Opinion: Big year ahead for Rotorua schools

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I love this time of year.

One by one Rotorua schools open their gates and excited teachers and students meet - some for the first time, some for the last - ready to start a new school year.

Suddenly the roads are busy again and the footpaths are full of chattering students on their way to school.

I love seeing teachers reinvigorated and ready to tackle another school year, promising to keep children at the centre of everything they do, despite facing some difficult times ahead.

But most of all I love being able to catch up with the amazing principals and education specialists we have in Rotorua.

I've been covering the education round for three years now and in that time I have met and built relationships with some incredible people who are so passionate about what they do.

I count on them to keep me up to date with what is happening in the sector, from the triumphs to the losses.

I rely on this group of people (you know who you are) heavily, often calling, tweeting or Facebooking them after hours or on the weekend. But they always answer my questions, eager to help get as much information into the public domain as possible.

I cannot stress how grateful I am to these individuals and how in awe I am of what you do everyday.

Your efforts do not go unnoticed and it is down to your hard work and unwavering passion that Rotorua's education sector is flourishing.

I can't wait to see what this school year has in store but from what I've heard so far, there are some big things in the pipeline.

I hope this first week back has been a good one and as always, don't hesitate to contact me if there is a story you would like to share.