Rotorua Catholic college duo on leadership pathway

Laurelle Tamati and Caroline Gill are among 200 educators selected for the programme – a highly sought‑after national initiative designed to prepare the next generation of school leaders.

Bernadette Fredricksen, John Paul College’s director of mission, has watched both women step into leadership with confidence and humility. 

“To have two deputy principals from the same school selected is extraordinary. It reflects the calibre of leadership here,” she said. 

Ms Fredricksen acknowledged the bittersweet reality of the programme, which is designed to move participants into principal roles – potentially within 18 months. 

“That’s the flip side of accelerating really good people; you might lose them. But they go on to make a bigger difference,” Ms Fredricksen said. 

The Aspiring Principal Programme, launching in term two, is a government‑funded initiative announced in Budget 2025 and delivered by the University of Waikato. It combines academic study, practical leadership projects, mentoring by experienced principals and time spent working in other schools. 

Ms Gill and Ms Tamati credit John Paul College with giving them space to lead – reporting directly to the board, making decisions and being trusted to do so. 

“We’re supported here. We’re given autonomy, but we’re also collegial. We check in with each other,” Ms Tamati said. 

It is that combination – trust, challenge, faith and community – that has shaped them.

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Growing future principals (By Mary Anne Gill/Waikato Business News)