Merry Xmas and a Farewell Letter to you all.

The Lynch Gate has been my favourite place here at school. Through the gate and a few steps I was in the Botanic Gardens by the Archery Lawn, or if I turned right, past the herbaceous borders I was at the coffee shop (aka the new Visitors' Centre).  The gardens, Le Cafe, the Arts Centre, The Coffee House, Hagley Park... have been part of my life for a long time. My brother, various boyfriends, my husband and sons have played rugby on the sports fields. Both my sons have played rugby on Upper against College teams. When Robert asked me if working in Open Air would be okay I said "as long as I can see Upper and watch rugby. I went to Christchurch Girls' High and sat in Cramner Square at lunchtime. 40 years ago, I worked at the hospital and would walk down to the Boat Sheds to get lunch. Or I could walk to that new "vegetarian" place Dux de Lux. 

This is a very special school with a very special culture and very special buildings that made me smile every morning I walked in the gate. I have thoroughly enjoyed working here at College. I have attended athletic sports, house music, house plays, the Earth Hour concert, Cats, Connected, College Day, Leadership Day, The Oxfords singing in the Chapel and Carols in the Quad. I have enjoyed going to Chapel and reflecting on Bosco's messages. I have not enjoyed realizing that the Hymns in the Presbyterian Hymn book had the same words, but different music. I would like to thank Chris Hill and James Bartlett for their beautiful singing which allowed me to follow along.

I hope I have been a disruptive influence on you, which has allowed you to try something new or embed a tool into your practice. Robert, Robin, Paul and I have been amazed by the work people are 

doing in their classrooms. It would be great if you could share that practice with each other to solidify the PD from this year. A good way would be to share via a post on this blog. Just contact Robin.

And so I am off on my next adventure. Away from the corner office, past the Chapel and the Dining Hall, out the gate, down Rolleston Avenue to the CORE office in Madras Street, next door to Black Bettys and just round the corner from Winnie Bagoes. I will miss you but I am only a tweet away!

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. – Mark Twain

Have a wonderful Christmas,

Kindest Regards

Pauline