Large School Resource v Small School Connection: Principal Steve McCracken

Large School Resource v Small School Connection: Principal Steve McCracken

From School Shorts by Melissa Chan-Green

May 3, 2026 · 29 min · Season 1 · Episode 68

About this episode

Principal Steve McCracken discusses the challenges and strategies of maintaining student-teacher relationships in a growing school environment.

Principal Steve McCracken doesn't want a student to be able to go through a day at school and not have a teacher or school leader say their name or greet them for a chat. It is one of the things he fears losing with growing school rolls as the Principal of Whangaparāoa College in Auckland, New Zealand. While there are many benefits of growth and the resource and specialisation it can offer. The school is looking at innovative strategies to give students the same experience they might get at a smaller school where the relationship with teachers is a benefit because of much time they are able to get to spend with a student to get to know them. Is returning to a homeroom style class more beneficial than going to a range of specialist teachers? The school is on a mission to find out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Melissa Chan-Green

Guest: Steve McCracken

Topics covered

  • school growth
  • student-teacher relationships
  • homeroom classes
  • education strategies
  • school leadership

Keywords

  • school resource
  • small school connection
  • student experience
  • education
  • principal
  • Auckland
  • homeroom

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Whangaparāoa College

Places: Auckland, New Zealand

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