Mr Bosley was one of four Otago applicants shortlisted for the position left vacant by former principal Maurie Jackways, who has been working at the University of Otago for just over a year.
Mr Bosley's appointment was announced to staff and pupils yesterday, after interviews of the four candidates on Saturday.
Mr Bosley said yesterday he was delighted by the warm reception from pupils and staff.
"Lots of students have come up to me and been positive. I went to the year 13 assembly today and I was presented as the principal of Mt Aspiring College... It was a really nice feeling," Mr Bosley said.
Mr Bosley's appointment officially begins on Monday, August 25, and one of the first things he will do as new principal is host the Education Review Office team to the school on September 15.
Mr Bosley, his wife, Dawn, and their two children, Devin and Mitch, first came to Wanaka in 1999 when Mr Bosley accepted the deputy principal role.
Mrs Bosley also teaches at Mt Aspiring College, where she is the head of social studies and works in the special needs programme.
Devin (22) is a tertiary student in Dunedin while Mitch (20), a talented golfer, works and plays golf in Wanaka.
Mr Bosley was born and bred in Auckland and studied at Waikato University and Hamilton Teachers College.
He obtained a Massey University degree in education and history, is a qualified primary and secondary teacher, and has taught in primary, intermediate and secondary schools around New Zealand.
His first taste of a year 7-13 school was at Menzies College, Wyndham, and his first appointment to a pastoral role was at Patea High School, Taranaki.
He has also worked as a deputy principal at Lawrence Area School.
Mr Bosley has a passion for sport and studied physical education at Teachers College, but says he is better known for being "the father of Mitch" than for his own golfing abilities.
"Like a lot of New Zealand men, I play a lot of sport. I play golf, badly, at the Wanaka Golf Club, and I still play tennis on a regular basis with friends. My two children are sport crazy."
Mr Bosley said the college had a "wonderful" special character based on valuing relationships and differences.
"The strength of the school is that we are not a one-man-band at all . . . The whole thing is about really positive, trusting relationships. The staff want the pupils to do well," he said.
Wanaka's population growth, increasing school rolls and the management of resources would be an ongoing factor of which he, staff and the board would have to be mindful.
"But I don't see myself as a manager. I see myself as a leader of learning," he said.
School board of trustees chairman Grant Ruddenklau said yesterday the appointment was an endorsement of Mr Bosley's leadership while Mr Jackways was on secondment to the University of Otago.
"We had 18 applications altogether and the four short-listed applicants gave a presentation to staff on Friday night and attended an interview with the board on Saturday.
"It was a credit to Wayne that the appointments committee was unanimous in its decision," Mr Ruddenklau said.
The board will now advertise the deputy principal vacancy.
Mr Jackways will be farewelled by students at a special assembly at 2pm in the school gymnasium on August 29.
The wider community is welcome to attend.
