The appointment of Steve Watt as the fifth Principal of Kelston Boys High School in 1996 was the culmination of an impressive academic sporting and teaching career marked by an almost inexhaustible capacity to achieve goals the old fashioned way – by hard work.
Educated at Auckland Grammar School, Mr Watt graduated from Auckland University with a B.Com in 1970. He worked as an accountant between 1970-1972 before completing his teacher training in 1973. Mr Watt’s first teaching position was at Otahuhu College between 1974-1977. In 1978 he was appointed HOD Commerce at AGS, a position he held for the next sixteen years. His move to KBHS in 1994 as Senior Master preceded his rapid promotion to Deputy Principal within six months and Principal two years later.
Sport has figured prominently in Mr Watt’s career. After schoolboy cricket and rugby he played Senior A rugby for Otahuhu and represented Auckland as a goal kicking prop, playing in excess of sixty games between 1974 and 1978. Throughout his teaching career Mr Watt has been involved with schoolboy sport and coached the 1st Rugby XV, and 1st Cricket X1 at both Otahuhu College and Auckland Grammar. At KBHS he has coached junior rugby teams, managed the 1st Cricket X1 and while Principal has been the Master in Charge of Hockey.
Since becoming Principal in September 1996, Mr Watt has played an omnipotent role in the daily operation of the School, its development and its success. Through Mr Watt’s personal involvement in the Health Promotion Project with Waitemata Health, the Pacific Island Parent Community Liaison Project, the Home Instructional pre-school For Youngsters (HIPPY) project, the Kelston Community Trust, membership of the Steering Group for Achieving at Waitakere, and the Waitakere Sports Complex Board, the School has developed strong links with the community. Mr Watt has also been the driving force behind the development of modern school facilities with the development of further computer suites, the floodlit Astroturf sports centre opened in 2001 and the multi million dollar construction of the Jubilee Auditorium and the ‘State of the Art’ Music, Drama and Student Services Suites.
Under his leadership KBHS has enjoyed outstanding academic and sporting success. In external examinations the school has consistently performed better than other comparable schools. Mr Watt has encouraged staff to participate in professional development opportunities in relation to the education of boys such as the Good Man Project and Boys Learn Best practices. In 2003 he implemented the setting up of the House system with the four houses named after the first four Principals. The fundamental philosophy of this system was to improve school spirit, to enhance school tradition and history, and to instil a sense of belonging and responsibility in boys of the School. In sport, KBHS Rugby, Basketball, Soccer, Softball, Wrestling and Touch teams have been both Auckland and New Zealand champions with the 1st XV also World Schools champions in 1997 during Mr Watt’s time as Principal.
In 2003 Mr Watt was awarded the prestigious Woolf Fisher Scholarship to fund travel to North America and Europe to observe the best education practices and developments in boys’ education. Although this was a great honour for him and the school, the real beneficiaries have been the boys of the school
The contribution of Steve Watt to the present success of the school is immense. Since his appointment he has led by example, by hard work, with confidence in those around him and like his predecessors with an enduring faith in the boys of the school. In 2006 the Education Review Office said of him
“The principal provides stable and humane leadership. He is strongly committed to values and practices that promote boys’ learning, development and preparation for citizenship. The Principal’s supportive management style, accessibility to students and the wider community and strong professional focus on the learning needs of boys are significant factors in the school’s success.”
For boys who attend the school in the years ahead, the prospects are exciting indeed.