Michael Leach

(MEDL; Dip Development Studies; BA (economics); TTC)

Principal Tangaroa College (1999-2005)
Principal of Botany Downs Secondary College (2005-2014)
Headmaster Kings College (2014-2016)

Michael trained as a primary school teacher and spent his first few years teaching at Papatoetoe intermediate. His shift to secondary education saw him experience a number of diverse learning environments and communities. More recently at Botany Downs Secondary College he was fortunate to position the College as one of 30 Microsoft World Tour schools where the school was show-cased by Microsoft for its innovative learning programmes. The last few years of his career has enabled him to experience learning and teaching in the independent sector.

Michael was the Auckland Secondary School Principals’ representative on a number of committees. He was the Chairman of the Auckland Secondary Schools Headmasters Association that governs College Sport in Auckland, represents Auckland Principals on the National Secondary Schools Sports Council, and is a member of the STEAG committee which is an advisory reference group for teacher training. He has been a member of the Auckland University Principals’ Centre which develops professional development opportunities for educational leaders and a first time principal mentor.

He was on a ministerial reference group for boys’ education which was formed in 2005 and was working with four other principals, ministry representatives and an Australian researcher, Peter Cutternance, on this project.

He has been on the PENZ board (Physical Education New Zealand) and is currently on the Counties Manukau Rugby Union Board.

Peter Gall

(PGDEdL, BSc)

Peter is an experienced educationalist who served for 20 years as principal of Papatoetoe High School, a large multicultural secondary school. As well as leading this very diverse and successful school he has been involved in other significant leadership roles and sector groups.

Peter served a three year term as President of the Secondary Principals Association of New Zealand (SPANZ) and contributed to a number of national and regional reviews and reference groups including property, schools’ resourcing, PB4L, He Kakano, initial teacher education and school leadership. In 2014 he was contracted to NZQA to chair a selected group to review aspects of NCEA.

He has also served on the executive of College Sport (treasurer for 15 years) and was a member of the CMDHB Child and Youth mortality review group for several years.