And in essence, Judith Forbes has.
The "40-something-year-old" has spent the past 12 years at Wanganui High School, the last four as deputy principal.
"I certainly feel well prepared for this job by my experience in Wanganui," she said.
"This is a good step. It's exciting."
Mrs Forbes is not wasting any time getting into her new role. She is already working on ways to improve what she believed was an already good secondary school with a wholesome environment.
While she has many ambitions for Bayfield High School's future, initial plans include creating a "caring" learning environment for her pupils, and pursuing ways to make them more worldly citizens; not just kids who come off a conveyor belt.
"I think we need to have a continuing emphasis on being a caring school, to develop every student academically to the best of their ability, and to ensure they get the qualifications they need for the next step in their lives.
"I also want to make sure every student is involved in something extracurricular, whether it be sporting, cultural or community-related.
"I think it's really important because then they build relationships that go deeper than what you get in a classroom.
"It builds strengths and creates well-balanced citizens who contribute to society, not just consume it.
"It builds kids who want to get involved in things."
Mrs Forbes has been teaching for 15 years and is a graduate of the University of Otago and Dunedin College of Education.
She studied mathematics and music, and began her teaching career at The Taieri High School before moving to Wanganui High School.
Born in Balclutha, Mrs Forbes said she was an Otago girl at heart and had been looking forward to returning to the region.
Husband Ged is a computersoftware writer, and she has three jazz music-loving children: a 25-year-old son who plays piano, a 22-year-old daughter who plays piano, guitar and sings, and a 17-year-old son who plays piano and saxophone.
Mrs Forbes said she had "dabbled" in jazz in the past, but hoped to immerse herself in Bayfield High School's jazz band, orchestra, choir and major productions.
