Kathleen Dooley
Kathleen Dooley, of Manurewa, received the Insignia of a Companion of the Queen's Service Order at an investiture ceremony on 26 September 2008. She has contributed to special education in New Zealand for over 30 years and is considered a pioneer in this field, having been instrumental in bringing about changes to special education services in Auckland and nationally. She has been the principal at Mt Richmond Special School in Otahuhu since 1977 and in that year she set up the first Special Schools Principals’ Association and a Music Therapy Programme. She also developed the Kotuku Unit, a special needs facility, at Otahuhu College and has represented special schools on the Ministry of Education’s Policy Co-ordinating Committee and the Auckland Education Board Special Education Sub-Committee