School board of trustees chair Tanya Hohepa said Mr Udall's dedication to education shines and the whole team is grateful for the legacy he has left.
“Our school has been blessed with an extraordinary principal,” she said.
“He is a consummate professional with an incredibly strong work ethic. Time and time again he has proven his unyielding commitment to education.”
Mr Udall worked up the rungs of education quickly after coming back from teaching in London after university.
He taught at Mangapapa School in 1995 and became deputy principal at Makauri School in 1999. He then moved to Gisborne Intermediate where he again became deputy principal before taking the principalship in 2015.
“Having grown up playing competitive team sports, I understood the power of teamwork and used the leadership traits I admired in others to support colleagues to get the best out of themselves and their students,” he said.
The educator has had plenty of success on the sports field as well as the school grounds.
He played National League football for Manawatu and NZ universities in the early 90s while at Massey University. He represented Poverty Bay in rugby and cricket and still plays premier grade cricket locally.
Raised in Rotorua until the age of 15, his family moved to Gisborne to live on a lifestyle block near Makauri Primary School while he attended Gisborne Boys' High.
“I got into teaching after weighing up my options having finished school. I knew I wanted to pursue further study outside the region so applied to attend Palmerston North Teachers College and Massey University, along with some mates. We were accepted and the rest is history.”
Mr Udall says change in education is one of the only constants.
“Depending on government policies and political changes, education is a dynamic profession where the rules of engagement and priorities evolve annually. One thing that has never changed is the absolute dedication and passion of those who serve the profession.
“I have been surrounded by amazing people who give all they have to ensure every learner is able to realise their potential.
“You work in education because you value making a difference and I take my hat off to every colleague I have worked with over the last 30 years in my educational journey. It is a profession that demands so much and has extremely high expectations from society.”
Mr Udall said the Covid-19 pandemic has stretched the under-resourced sector.
“Successive New Zealand governments espouse the aspiration to create a first-class education system that meets the needs of all, but until bold moves to improve funding are made, there will continue to be inequities in access and achievement across the country.”
But there are highlights.
“In saying that we have a wonderful curriculum in our country which continues to evolve and respond to the changing global landscape. Quality education is the greatest gift we can give our children growing up. We have amazing people operating within it and I truly hope that never changes.”
Ready for a new journey, Mr Udall is trying something completely different.
“For me, the time has come to chart a new course in my professional life. I have always implored students to meet challenges and get out of their comfort zone. You could never get comfortable in education but it has always been an aspiration of mine to try something new.
“It feels right to pursue another opportunity and I feel extremely grateful that the team at Emerre & Hathaway Insurance Brokers have taken a chance on me. I am looking forward to getting back into study, learning new things and transferring all of the skillsets I have developed in education.”
