Turakina School has a new principal whose face was already familiar to parents, if not their children.
"I grew up here and went to this school," says Leigh McKay.
"And I'm really excited to be back."
McKay has taken the reins from long-serving former principal Margaret McLean and says the school Board of Trustees and families offer great support.
"I've most recently been teaching at Gonville School and worked at Whanganui City College for a year, which I loved.