Stephen Briscoe has started his new role after moving with his young family from Auckland.
After 15 years at Elim Christian College in Auckland, where he started out as a sports co-ordinator and gained his graduate diploma in teaching, his last three years were spent as deputy principal of years 11 to 13.
Mr Briscoe has a broad range of experience as a teacher including a sport training background.
He was "excited" to take on the new role, which also encompasses pupil welfare and pastoral care.
“It’s a good change . . . it’s great to be amongst the boys and have the opportunity to grow them and see them reach their potential.”
After completing a sport and recreation degree at the Auckland Institute of Technology, Mr Briscoe did strength and conditioning work with the likes of the Junior Warriors, Auckland-based Black Caps and Badminton New Zealand.
"That was my passion,” he said
He continued as the sports co-ordinator at Elim. He said the fact he did not enjoy school himself as a pupil was something that motivated him as an educator.
"That just made me think what could I come back [with] and help with these young people who don’t enjoy school.
"For me, I didn’t relate to science at school."
‘ It was not until he got to university that he did, "and it was all in the context of sport".
"That was my drive for coming back into education. It was what can I do to help those who don’t enjoy school or don’t make a connection between what they’re learning and what’s beyond school.".
Mr Briscoe wanted to help guide the boys not only with their academics, but "also with relationships and things that set them up for the future", he said.
"I work alongside our amazing deans team and our goal here is to promote and guide each boy,. Each of them have potential and a huge future ahead of them.
"Our goal is to bring that out and help them find their passion — to set them up for success, and that looks different for each individual."
Mr Briscoe teaches a level one science course at the school and is involved with a period five "inspire" programme in which the boys get to choose an area of interest and the staff have offered different opportunities.
"I’m involved with the rugby inspire programme and have played a lot of rugby in my time, so that’s an area of expertise I can bring in and share with the boys."
The thing that stands out to him at Waitaki Boys’, which also aligns with his own ethos, is the idea of recognising individuality.
"All the staff have a real passion for the boys in front of them. They’re here to see them succeed and they’re here to grow each individual.
"They all put a lot of work into creating individual plans and working with each individual".
Pupils could learn skills on the job when they leave school, but what was important was attitude and character.
"Getting the boys to understand who they are and how they learn... In this day and age, employees are saying we want people of good character and the motto here is inspiring young men of outstanding character," he said.
Mr Briscoe, his wife Candice, who is also a teacher, and their two children, Ella, 9, and Cody, 2, made the move from Auckland to Oamaru in January and are keen "outdoorsy types". They are enjoying the lifestyle the area offers.
He practises what he preaches when it comes to embracing new challenges, having recently attempted to surf for the first time, at Campbells Bay.
"I tell the boys that learning is difficult at times but that’s how I like to live my life.
"I give different things a go, so my current thing is surfing".
