Treasured principal ‘handed over’

A SPECIAL welcome and ‘‘hand over’’ ceremony was held for the new principal at the Catlins Area School yesterday.

Opihi College deputy principal Kate Staniford was formally welcomed to the Catlins Area School in a ceremony intended to ‘‘pass her over’’ from one school to another.

Catlins Area School acting principal Ross Willcocks said Miss Staniford was a highly valued member of Opihi College, in Temuka, and was considered a taonga, or treasure.

The school wanted to formally ‘‘pass her over’’ to the Catlins Area School, Mr Willcocks said.

‘‘Miss Staniford is the treasure that they are handing over,’’ he said.

A welcome kapa haka performance was put on by Catlins pupils and a select group of Opihi College pupils responded with their own waiata and performance.

Miss Staniford was impressed by the Catlins pupils’ performance and said it was ‘‘awesome’’.

‘‘Those kids are well practised and looked very flash.’’

Miss Staniford will take over as principal from Mr Willcocks in the second term as he has filled in since the departure of Alex McCreadie last year.

She looked forward to getting involved with the community and it would be a positive change.

It made ‘‘total sense’’ for her and her husband, Richard, to move to Owaka, as he was a landscape photographer.

He was in the Catlins on a photography tour at the time the principal’s job was advertised last year.

‘‘It really made sense that he was here wanting to be here and photograph everything.’’

She will move here with her husband and two children, Alicia and Poppy.

Mr Willcocks said his short time with the school was wonderful. ‘‘I’ve had a ball.’’

He had a large amount of ‘‘bits and pieces’’ of information to share with Miss Staniford over the next few days as he introduced her to the school.

‘‘I trust the conditions she is going to find the school in makes transition for her very, very easy.’’

Miss Staniford will spend the next few days in Owaka and return to Temuka at the end of the week.

It would ensure she had a reasonable understanding of the school when she officially took over in May.

samuel.white@odt.co.nz

PHOTO: SAMUEL WHITE Welcome to the Catlins . . . Catlins Area Qchool acting principal Ross Willcocks welcomes Opihi College deputy principal Kate Qtaniford, as she prepares to take over the role of principal in May.