Kia ora Helensville. I’m Jane Coup, and I’m excited to be joining your community as the new principal of Kaipara College. I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself properly—not just as a principal, but as a person who’s looking forward to getting to know you and this place.
My journey to here
I have been married to Ed for almost 20 years, and we have three children: Emma (16), Joe (15) and Rose (6). Being a parent has shaped how I think about education more than anything else. My kids are brutally honest about what matters to them at school and what doesn’t—they’ve been my best reality check about what students actually need from their principal. One that listens and knows who they are. I grew up between Auckland and Wellington because my father was in the navy, so we moved around quite a bit. That experience taught me early on about adapting to new communities and the importance of making genuine connections when you’re the new person. Eventually I settled in West Auckland, and this is where I’ve lived and worked ever since. I’ve spent my career in education in various leadership roles—some of my highlights have been deaning at Avondale College, Head of the Science Department at Waitakere College, and establishing the Maori and Pasifika Medical Science Academy which aimed at breaking down barriers for our Maori and Pasifika learners so they could become health professionals and serve their communities. I have been at Waitakere College for over 10 years, and I had the privilege of being part of the senior leadership team for four of those years. Those experiences have shaped me as a leader, but more importantly, they’ve shown me what’s possible when a school community works together with a shared purpose. In some ways, I’m in a similar position to our new Year 9 students—we’re all starting at Kaipara College together, learning how things work here, meeting new people, finding our way. That shared experience of being new feels both challenging and energizing. We’re navigating this together, and I think there’s something powerful in that.
What that journey has taught me
Let me be honest with you about who I am as a leader. I care deeply about getting things right. Mistakes scare me. It means I take time to think things through, I ask a lot of questions, I want to understand different viewpoints before deciding on a direction. But here’s the reality: I’m going to get things wrong sometimes. And when I do, I won’t hide from it or make excuses. I’ll be upfront about what happened, figure out what we can learn from it, and focus on moving forward in a better way. That kind of honesty—even when it’s uncomfortable—is what builds trust. I believe relationships matter. Don’t get me wrong—systems are important, they help a school run smoothly. But at the end of the day, education happens in the connections between people. It happens when a teacher really knows a student as an individual. It happens when families and teachers communicate openly. It happens when we build a culture where everyone feels they belong and their voice matters. At Waitakere College, I learned that transformational change doesn’t come from the top down—it comes from bringing people together, listening to their expertise, and creating space for collaboration. I learned that when you invest in relationships first, everything else follows. Academic achievement follows. Community engagement follows. Staff and students thrive. I’m bringing that understanding with me to Kaipara College.
Why Kaipara College
When I was considering this role, I kept noticing the parallels between Kaipara College and Waitakere College. Both schools serve diverse communities with rich histories. Both have dedicated staff who go above and beyond for their students. Both are places with huge heart and potential. But there’s something distinctive about Kaipara that drew me here. The school sits in a community that genuinely cares about its young people. I’ve already noticed the way Helensville wraps itself around this school—the local connections, the way people know each other, the pride in what you’ve built here. That sense of community isn’t something you can manufacture. It’s real, and it’s something worth nurturing. What really sealed it for me were the values. Aroha, whanaungatanga, kaitiakitanga, and angitutanga. They align deeply with how I believe schools should operate, and I’m committed to living these values, not just talking about them. What does that actually look like for me? It means treating people with genuine care when things get tough, not just when everything’s running smoothly. It means putting in the time to build real relationships—showing up to events, having proper conversations, being someone people can access and talk to honestly. It means taking responsibility for looking after our school, our environment, and most importantly, our people. And it means staying focused on what matters most: helping every student reach their potential.
My hope for our students
I want students to walk into their classrooms and feel genuinely excited about learning. I want them to discover things that light them up, to stretch themselves in ways they didn’t think they could, to build confidence through real achievement and connection with their teachers. That happens when learning feels alive—when students understand why something matters, when they’re wrestling with ideas that challenge them, when they’re creating something meaningful, when they feel known and valued by their teachers. That’s the kind of environment I want us to create together. For teachers to create these kinds of experiences, they need to feel supported, valued, and energized by their work. So looking after our staff isn’t separate from looking after our students—they’re completely connected. When teachers thrive, students thrive.
What this looks like moving forward
My vision for Kaipara College is straightforward: I want to focus on relationships and really knowing the people and the community. Over the next few months, you’ll see me around—talking with students between classes, sitting in on lessons, being at sports games and school events, having conversations with families. I’ll be spending a lot of time listening and hearing, genuinely understanding what matters to you, what’s working well, and where we can improve. Here’s what I need from you: we succeed when we work together. Share your positive stories with your friends, when things are working well—when your child’s teacher has made a real difference, when they’ve had a breakthrough moment in class, when they’re feeling connected and engaged at school. Those stories matter, and they deserve to be shared. But equally important, tell us when something’s not working. Maybe your child isn’t settling in, maybe they’re anxious about something, maybe there’s been a misunderstanding or a problem we haven’t spotted. Don’t wait and hope it gets better. Talk to us—talk to your child’s teacher, talk to the deans, talk to me. Partnership means being honest with each other, especially when things are difficult. That’s how we make sure every student gets what they need. I’m honoured to be here and genuinely excited about what we’ll accomplish together.
Nga mihi nui
Jane Coup, Principal, Kaipara College
