“Our district is built on the passion and dedication of community-minded people who give their all to help others succeed,” says Mayor Dan Gordon.

“Ian’s commitment to education has shaped opportunities for generations of learners, and we are incredibly proud to see his service recognised.

“Congratulations, Ian on this well-deserved honour. Your unwavering commitment to education and community has helped shape brighter futures for countless learners, their whānau, and the wider educational landscape of Aotearoa.”

Citations below from Honours Unit:

To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit: POULTER, Mr Ian Douglas For services to education

Mr Ian Poulter worked in education for 47 years, with 34 years as a Principal, until his retirement in 2024.

Mr Poulter was founding Principal of Bluestone School in Timaru from 2005 until 2020, the result of a merger of Timaru West and Timaru Main schools.

Under his leadership, Bluestone became a national example of what it means to design a school around the needs of learners, including adopting the Human Rights in Education framework, championing bilingual education, leading a major redevelopment for safe and inspiring learning spaces, and shaping a te reo Māori and tikanga Maori pathway at the school.

He oversaw the construction and governance of the Timaru Technology Education Centre between 2006 and 2020. He played a key role in the establishment of Timaru North and South Kāhui Ako in 2017, working as joint Lead Principal to foster collaboration among the schools, with the Community of Learning now comprising 17 schools and 21 early childhood centres.

He was Principal from 2020 of Pītau-Allenvale School in Christchurch, a specialist school supporting neurodiverse learners and students with complex needs. Mr Poulter led the school to expand its reach, with satellite classes in Rangiora and Christchurch so more families could access specialist education closer to home.