In Memory of Christine Mary (Chris) Wyeth

Chris began her career at St Margaret’s College in January 1991, joining as a part-time mathematics teacher. Over the following 30 years, her role evolved alongside the school’s growth and transformation. She taught senior biology, general science, and mathematics, and eventually moved into a senior leadership role as Associate Principal in charge of Pastoral Care.

Through her long tenure, Chris served under three principals, helping shape some of the school’s most significant developments. She recalled the arrival of Principal Claudia Wysocki in 1992 as a turning point, when renewed pride and identity were fostered through bold rebranding, facility improvements, and a new uniform designed by Barbara Lee. Chris remembered these years as the foundation of the strong sense of belonging that defines St Margaret’s today.

Another innovation close to her heart was the introduction of vertical tutor groups in 1994. Chris recognised this as a simple but profound change that helped build community and connection across year levels, nurturing the “big sister, little sister” culture that remains a hallmark of St Margaret’s.

The resilience of St Margaret’s was tested in 2011 during the Christchurch earthquakes, and Chris’s leadership was pivotal. She often recalled the moving sight of boarding families returning their daughters to the school despite the uncertainty and ongoing aftershocks, a moment she described as a powerful act of trust and loyalty. For Chris, it symbolised the deep bonds of community that carried the school through difficult times and into its new campus era.

When Chris retired in December 2020, she spoke with characteristic humility and warmth about looking forward to “not being ruled by bells.” Retirement meant time with her beloved family – her husband Roger, their daughter Emma and son-in-law Mike in Dunedin, their son Angus and his partner Noa in Canada, and her adored grandchildren, Kura, Atanui, and Tūhiku. She also hoped to explore volunteer work, travel with Roger, and reconnect with her southern roots.

Chris’s legacy is not only in the subjects she taught or the initiatives she led, but in the countless students and staff she guided with wisdom, compassion, and quiet strength. She embodied the heart of St Margaret’s, helping to shape generations of young women who carry forward her values of resilience, pride, and community.