Angela Mitchell has been named the new associate principal of Ashburton College. It is a step up from her current position as a deputy principal, and a newly re-created role. She starts the job in term three. “We haven’t had an associate principal for a long time, so I think the role will evolve over the first two or three years as we see how it can be a support to the operation of the whole school,” Mitchell said. The new position was expected to lighten the day-to-day load for Ashburton College principal Simon Coleman and allow him to focus on promotion and school curriculum objectives. ‘‘Simon is busy pursuing opportunities here in Ashburton to better our school, but he also has connections and commitments in the wider New Zealand educational sector. ‘‘My role will allow him more time in both these areas which will ultimately benefit Ashburton College,’’ she said.…