KEY POINTS:
Students at Auckland's Diocesan School for Girls will have to be on their toes from next year. Heather McRae, who has been appointed to head the school, is a keen sportswoman who has run five marathons.
Ms McRae, currently the principal at Pakuranga College, will take up her new role at the end of term one.
Diocesan School is an independent Anglican school of around 1600.
Ms McRae began her career as a science and maths teacher, and became head of department at Awatapu College in Palmerston North.
She has advised on curriculum development and on professional development for teachers for the Ministry of Education, and in 2002 helped establish the Western Academy in Beijing. She is one of only two secondary school principals on the national curriculum advisory group for the Ministry of Education. She has also received a Sir Woolf Fisher Trust scholarship, which enables her to take part in the Hillary Leadership Programme at Auckland University.
Ms McRae holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Massey University, a Diploma in Teaching, and a Masters Degree in Educational Administration, with first class honours.
While she was a student at Massey, Ms McRae earned a blue in netball.
Another reason for her prospective students to keep their games sharp.
