Sacred Heart College Principal Maria Neville-Foster will head back to her homeland of Ireland for a sabbatical next term. 

The sabbatical, through the Ministry of Education, will mark the first time she has been back in four years. 
Not only will she visit a cross-section of schools, but it will also provide her with the opportunity to reconnect with her Irish culture and family, all of whom remain in Ireland.

“It’s been four years since I've been home and that's the longest period of time I've ever been disconnected from my family and from my homeland.” 

Prior to immigrating to New Zealand in 2006, Mrs Neville-Foster taught science and chemistry at Hazelwood College in Ireland for two years. 

During her time, she will visit a number of schools including Hazelwood College, and her alma mater Crescent College Comprehensive SJ, formerly the College of the Sacred Heart, to learn more about what they're seeing as a result of four years of COVID-19.

“As principals, we have been working our way through the pandemic over the last three-four years and I think it would be naive of us to think there isn't going to be effects. And so therefore, it makes sense to ask questions in a country that, the whole way through, has been at least six, if not 12 months ahead of us in terms of the trajectory of the pandemic.”

“I'll also be talking to the principals about what they see are the key skills required in a leader, to develop my own leadership - what skills they see are needed or required of a leader to lead us out of the pandemic and into the future?”

She will also visit Luttrellstown Community College in Dublin and Príomhoide (Principal) Siobhán Moran, who sent a care package in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle in February. 

“I'd lost contact because I was managing our school during the cyclone. Maybe a month later I replied and apologised and explained that we'd been through a cyclone, and I was really sorry, but I was still coming to visit. The principal, Siobhán emailed back saying that she was really sorry to hear about the cyclone, and they were praying for us in Ireland.

“Then a couple of weeks later we had a package arrive at the school from the equivalent of Year 9 students in her school. She had told them what had happened in New Zealand, and they'd written all these beautiful cards and sent a whole load of Irish sweets to give to our students here.

“I presented them to some of our Year 9 classes, and they wrote cards back and sent pineapple lumps and some iconic New Zealand lollies for the kids in Ireland.” 

The Year 9 Te Reo class has made Poi, which Mrs Neville-Foster will present to the college, and teach the students how to use it.

While she will miss her students and staff, Mrs Neville-Foster says they will be in good hands while she is away, with Deputy Principal Marysia Airey stepping into the role of Acting Principal. 

“She's got years of experience and has got lots of skills that will be valuable to the school, but it's also a really good chance for her to develop her leadership skills further. 

“Alongside the experienced Rachel Read (DP), Edina McFarland will step into the role of Acting Deputy Principal. Together with Marysia, they will be a high-performing team.”