The Westbourne School Council appointed Ms Meg Hansen to the position of Principal at Westbourne Grammar School from 5 July, 2010.

Ms Meg Hansen joins the Westbourne Community after ten years as Principal of Lauriston Girls’ School in Armadale. Lauriston is one of Australia’s leading academic schools, offering the VCE and International Baccalaureate. The School has a unique Year 9 residential program located in the Howqua Valley near Mansfield showcasing outdoor and environmental studies coupled with extensive personal and academic growth learning programs. Whilst at Lauriston, Ms Hansen scoped its new vision ‘A School for Life’ and embedded five values as core to its operations. She has overseen an extensive building program, established a rich Information Technology learning environment P-12, and established The Lauriston Institute for which she received a fellowship from the Australian Council of Educators in 2009.

Ms Hansen is a member of Victoria Universities’ Council and a member of the Invergowrie Foundation Grant’s Committee.

A New Zealander by birth, Ms Hansen has a Master of Arts Degree in Literature from the University of Otago, a Secondary Teachers College Diploma from Auckland and a Diploma of Teaching (NZ). Ms Hansen joined the staff of Westbourne in 1987, teaching English and Literature, and Monash University Extension Literature. She was Year 12 Coordinator between 1989-1994 and Vice Principal 1994-2000. Ms Hansen edited the School Magazine, established Debating in the School and coached Netball.

Ms Hansen is married to Garry Kindley and has two children, Lochlainn and Guinevere, both of whom attended Westbourne’s Junior School.