Kia ora Talofa lava, Malo e lelei, Fakalofa lahi atu, Kia orana, Namaste and Warm SCC Greetings to you all.

This is my last Panui as Principal of Southern Cross Campus as I am leaving at the end of Term One after thirteen years here. It has been a privilege to serve this school and the Mangere community and assist with the developments that have taken place. Special thanks to Ms Mose and Miss Alatasi for without your courage, leadership and support the school would not be in the secure position it is in today.

There is more to do especially in completing Stage Three of construction and I am delighted to pass the baton on to Dr Samantha (Sam) Smith from Massey High School to take up this challenge with our team. I have had the honour of working with Sam as part of the University of Auckland Star Path Project. She is a respected educationalist and has great experience growing leaders and with pastoral care. In 2010 she was awarded a PhD in education from the University of Auckland for her work in "academic target setting: formative use of achievement data".

I would like to also thank the Board of Trustees, ably led by Mr Peter Parussini a Foundation pupil of this school, for your vision and support.

Southern Cross Campus has always been at the forefront of community education developments including raising student achievement through Ministry of Education Projects, the RTLB Cluster, Trades Academies, ARA Education Trust and our Whakatipu Akoranga Kahui Ako (Community of Learning).

There are two significant people who have passed on who I must also acknowledge. Sir John Graham originally as Commissioner and then a Chair of the Southern Cross Campus Foundation left a legacy of strength of belief, that this school was as good as anywhere and deserved the support of corporate New Zealand.

Bunny (Charles) Tumai also had a strong belief in education and a vision of cooperation for all peoples from the Mangere Community. The school and I miss his wisdom and mana.

To the excellent teachers here I have had the privilege of working with — you show up every day not because it's a job but because you are passionate about the critical role you play in our young people's lives. Thank you! 

R Staples
Principal