Linda Melrose has been the Adult Learning Director Kaiwhakahaere at Onehunga High School for just under thirty years. During that time she has not only made a significant contribution to the delivery of adult and community education in South Auckland, she has contributed nationally as the founder and then the President of CLASS (several times), a member of the ACE Aotearoa Board and a member of the ACE Sector Strategic Alliance.

Linda started at Onehunga High as the only senior Economics teacher in 1988. In 1993 she applied for the adult and community education coordinator position and became responsible for managing what was then called the ‘night’ school programme.

Linda was a key part of a group of Auckland coordinators who established ASCEA, the Auckland ACE Schools’ Association, which provides a tutor training programme and facilitates networking and collaboration between local ACE schools. She has held leadership roles within this organisation for many years.

Onehunga High survived the ACE cuts of 2009, but most other South Auckland schools did not. Linda has worked to fill the gap. Always ready to make the most of changes in government funding and new opportunities, it has been as a result of her tireless efforts that today Onehunga High School hosts the largest school-based government funded ACE programme in New Zealand. As Adult Learning Director at Onehunga High, she is responsible for the ACE programme in five schools - Onehunga High School, Aorere College, Rosehill College, Tangaroa College and Papakura High School.

In 2017 Linda was awarded ACE Aotearoa Member of the Year, Tangata Tiriti.

Nigel Sutton, current President of CLASS pays tribute to Linda: “It comes as little surprise to those of us who have had the privilege of working with Linda Melrose that Onehunga High School has needed to split her role into two and hire two separate people – to fill her shoes!

“I first met Linda in 2017 at the CLASS Conference at Auckland Airport. It was immediately obvious that she was a key powerhouse of the ACE in Schools’ sector.

“I have cherished Linda’s huge energy and her ability to cut through noise and nonsense. Her pragmatic and entrepreneurial qualities clearly shine, but I have often wondered at whether others notice the vast work she has done on behalf of Māori and Pasifika learners. Linda has tirelessly run programmes in areas of great need and served thousands of priority learners. She has introduced programmes and bought on new schools offering night classes – always in neighbourhoods where these programmes serve the most need.

“At a time where most of us were holding on throughout the “pandemic years” she continued to bring on new schools and forge ahead delivering ACE to communities where its impact is the largest. With Linda’s departure goes a huge wealth and depth of knowledge about the ACE sector and education in New Zealand. We must be grateful for our time together and all she has shared – and that she agreed to become a life member of CLASS!”