Rachel Williams will be the first female principal at the 98-year-old high school.

﻿A Taranaki high school will see its first female principal in the coming year.

Last week Phil Nixon, the chairman of the Hāwera High School's board of trustees, announced the appointment of the school's new principal, Rachel Williams.

Nixon said the board was thrilled with Williams' acceptance of the role.

"Rachel is currently a deputy principal at McAuley High School in Auckland," Nixon said.

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"She brings with her many of the characteristics and attributes that the school community indicated they would like to see in the new principal of Hāwera High School."

Hans Konlechner was the last principal - he was the 10th person to hold the role since1901 and the 10th male.

Konlechner was the principal for almost eight years and introduced topics and courses that worked for all of his students.

Williams said she was delighted to be joining the Hāwera community.

"I feel very humbled to have been appointed principal of Hāwera High School, a school that has proudly served the community for 98 years," she said.

"I look forward to working with the staff, students and families to provide quality learning opportunities for students."

Her specialist teaching area is mathematics. She has taught at Rosehill College in Papakura and McAuley High School in Ōtāhuhu.

Williams has worked at her current school, McAuley High School, for the past 15 years, The school was the 2016 recipient of the Prime Minister's Supreme Award for Educational Excellence. This award recognised developments in NCEA pass rates as well as the positive relationships her school had developed within the community.

Williams recently completed her Masters of Educational Leadership and has also completed numerous professional development courses that look for innovative ways to meet the changing needs of students.

She plans to become an active member of the community. "I am looking forward to enjoying the many outdoor activities on the door step of South Taranaki.

"High on my priority list will be to find a hockey team in the local area to join."

Williams has represented New Zealand in hockey and is looking forward to purchasing her Taranaki Bulls Rugby jersey.

Williams will officially start as Hāwera High School principal on Monday January 29 2018.