Information Newsletter – 3 December 2020

Tena Koutou

The end of each school year often brings staff changes as teachers and support staff move on to develop their careers or change their lifestyle. This year we will be farewelling two teachers as they move on to new challenges and stages of their careers.

Aubrey Orne-Adams has been at Torbay School for 5 years and has contributed a great deal both in and out of the classroom. Aubrey has accepted a new job at Manuka Primary School starting next year. Aubrey is looking to broaden her experiences and take on new opportunities at Manuka, we thank her for her wonderful contribution to our school over five years and wish her well for the future.

Paula Christian who has done a terrific job of leading our year 4 team this year but has decided to relocate her family back to Palmerston North, she will also be leaving at the end of the term. We thank Paula for the work she has done this year, for her leadership, wisdom and experience and wish her and her family all the very best for the future.

We are very sad to lose Aubrey and Paula who are both highly respected by parents and their colleagues, however we celebrate their next moves and I know you will join me in thanking them for their work with your children.

I would also like to thank John Blackburn and Amanda Uenuku for their work over the latter part of the year in our year 0/1 area. John and Amanda have stepped in to cater for our new entrant children who have entered school in the latter part of the year. They have both contributed a great deal to our school in the time they have been with us.

We are all very excited for Alyce Debenham as she takes a year’s maternity leave and we wish her and James all the very best for the birth of their first child.

Jenny Southward and Sam Boriboun are both taking the opportunity to take refreshment leave for the first term of next year and will return to Torbay in Term 2.

Annika Jamieson and Amanda Walenkamp join our staff next year. Annika and Amanda are both beginning teachers who have had very successful teaching practices here at Torbay and we look forward to them joining our staff next year.

Graham Eales who has also taken up a role this term will remain on our staff for the coming year.

I am very pleased to announce that work on our turf development on the lower field starts next week. All going well we should have a new turf facility available at the beginning of next year that will give us year round use of this area as a play area and sports facility.

I thank you for your continued support, please do not hesitate to contact me about any matter.