Nicky came to WGC from St Mark’s primary school, at the start of 2006. Her daughters, Kate and Rebecca had come here and this was a school she’d thought she might like to work in - and so began her 20 years as HOD Music.

Nicky’s referees at the time she was appointed talked about:

• Her huge capacity for work

• Her enjoyment of a challenge

• Her sense of humour

• Her strong drive for personal excellence

• Her accomplished musicianship

• And how she was a valued and respected teacher

Nothing much has changed, but we suspect she didn’t quite expect some of the challenges she has faced, particularly in the last few years.

Nicky would have been one of the best qualified Music teachers ever in Wellington - she has a BMus in piano performance from Otago, an  LRSM - a Licentiate of the royal schools of Music and and an LTCL and and FTCL - a licentiate of Trinity College but also a Fellow of Trinity College - and they are rarer than hen’s teeth! 

She was an experienced musician and teacher, but she was new to secondary and this turned out to be a bonus for us as, by necessity  she started working very closely with Wellington College developing one of the best and most productive cross school relationships we have in place.

She was also an accompanist for the NZ secondary schools’ choir which gave her wonderful access to some of the top choral conductors and musicians in NZ and again we benefited enormously from those connections. 

In her time at WGC, obviously Nicky has taught Music from Yrs 9-13, mostly on her own and that’s a lonely place to be. Particularly as she developed new courses to try and meet the changing needs of our Yr 9s in particular. Nicky was also one of the first staff here to teach cross level courses, initially at Yr 12 & 13 - no easy task but one she made work to keep students in her subject.

And being largely on your own is even harder when you want to offer so many opportunities to the students. By necessity Nicky also forged  great relationships with  the itinerant teachers in her department and other staff in the performing arts area with whom she has been able to offer things like the productions of Fame and Anything Goes, and the Cultural extravaganzas we ran from 2009-17 with Wellington College. She’s also worked with other WGC staff to support the choirs, orchestra and concert band. 

In the last 5 years, Nicky has had to contend with significant building issues, which ranged from a full on design for a new department sitting underneath the new Hall one year to the demolition of the old Hall the next; the flooding of the music department after a massive rain storm which resulted in Nicky teaching the the Tower block staffroom for nearly a term; then the demolition of the Music block and her relocation to the tin huts down on the edge of Tiakiwai have probably been the ultimate challenge for Nicky. Having no Hall for a Music teacher is like saying we won’t have Science labs to the science department. Where do you perform, where do you practice, where do you show parents and friends what you’ve been up to for all those hours? Due to Nicky’s relationship with Wellington College she has found her groups a new home - but they’re on the other side of town, it’s not the same and I know it’s really hard.

So it was no surprise when she decided to go to 4 days a week in 2022 and even less when she resigned last year. The new HOD’s pregnancy did mean that Nicky could have her wish of not finishing at the end of the year - and we’re incredibly grateful that worked out for everyone.

At the end of 2009, in her appraisal, Nicky said ‘I love my job - it’s going really well, but I feel I have reached the top of one hill and  there is another one in front.’ If she had  known she had 17 more years of that, she might have done a runner!!! We’re so glad she didn’t.

A school without music is a sad place to be in. For many of you, the only time you see what Nicky does is at Prizegiving, when you see the best of the best and you get a glimpse into her talents. For others, you see it much more often, in the concerts and the festivals and the competitions and the work she puts into individual students. Music teachers are special people and they build incredibly special relationships with their classes but more importantly in some ways, with the students they work with through extra curricular groups.  

These students will miss Nicky; we will miss her. The next week is a time to say thank you, but also to celebrate 20 amazing years. Nicky isn’t leaving; we’ll still see her with Ngā Korimako at the Big Sing which probably means we’ll see her at Prizegiving as well!

But as she finishes her time as HOD Music and teaching in the classroom, we do want to say thank you for all you have done to contribute to the richness of life at WGC. You have left a legacy we shall long remember. 

Haere ra e hoa ma.