WSC


	Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa – welcome to this very special prize giving celebration! Would everyone please stand. We are standing to acknowledge Ken Havill, our past principal, who for 19 years and 19 prizegivings has presented this principal’s address. I am honoured to follow in his footsteps and to deliver the first of my prizegiving addresses. Thank you and please be seated. I would also like to acknowledge Mr Cyril Hicks, one of the first principal’s of this school on its present site and the initiator of our annual prize and medal for dux of the school. Mr Hicks is in his 97th year and has regularly attended our annual senior prizegivings for as long as anyone can remember. I think that deserves a special round of applause don’t you? To our students and the families who are supporting you tonight - Welcome to you all, and that is a welcome to this special celebration acknowledging the end of your secondary school years. I know that the teachers who work most closely with you have put a great deal effort into organizing an event for all of you at this special time, and here I would like to acknowledge Julie Debreceny our DP with overall organisational responsibility responsibility for both this and tomorrow morning’s Yr 12 prizegiving; Margaret Robertson our Head of Music who is our chief finesser of all things to do with the presentation and entertainment aspects of our prizegivings; Heather Dikstaal our Yr 13 Academic Director and originator and creator of this innovative new format and Christine Goodes, my PA working in the engine room on prize lists, certificates, trophies, guests and myriad small details to make this event run smoothly. I mentioned, and want to emphasise again, that this is an event for all year 13’s rather than the somewhat exclusive events of the past that have only recognized prize winners. You see, we have a philosophy here that you are all leaders in some way when you have reached your final year of school, and in many many ways you have shown that, in the things that you have done – in the little things and major events you have contributed to throughout the year. Who will forget the carnival atmosphere of Daffodil Day for example where our village green was transformed into a festival site to raise money not for us but for others. Who will forget the hours and hours that 47 of you have spent with our Year 9 students in need of extra assistance in the peer assisted learning programme. Many of you have said to us that this is the best thing you have ever done at school and the bond that has been formed between you and our most junior students is gold. Who will forget the sports games, the house competitions, the field trips, the camps, the athletics days and swimming sports, the performance evenings, the showcases, the bands, that you have been part of. This is all about you and forming relationships, friendships, mateships that will endure long after you have left these gates. I want to mention here a statement from one of our country’s greatest citizens – Sir Edmund Hillary, popularly known as Sir Ed and popularly known as our greatest New Zealander…and a man I had the good fortune to meet on a number of occasions. Ed said this: “I have had the world beneath my clumsy boots on the top of Everest, and saw the sun slip over the horizon after the dark Antarctic winter. I have been given more than my share of excitement, beauty, laughter and friendship. Each of us has to discover his or her own path – of that I am sure. Some paths will be spectacular and others peaceful and quiet – but who is to say which is the most important? For me the most rewarding moments have not always been the great moments – for what can surpass a tear on your departure, joy on your return, or a trusting hand in yours.” There is a Maori whakatauki that really sums up what both Ed and I are saying to you: “He aha te mea nui o te ao He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.” “What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people it is people.” And you will be aware that your ability to network with people, to work to together to go far further than you ever would working on your own is the 21st century skill that has been nurtured here at Springs and is what employers are crying out for. Knowledge is now universal (“Google knows everything”). What you do with that knowledge and how you collaborate with others to expand and utilize that knowledge is the way ahead. Because you have been educated at Springs – you know that! And you can do this! While I am on the subject of people let me mention those people who have guided and shepherded you through to this point. The teachers, support staff and coaches who have nurtured you on this incredible educational journey. Let’s give them all a round of applause! I know you will have thanked them in myriad ways but I too want to acknowledge the at times superhuman efforts our staff have made…and are still making on your behalf. I always say that this place attracts people who are into the business of teaching, who are teachers first and not distracted by rules around uniform for example that plague the building of relationships which lead to educational success. And it is not just me saying this, ERO in its last report on this school noted the strong teacher student relationships translating into quite outstanding educational success. Sadly, we farewell from our team this year four teachers who are moving on to other opportunities. Julie Senescall our head of learning support for the past 10 years is taking time out to look after herself, and in time to explore other opportunities. She has told me that she does this with a heavy heart as she has had a truly amazing time here at Springs. What greater endorsement to a school can a teacher give than to send her own sons to the place where she teaches? Julie, your work, your compassion and your human touch have made us bigger and better people, have made this school a magnet school and school of choice for parents interested in advancing the learning of their children through specialist support. How on earth will we replace you? Hana Aranga, after 11 years of service with us will return to her home in Christchurch. Hana is our head of Te Reo Maori and has made an outstanding contribution to the development of the language within Nga Puna o Waiorea and at Springs, as well as translating mountains of work for us. Hana has commented to me that her colleagues have become her family here in Auckland as they have grown together through their work. Hana intends to give back to her whanau in Christchurch who have supported her to get where she is today. Hana, we wish you the very best and look forward to your return some day. Mike Gunn, our digital technology teacher is leaving us after four years here for a position at the new Rototuna senior high school in Hamilton. A visit to Mike’s classroom is school like nothing we know! Coding, 3D printers, digital projectors, 4D software and not a whiteboard or marker in sight. It makes one feel very last century...and of course our digital natives take to this like ducks to water. Thank you for your work in establishing this aspect of the technology curriculum Mike and all the best for your new adventure. And Brydie Hunt, a member of our physical education department since 2016 and an assistant HoD of PE for the second half of this year is leaving us for Portsmouth in England where her partner who is in the Royal New Zealand Navy will be engaged in 18 months of training. Brydie, thank you for all that you have done for our students in the time you have been with us both within school and in the co-curricular sports programme. This time in Portsmouth will be memorable. And now back to our students who are leaving us today, and back to Sir Ed. who said: “I will come again and conquer you because as a mountain you can’t grow, but as a human I can.” Think back to 5 years ago when you started here as little Year 9’s full of awe and enthusiasm at this big school and the big people in it and look how far you have come. I will leave the last bit of philosophy to Ted Geisel – you will know him better as Dr Seuss. Apologies Ted for some subtle modifications: