20th July 2023

Kia ora koutou

I’m happy to be here in Palmerston to help our hard working staff keep the school running smoothly till Kerry arrives in five weeks time. My first impressions have been very positive. These impressions have been backed up by the final draft of the review from ERO the Education Review Office. It arrived in my email this morning and is a big tick for all the hard work that has been done over the past few years to improve the education of your children.

From the time I walked in the door I have been made welcome by staff and students. There are a lot of people to meet and I’m working hard to attach names to faces. So, who am I and why am I here?

I had an extended career as a ski bum in Wanaka after dropping out of law school in the 70’s. During that period, I made 20 ascents of New Zealand’s 3,000 metre peaks, including 3 of Aoraki. I also ran a successful landscaping business in Wanaka for 16 years during that time. I worked as a part time heliski guide for nearly 20 years including managing the Invincible Snowfields in the Rees Valley, Glenorchy.

At the age of 45 with a family of four boys I realised I needed to get a real job and started teacher training. I taught at Tokomairiro High school in Milton until I retired at 65. After a year of stop/ go work on the roads, I went back to teaching and really enjoyed relieving in primary schools. This led to my first Principal’s role at Macraes school. Memorable, amongst other things, for getting up early to light the fires at 6:30 every morning. Later I took over Strath Taieri School in Middlemarch the day before the first Covid lockdown. I had another spell at Macraes early last year.

I am trying to get better at retirement.

I have four sons from my first marriage and as of last week one grandson. I met my second wife through orienteering, a sport that has taken us and 3 of my sons all over the World. I am also heavily involved in Yachting, having spent nearly 200 nights on my yacht as well as many days racing it. I refereed rugby for 16 years stopping at the age of 63. I still ski whenever I can, and my wife and I both enjoy exploring the countryside on our E-bikes. I’ve clocked up almost 4,000 km in the last year.

While I enjoy the principal role, I still really enjoy classroom teaching and am looking forward to filling in when asked in my time here so I can meet all your children.

I hope to meet many of you at the parent interviews that are taking place next week. The upcoming cross-country will be another opportunity to meet and greet. A group of our students will go on to the local cluster cross-country at Waikouaiti. Notices will be given about this to those participating after our own races.

Thank you once again for the great welcome.

Owen Cambridge