Mr Mike Sutton, of Hamilton, MNZM, for services to education
Mike Sutton has been Principal of six primary schools. In his current role at Rototuna Primary School, he has ensured that ethnic community groups are involved in the student conversation and has organised Mandarin lessons.
At Leamington Primary and Nawton School, he increased the number of classrooms providing bilingual or Māori immersion programmes. He has mentored teachers, spoken at the annual International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement, and run regular workshops for the New Zealand Educational Administration and Leadership Society.
He was Lead Principal in establishing one of the largest Communities of Learning/Kāhui Ako in New Zealand. Mr Sutton is a member of the Waikato Principals’ Association.