Anita Asumadu’s three-and-a-half year tenure as principal at St Peter’s Catholic School has ended.
St Peter’s Catholic School principal Anita Asumadu on the microphone with Donna Warwick, centre, and MC Camille Guzzwell.
Having succeeded in elevating achievement among students and enriching staff engagement, she is headed now for seemingly quieter pastures in which she will switch from their education to her own through the pursuit of a master’s degree focusing on educational leadership, while enjoying more time with her family.
“I’ve been a principal now for 10 years… and my son is coming up for 10,” Asumadu told The News. “It’s time now for a bit of a break, for some family time. The realisation hit after I’d been sick with Covid. My return to work was quite lethargic. It seemed that piles of emails were following me everywhere… it was time for me to step back. I have absolutely loved my role as principal, and I’m not saying I won’t do it again. Just not right now.”
St Peter’s Catholic School principal Anita Asumadu celebrates the opening of the multi-purpose turn with her immediate predecessor Grant Stuart.
Things have changed under Asumadu’s stewardship. The school roll has increased by 25 per cent, from 167 when she arrived in early 2020 to 210 as she leaves, with a 55 per cent increase in Year 7/8 students.
When appointed in January 2021, she was asked by the Board if she could lead the school through three required changes – roll growth, a rise in student achievement and the completion of a building project then underway.
She has nailed the roll growth, and a whole school restructure has given cavernous classroom spaces more flexibility through clever design and the addition of sliding glass partitions. That has proved to be enormously successful.
St Peter’s Catholic School year 8 students Eden O’Leary (standing) and Valentina Di Maio (bottom left) and Lizzy Mathers (right) celebrate the mural they helped create with principal Anita Asumadu.
A significant rise in student achievement rounds out Asumadu’s validation of the Board’s three-pronged request.
Mid-year data covering the period 2022 to 2024 shows the number of children achieving above expectation has risen dramatically. Reading has gone from 12.7 to 46.4 per cent; writing from 7.9 to 42 per cent, and maths from 11.5 to 41.4 per cent.
In a nutshell, she puts it down to high quality teaching and strong professional development for staff.
Many of the changes now swirling around education have been central to Asumadu’s modus operandi since she arrived – structured literacy, technology that is integrated rather than overwhelming, and close regular assessment of children to ascertain where gaps may be emerging and needing plugged.
Strategies around teacher expectation saw colleagues peer review and provide feedback among themselves, while establishing clarity on children’s learning requirements.
With close on 30 years’ experience in state and Catholic schools in New Zealand and England, Asumadu says she is driven to strategically build collaborative teams that will challenge and inspire children to make a positive difference in their world.
St Peter’s is one of the smaller schools she has headed, and she has enjoyed employing those strategies there to leave it now in good shape for whoever comes next.
Christine McLiesh starts the new term as acting principal.
Departing St Peter’s Catholic School principal Anita Asumadu surrounded by some of the youngsters on her penultimate day in the role.
