After 40 years it’s time to go - principal
Hit-and-run victim?
A Hamilton principal says government red tape and poorly thought out education policies mean it’s a good time to leave the profession.
‘‘National standards are a farce – it’s a bloody joke and it’s impacting negatively … so it’s a good time to get out,’’ Pat Poland said. But despite the bureaucracy, he’ll be sad to leave the school he’s led for 17 years.
The Deanwell School principal retires in two weeks and, until then, you will find him at road patrol each morning, greeting each student by name.
Poland started teachers’ college 42 Missing Hamilton man Rick Hayward could have been the victim of a hit-and-run, police say. Almost four years ago, Hayward left his Hamilton home and headed for Raglan. But the 67-year-old went missing along the way, leaving his Toyota parked at the summit of Old Mountain Road. It was September 2013 when Hayward went missing and now, in June 2017, police believe he could have been the victim of a hit-and-run. Detective Sergeant Andrew Saunders said police are making fresh inquiries after initially treating Hayward’s disappearance as a missing person’s inquiry. ‘‘We now believe something sinister may have happened to Rick,’’ Saunders said. ‘‘It may be the case that Mr Hayward was the victim of a hit-and-run. We are not suggesting that anyone deliberately knocked him down. However, the driver might have panicked and disposed of Mr Hayward’s body.’’ Anyone with information call Hamilton Police on 07 858 6200, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. years ago when he was 20.
‘‘I went to university for a year and didn’t enjoy it. My younger brother went to teachers’ college – he got paid to go and there were lots and lots of girls there,’’ Poland said.
‘‘So I thought, great, this is for me. But once I was there, I realised I had a passion for working with children.’’
It’s his knack with children that has seen the 62-year-old’s school roll grow to 405 this year, with several of those enrolled children from out of zone.
‘‘Learning should be exciting and that’s what we’re getting back into.’’
Poland said his father was a civil engineer in Australia so the family moved around a bit.
That experience means he understands children who frequently change schools.
‘‘Every time I started a new school, I hated it. You had to make new friends and I hated it.
‘‘We get kids who are moving every six months and it’s getting worse because of the housing situation, so I understand that.’’
Once school’s out, Poland hopes to find a part-time job driving trucks.
He will miss the kids he has taught for over a decade, but says one thing they won’t miss about him is his singing.
‘‘I can’t sing to save myself – I’m tone deaf.
‘‘But we have grandparents’ day every year and in the final assembly, I always sing a song. So the message to the kids is that you can do anything.
‘‘The kids love it because I sound terrible. But it’s important that all kids have a go at these opportunities in life.
‘‘I have a philosophy that no child will miss out because their parents can’t afford something or won’t pay for something.’’
As a result, his school’s vision is ‘‘Every day, every child, every opportunity.’’
‘‘When we have camp, all children go on camp. We’ll get the money from somewhere else if we need to. We always try to live to that vision because these kids are tomorrow’s future.’’