2027 New Principal announcement
Purutia mai te tāuru o te rangi, ki tina ki whēnā ki toko te manawa ora e.
The St Mary’s School Board is delighted to announce that Karl Zimmerman has been appointed as our new Tumuaki / Principal and faith leader, commencing term 1 2027.
Kia ora e te whānau,
A very short note about me…
I am honoured to have been entrusted with the role of Tumuaki at St Mary’s School.
I am originally from Taranaki and have called Whanganui home for the past 16 years.
My wife, Clare, and I have been blessed with four daughters: Briley, who lives in Thames; Piper, who lives in Wellington; Saige, who lives in Palmerston North; and our youngest daughter, Ryder, who is currently at secondary school. We have also been gifted with two mokopuna, Essie and Quincy, who bring us great joy.
I enjoy an active lifestyle and keep fit through running, swimming, and tramping.
I am really looking forward to building on the legacy that Jacqui has left and am excited about the next chapter of St Mary’s journey. Most of all, I look forward to working alongside you all as part of this wonderful community.
Ngā mihi,
Karl Zimmerman
Karl brings more than 30 years of experience in education, including principalship across four schools and most recently, as a Principal Advisor supporting beginning and experienced principals across Aotearoa. In this role, he supported more than 64 principals through mentoring, coaching, professional learning and leadership development, bringing a strong commitment to growing the capability of others.
A long-standing member of our Parish and a committed and practising Catholic, Karl brings a deep understanding of and passion for Catholic education and the role that faith plays in shaping school culture, relationships and the lives of young people and their families. His leadership is grounded in the Gospel values, service, relational trust and a strong belief that every learner and adult should feel known, valued and supported to flourish.
Karl is a calm, relational and thoughtful leader who values authentic relationships, collaboration and shared leadership. His experience spans Catholic and state education, rural and diverse school settings, and he brings a breadth of educational leadership experience alongside a genuine commitment to learning, people and continuous improvement.
Karl is excited about the opportunity to join the St Mary’s community and contribute his experience, faith and leadership to the continued success of St Mary’s School.
We are excited about the future of St Mary’s School under Karl’s leadership. He is committed to honouring our traditions, approaches and relationships that are already part of our school, while bringing rich experiences, new perspectives and a commitment to continuous improvement. We are confident this balance of continuity and new thinking will help our tamariki, staff and wider community continue to grow and thrive together.
The appointment committee was composed of Board members; Helena Anderson, Joggy Varghese, Samantha Hannah, Jess Anderson, Merekanara Ponga, Willie Scanlon and Amanda Calver. We were supported throughout the process by two staff advisors; Deputy Principal, Kate Linklater and Director of Religious Studies, Heather Loveridge, a current practicing Catholic Principal, the Diocesan and an external education consultant whose company has a long association with the school.
We want to reassure our staff and community that the appointment of our new principal and faith leader followed a carefully considered and robust recruitment process. Over the last 4 months, the board and its advisors have dedicated significant hours and energy in addition to our regular meetings and commitments, to ensuring we found the right person to lead St Mary’s School into its next chapter.
This process included designing a thorough recruitment plan informed by staff, student, Parish and community consultation, reviewing a strong pool of applications and undertaking multiple referee checks and finally a full Saturday of interviews. Every step was carried out with care, prayer, professionalism and a clear focus on what we believe is best for our learners, staff, and community; now and into the future.
We are confident that this comprehensive approach has led us to a great appointment and we look forward to introducing Karl to you in person very soon.
May God continue to guide and bless our school community.
Yours in Christ
The St Mary’s School Board
