"My health has not been top notch and obviously this job has been very demanding. Either you give 200 percent or you don't do it," he said.

Having given nearly a third of his life to the Lower Hutt school and witnessing the roll grow to 640, he said leaving a job he loves was tough.

Originally from Malta, Fava became principal at a time when the roll was 380 and falling sharply. The school had a poor reputation and he set about changing that. Continue reading