“My own girls were young then and the hours suited me, the job fitted in around family, and was something I really liked doing. From my first day to right now, every day has been different, but always something I have enjoyed.”
Since starting, Sue has had “every job going” in the boarding house part of the school, from supervising prep and being the weekend matron to being the activities matron for a while, organising things for the fulltime boarders to do over the weekends, and getting them to and from all their sporting and cultural extracurricular activities.
“Every role has been different, but it’s always been about working with teenagers, getting to know them, building a relationship with them and being present for them, ready to listen, to help and to guide them. That’s an absolute privilege actually, being a part of their life during those important teenage years.”
The relationships Sue has built with those students haven’t ended when they finished their schooling.
“I’ve been invited to their weddings, their 21sts. Lots of them still call in for a chat when they are back home, and of course, after 30 years, I am now in the position where I sometimes have their daughters coming to board here as well.”
When a former boarder’s daughter does enrol, Sue says she feels “really honoured”.
“It tells you they value what we did here, they see what this school offers and want to give their own daughters that same education and life they had here. It really is the ultimate praise.”
Obviously a lot has changed in the times between mothers and their daughters attending the school, she says, and not just the name, which until a couple of years ago was St Mary’s Diocesan.
“They have so much more technology now, mobile phones are a big difference. That’s excellent in some ways, but detrimental in others. It’s good they have that connection and can talk to family and friends so much more easily, but they also don’t get a break from it all either.”
Girls used to argue about what they watched in the evening after prep was finished, she says, whereas now they can all watch what they want through various streaming services on their own devices.
“So there’s no more arguments about Shortland Street at least.”
The dorms have changed a lot as well.
“I don’t know what today’s teens would make of the way it was. It used to be 30 girls sleeping in one dorm, and sharing just a few bathrooms. Now they all have their own spaces and a lot more privacy than they did.”
Teenagers these days face far more challenges than their predecessors, says Sue.
“I think it is very hard for teenagers today, they face a lot of pressure and have to really develop skills in resilience. That’s a really important part of what we do here, we work with them on developing strategies to deal with stress and pressure, and we try to guide them through the challenges they face. We are preparing them for the workforce, and making sure they have all the social skills they will need when they leave.”
If Sue was to give advice to anyone parenting or caring for teenagers, it would be about the importance of sleep.
“Sleep is so important to their development. It’s vital for good mental health and wellbeing, and it’s something a lot of teenagers actually don’t get enough of.”
Consistency is also important, she says.
“Here at the boarding house, we work as a team at all times. The girls get the same message, the same rules and the same expectations from us all. It’s a really great team here, I am lucky that it always has been. That makes a big difference, and it has a positive impact on the girls too.”
Taranaki Diocesan School principal Matt Coleman says Sue is one of the most caring, supportive and professional people he has had the pleasure to work with at school.
“Sue models all the values that we try and instil in our students - care, respect, responsibility, perseverance and service - and will go the extra mile for any one of the girls in our care.”
While Sue has clocked up an impressive number of years at the boarding house, she says every day is still different, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s been an absolute privilege to work here, and it still is. I love it here.”
