Words of wisdom, encouragement and the smile of a long-serving Dunedin school principal were celebrated as she said goodbye to a job she loved.
A special assembly was held yesterday to farewell Macandrew Bay School principal Bernadette Newlands, who led the school for 18 years.
Ms Newlands’ teaching career began in Timaru in 1979, before a move to Dunedin a year later. She got her first principal’s job at Karitane School in 1993.
She was part of the Otago Primary Principals’ Association from 2008 until 2021 and maintained a keen interest in music.
Macandrew Bay School pupils and staff sang a series of songs yesterday and paid tribute with speeches and acrostics.
One pupil said she was the kindest principal ever.
She viewed the staff as her "dream team".
The children were precious and unique and it was a pleasure to see them grow into strong, confident human beings by the time they got to year 6.
Ms Newlands said she planned to continue living in Broad Bay and she was looking forward to spending more time with her partner, travelling to Europe and Vietnam, and gardening.
Nic Brown has been appointed the school’s new principal.
