Wainui pupils honour retiring principal at tea party

Nolian Andrew is a woman of leisure after retiring as principal of Wainui Beach School yesterday. The school principal for the past 19 years has been teaching for 45 years. Photo / Paul Rickard

Wainui Beach School pupils surprised retiring principal Nolian Andrew by turning up en masse to farewell her at the school’s tea party this week.

The Principal’s Tea Party is a popular event held each term where one student from each class gets to sit down with Andrew and scrumptious cupcakes are served.

But Wednesday’s tea party featured the entire school roll of about 260 as the students honoured Andrew, who retired yesterday after 45 years in the profession.

The students kept the extra special nature of the tea party a secret, which impressed Andrew.

“That’s never happened before,” she said.

“Normally the five-year-olds tell me there is going to be something special.”

Andrew, an Aucklander originally - or more precisely, “a Westy” - followed the footsteps of her father into teaching, and by her second year was based in Gisborne.

Many of her friends at North Shore Teacher’s College were surfers who wanted to go on to Wainui Beach School.

A black and white Gray Clapham photograph of Wainui Beach dated about 1978 is displayed in the foyer of the school’s administration block.

Andrew says no one is aware of the significance of the image, which had attracted her to wanting to live in Wainui.

She can’t believe the past 45 years have gone so quickly - nor could she envisage, in her youth, that she would remain in the profession for so long.

Andrew has been principal of Wainui Beach School for 19 years and has also taught at Patutahi, Waikirikiri, Manutuke, Te Hapara, Ilminster Intermediate, Te Wharau, Mangapapa and Campion College.

Many people have farewelled Andrew or expressed their appreciation for her teaching skills over those 45 years.

That includes former pupils who are now parents of children who have also been taught by her.

Andrew said teachers could see the difference they were making for their pupils.

“There are some kids where school is a really safe place.

“You can be that safe person and care about the kids.”

Andrew appreciates a concept she read in a book, that “love is an action as well as a feeling”.

“I’m choosing to love this difficult child that I have.

“All kids feel if you like them, they’ll really work hard for you and they’ll do as much as they can to please you.”

She had received some lovely messages from former students, some now in their 40s and 50s.

“They remember that I really cared about them.

“I think that’s a lovely legacy to leave.”

But teachers also have a responsibility “to move kids along”.

Andrew said it was easy to look good as a principal with “awesome teaching staff, support staff and community, and awesome kids”.

She also acknowledged the support of former Makauri School principal Judy Nicol, who had been a good mentor and friend based at a school with a similar cohort.

There was a lot of pressure in the job, said Andrew.

“People don’t want to be principals because of the pressure.”

She felt lucky.

“I’m going out on a high.”

Everyone else at the school was “the wind beneath my wings”.

“You’re the one everyone sees, but if you don’t have all that support underneath, you’re not going to be looking great.”

Retirement plans include travel to see family in Bali and London.

Her 6am starts are now over.

“I’m really looking forward to not rushing.

“I’m also curious to see who I am retired.

“I don’t know that person yet.”

Andrew has already been offered several part-time jobs but is in no hurry to commit herself.

“I don’t want to fill my life up straight away.

“I’m just looking forward to taking it easy.”