On Friday afternoon, the school farewelled teacher, Matt Ives.

 A week before he was due to leave, the school farewelled Matt. A number of us were going to be  away on the last Friday of term, so we decided to farewell Matt early. We showed photos, told stories, laughed a bit (at him and with him), performed a rousing (and tear jerking haka) and presented Matt and his wife, Jenna, with Amesbury School taonga. We had already presented them with a numbered print of Wellington by artist Sarah Platt as well as other gifts. We hope these will prompt them both to remember Amesbury School and perhaps come back in the future. We have assured Matt there will always be a place for him here.

Matt and Jenna are off to China to be nearer Jenna's family who live in Taiwan. Matt will be in China for a two year contract as the IT lead at an international school. We wish them all the very best and we will think of them often. Matt's shoes will be impossibly hard to fill.