Kaitaia Intermediate School Principal 'blown away' by farewell

Kaitaia Intermediate School principal Sue Arrell slipped into retirement last week, with best wishes for the future from colleague Allanah Quinn and board of trustees chairman Kevin Matthews.

She probably won't be, but if she was in Canada on the first day of the next school term Sue Arrell would be invited to breakfast with other former teachers and principals, and, at 8.50am, would be expected to leap to her feet, throw her arms in the air and shout "To hell with the bell!"

That was according to her Kaitaia Intermediate School colleague Allanah Quinn when Mrs Arrell was farewelled into retirement on Thursday.

Excepting the bell, there will be plenty that she does miss, and many who will miss her, however.

Board of trustees chairman Kevin Matthews recalled her interview a decade before, when the trustees gave her a "really hard time" in the same room where everyone gathered in Thursday.

Always fair, unfailingly professional and always with an open door - Sue Arrell was praised last week as a principal whose decisions were always based on what was best for her pupils.

"We made a good choice. An excellent choice," he said.

"You have never been anything but professional. It has always been a pleasure to work with you. The school can be very proud of your leadership."

Mrs Arrell had been responsible for numerous improvements for the students and learning, and had always provided the board with good information.

"The ERO reports reflected that," Mr Matthews said.

"Some schools panic a bit when they know the ERO's coming, but we never did. With Sue leading the school everything was kapai."

The principal's job was not an easy one, he said, and the work they did was often not recognised, but Mrs Arrell had always been fair, and had always done what would be best for the kids.

"I have nothing but the utmost respect for you," he said.

Father of three pupils and trustee for nine years John Somerville praised her open door policy, which had been greatly valued by parents, while former pupil Reuben Allen, now head boy at Kaitaia College, recalled spending quite some time in her office, "usually after getting beaten up".

He had taken a lot from those times, saying Mrs Arrell had made him what he was today.
For her part, Mrs Arrell said people didn't know how others saw them until an occasion such as this, and it "blows you away."

The school had been her life for 12 years, and it would be strange waking up without it.
"Life won't be the same, but I will move on," she said.

She would stay in Kaitaia, and continue to be part of the community. And when she had re-charged her batteries she would be looking for something to do, probably in education.

"I have seen the school go from strength to strength. A stable staff, increased engagement by the children, whanau and community and very good gains in student achievement," she said.

"The new library and all-weather netball/tennis courts, both completed and opened in 2012, the computer suite, which opened at the beginning of 2009, and the new technology building, opened in 2010, have been well utilised and continue to be real assets for the school."

She was confident that the new principal (yet to be appointed - Ms Quinn will fill the role in an acting capacity next term), the staff and trustees would continue to offer quality education and excellent academic, sporting, cultural and social experiences for the students.