Hero photograph
 
Photo by T C

Farewell & Best Wishes Mr Sullivan

T C —

"Teaching has evolved and keeps on evolving, it keeps on changing and you have to keep pace with it. If you don't move forward, your kids are left behind so you have to keep changing and finding ideas that spin their wheels. I hope that in some way I've played a part in their growth."

“End of an incredible Era”

Technology teacher, John (Sully) Sullivan is retiring from teaching after a long and satisfactory career. Sully has taught at Tauhara College since 1981, a total of 38 years inspiring young thinkers in the technology world. He has seen a lot of changes in his time from a theory based curriculum to the modern day NCEA which combines practical and theory in the internally assessed Standards. Sully, originally a mechanic and Kaimai tunnel worker before teacher training, has taught students from Year 9 right through to Year 13 and he is particularly pleased with the number of girls doing his courses.

“It’s not a job, it’s a passion,” he states, and the proof is the phenomenal success of his students (both gender) in their EVolocity campaign, a national competition in Christchurch for secondary schools experimenting in E mechanics. In 2018 his team were adjudged 1st place in New Zealand, a source of great pride for all involved.

John will retire to his hobby farm in Kinloch and continue with his passionate pastimes: golf, grape growing, travel and tinkering with his motors. Oh, and the extended family is pretty important too.

Sully, we will miss you!

Link to article about Mr Sullivan written by Laurilee McMichael

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rdp-taupo-turangi/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503734&objectid=12172251