build my confidence."
In some ways, education was always part of Marian’s story. Her mother was a teacher, and her first teaching job was at Khandallah School. Later, she would go on to become one of Wellington’s first female principals.
"My mum was a very strong role model," Marian says. "She was a strong model for my three girls as well. When you’ve got someone like that mentoring and coaching you, you start to think, oh yeah, I can do that."
Still, teaching was not Marian’s original plan. She left school at 16 and had her sights set elsewhere.
"Dad said to me, well, you can’t leave unless you do something towards a career" she says. "I wanted to be a PA for someone. I’d even got into secretarial school. But I went to teachers’ college instead, and I haven’t regretted it."
That decision shaped a career spanning decades, schools, communities and leadership roles across the Wellington region. Marian taught in Raumati Beach and Whanganui, then returned to Wellington, where she worked across a number of schools including, Linden, Churton Park, Rangikura, Plimmerton, Paparangi, and as a Deputy Principal at Tawa Intermediate and Raroa Intermediate.
Along the way, she raised three daughters, completed her master’s degree part time, and steadily built her confidence as a leader.
"I’ve been in education since I was 20, so I’ve been in this game a long time," she says. "Apart from some time in Whanganui, I’ve spent my whole teaching career in Wellington. It’s certainly been great bringing up three girls, being part of their lives and building that community."
For many years, Marian found her place in intermediate settings, which she loved for its pace, energy and opportunity to support both students and staff through important years of growth.
“I loved that Deputy Principal role. I didn’t think I was going to leave it,” she says. "But I decided if I was going to make the jump to become a principal, I probably needed to do that soon."
Then Khandallah School came up. For Marian, it felt like more than just another opportunity.
"My mum’s first teaching job was at Khandallah School. She lived in Simla Crescent, Dad was on Everest Street. Both families being part of the Khandallah School community.”
She was appointed in December 2019 and stepped into her first principal role just before the disruption of 2020.
"I became one of those first-time principals in COVID," she says.
But even in those early uncertain months, Marian knew what mattered most. Before lockdowns began, she had spent her first eight weeks focused on culture, relationships and trust.
“For me, the people have always been the most important thing,” she says. “The staff have to know that you’ve got their back and that you’re going to lead them.”
When schools were suddenly navigating lockdowns, online learning and constant uncertainty, Marian says the culture they had started building helped hold everything together.
"I think because I had worked so hard on the culture, and making sure I knew all my families and knew the community, we were able to keep going through that COVID period," she says. "I’m a really collaborative person, so I spend a lot of time empowering staff."
At Khandallah School, Marian has built a strong, distributed leadership model, one where capability is shared, young leaders are encouraged, and staff are trusted to bring their strengths to the table.
"We’re not a top-down model," she says. "We have a big leadership team of enthusiastic, motivated people, and we share each other’s strengths to lead the school."
She takes particular pride in mentoring emerging leaders and helping younger teachers recognise their own potential.
"I take a lot of pride in seeing young teachers grow, and coaching and mentoring them to make decisions and work as a leadership team," she says. "Sometimes younger people have so many skills they don’t even realise they’ve got them yet."
That belief in people, and in helping them grow, sits alongside another principle Marian returns to again and again - every decision must start with tamariki.
"It’s important for me that if my teachers are happy and come to school and feel cared for and looked after, they’re going to be the very best they can be in front of our tamariki," she says. "I don’t make a decision, any decision, without putting the child first and thinking, how is this going to impact tamariki and our values."
Marian believes that schools carry a profound responsibility.
“Teaching is not just a job”, she says. “It’s a position of trust. You are privileged to look after other people’s children, and you have to work really hard. People are teachers because they love kids and they really want to be in the job.”
That people-first approach has helped shape not only the school’s culture, but its progress. In recent years, Khandallah School has undergone significant property improvements, from modernised classrooms and flexible learning spaces to acoustic ceilings, LED lighting and new outdoor areas. Marian says it is all part of creating an environment where children and teachers can do their best work.
Looking back, Marian says she grew into leadership over time. Now, she is passionate about encouraging others to do the same.
"If you’ve got a particular skill or strength, leadership is a great way to share those skills and grow," she says. "Put your hand up. There’s always someone who will help coach or mentor you. Keep grabbing those opportunities."
Written by Jenni Guzman.