‘Men do not quit playing because they grow old; they grow old because they quit playing.’ Oliver Wendell Holmes

For some time I’ve been thinking about my free life, post retirement

Thinking about how I’ll keep busy, and how to start doing the things I never had time to do.

Start being happy and carefree,

Start planning some O.E. trips and trips to explore parts of NZ we haven’t spent much time in, yet

Start some new hobbies and revisit some old ones

Stop living at work and start working at living

Start thinking like a retiree

In the end making the decision to retire wasn’t hard, but in saying that there continued to be unfinished business, but then there always will be.

I’ve had a fabulous career and have few regrets.

I grew up in the post WWII environment where we had very little of anything materialistic, but had a rich quality of life.

Becoming a teacher wasn’t something I seriously considered until the later part of my final year at school. Teachers College was a great place to do some further growing up. We were paid to train and bonded to teach for at least two years. Much of the study appeared unrelated to teaching, but I pushed on adhering to a theory, that C’s got degrees.

I have taught across four different provinces and 10 different schools. The rewards from this career have never been financial, but something much more - the satisfaction from working with children and helping them realize their real potential, that is a far greater reward - that’s the joy in teaching! Seeing children accomplishing more than they expected to. I have also enjoyed the camaraderie and collaboration with colleagues, trustees and the creativity that has been needed to resolve some challenging situations.

I have faced my fare share of adversity both as a teacher and a principal, non greater than post ChCh earthquakes

I’d been on the planet for 57 years when the black dog which I hadn’t sensed lurking about in the shadows bit me.

The walls rose around me and I was suddenly stuck in a gloomy hole with no apparent way out, and no energy to start creating an exit. Thanks in the main to my family, friends, colleagues and mental health professionals I started to climb back. After 10 months I was starting to operate at a level where I could face full days back at school, when the September quake struck with shattering effects on Halswell School. The school community needed a leader and I had a choice of step up or step out. The support I received from the Halswell community during this period was absolutely fantastic, the gratitude expressed and positive feedback helped me immensely.

The only reason we have the school facilities we do, is because of the relentless support the board gave to the professional leadership and the combined wisdom of my leadership team at that time. We went out and reviewed and appraised the merits of what had recently been built and what was working and what wasn’t. Halswell is the hybrid of the best in Melbourne, Sydney, Wellington and Auckland. The Board were strong and unrelenting advocates for this community and conjouled MoE and pushed and pushed to attain the end result. Our stadium / hall only happened because they insisted that the Ministry matched the footprint of the facility the community had previously built.

The same group had the wisdom to invest in marketing internationally for fee paying students and keeping me active overseas marketing through post earthquake Government initiative, even when we had few is any fee paying students over the 5 years prior to seeing the investment materialise.

Allowing us to take senior children into the market, China, Korea and Japan, was a considered gamble. The proof of their wisdom is evident in the international roll growth and the correlation with the increased numbers from regions children have visited. We currently host 24 with the prospects for 2019 of 30 plus, which has significant financial ramifications for the school.

Our children are the future of our nation. We owe it to them to have the very best people possible teach them, and high quality support staff to complement the teaching team, being there for those who need a little more guidance or making someone feel welcome. At Halswell our Team has achieved this. I am deeply indebted to one and all, but especially to Cathie Zelas who has had a constant presence throughout my 11 years, been thoroughly professional and straight shooting, and been prepared to tell me what I didn’t want to hear. Along with the other members of our leadership team and staff we have achieved a lot.

Many thanks to those of you who attended my farewell assembly on Friday, and for the many gifts and well wishes I have received. I am excited about the next stage of my life.

I leave our school in good heart, with great teachers, in a financially strong position and a prosperous outlook. Best wishes to one and all especially incoming principal Stuart Cameron. May he experience the same levels of enjoyment and satisfaction that I have enjoyed.

Over the years I have learned:

“To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty;

To find the best in others;

To give one’s self;

To leave the world a bit better,

To know even one other life has breathed easier because I have lived.

This is to have succeeded.” 

Warm Regards

Bruce.