After 33 years of inspiring creativity at Pakūranga College, Art teacher and long-serving Head of Department, Frank Woodward, stepped away from the classroom in 2024 and left behind a legacy of artwork and inspired students.
When asked about his proudest achievement, Frank’s answer was simple:
“That I’ve turned up every day for my students and engaged with them. That I’ve challenged them to think about themselves, others, and the world around them in a different way.”
Frank’s journey at Pakūranga began in 1991, when he and his wife Julie moved from Australia after he was hired on a one-year contract. Just six months later, then-Principal Pam Stone offered him a permanent position, sparking his three decades of service.
Over the years, Frank has spent 13 years as an Art teacher and 20 years as Head of the Art Department, finding both roles deeply rewarding. “Classroom teaching offers independence and the chance to develop a local curriculum,” he explains. “Being HOD allowed me to guide that curriculum more broadly and experience the management side of the college.”
Among the reasons he’s stayed so long, Frank says the college’s strong support for the Arts, the diversity of its students, and the privilege of working alongside Julie, who joined the college as an Art History teacher, were the main reasons he stayed so long.
One of Frank’s ongoing challenges has been changing the perception that Art is a “soft” subject. “It’s not,” he says firmly. “Art requires perception, understanding of complex concepts, and perseverance. It’s a skill that needs constant practice to develop, it doesn’t just happen.”
Family has always been at the heart of Frank’s career. He fondly recalls watching his son graduate and later seeing Julie join the staff as two of his proudest moments. Another highlight has been the annual Folio Show, where Senior students display a year’s worth of creative work before it is sent to NZQA for marking. “It’s the moment when the whole community gets to appreciate what our students have achieved,” he says.
After three decades, Frank has begun teaching the children of his former students, something he finds both amusing and heartwarming. “It’s nice to keep the connections going. But the best moments are when former students come back to teach here. Farisha Sahid returned as a Photography teacher in 2022, and in 2024, Vai McNeill-Temese took over my classroom. If that’s not coming full circle, I don’t know what is.”
Frank said that technology has drastically changed the art landscape. “The contrast between a 1991 student and a 2023 student is defined by the increasing hold of digital,” he says. “The minds of my 2023 students are contained in their phones, and that’s something I regret. But digital has also transformed how ideas are shared and made inspiration more accessible.”
Frank’s creative influence will continue to live on through one special artwork. In 1991, he and Drama teacher Peter O’Connor were asked to design a cover for the Pegasus yearbook. The resulting painting, which now hangs in the McRae Library, symbolises Pakūranga College’s journey — representing the past, present, and aspirations for the future.
The artwork features the outline of the 1991 campus, the head of Pegasus inspired by the four horses of St Mark, Ōhuiarangi (our maunga), Takarangi — the double helix of creation in Te Ao Māori — and the tāniko design of our Kapa Haka piupiu, representing the Tāmaki Estuary and its flowing currents.
After 33 years of shaping young artists and nurturing creativity, Frank leaves behind more than just a legacy of art — he leaves behind a culture of curiosity, care, and connection that will continue to inspire generations of students to come.
Header image: Frank Woodward’s class photos of the 1990s.
