John was appointed Principal of Carey on the 10^th of November 2017 for an initial four-year term. At the National Hui in 2021 John’s term was extended for a further three years, and his reappointment would be due at the upcoming National Hui in Rangiora (November 2024).

After much thought and prayer, John has decided not to seek reappointment as Principal. John wants to get back to his first love – teaching. Many of us have experienced John’s passion and skill in this area, either in the lecture room, online, behind the pulpit, or in a small-group setting. John has a natural ability to educate and inspire.

During his tenure as Principal, he has continued to teach as part of Carey’s faculty, and we are excited that he will once again be able to give himself fully to teaching as a full member of the teaching faculty at Carey, a role he occupied prior to becoming Principal.

In his recent comments to staff John said:

While I’ll be finishing as Principal later this year, I’m not getting off the bus; I’m just changing seats. Or, to change metaphors, I might be finishing up as player-coach, but I’m staying on as part of the team. And looking forward to more contact with our students.

I love Carey, and I’m very excited about our future. I think about the outstanding faculty that God has assembled at the College. I think about the new campus that we will be moving into in just over a year. I think about the exciting new programmes that we have been developing. I think about the government’s recent glowing assessment of the College’s performance. I think about the encouraging lift in enrolments that we are witnessing. It feels like the Covid winter is giving way to spring. Green shoots are springing up everywhere!

Over the next few weeks, the Carey Board and Management Team will work closely together to plot the next steps for the appointment of a new Principal. As John says, the true CEO of Carey Baptist College is Jesus Christ, and he will continue to lead us as we look to him and his faithful leadership.