Grey Lynn School celebrates the end of an incredibly successful year. We have been realising our school vision ‘Learning today to shape tomorrow’.

Welcoming new students and their whanau along with the new staff in a year that has crossed a past chapter of our story to the opening of a new chapter. The past three years of change and building development have impacted in many ways; on our students, staff and community but always with the promise of improvement and modernisation for both physical spaces and modern pedagogy. Great change does take time and we are committed to our strategic areas of improvement in learning, collaboration and becoming more future-focused for all learners here at our school, students, staff and our community. Thank you for your patience, encouragement and support as we navigate change. We believe in our vision and the work that we are doing here for the benefit of our children and their futures!

We farewell Deb Lawson as she makes the decision to retire from a wonderful teaching career at the end of the year. Deb has contributed much to the lives of Grey Lynn students over the last 12 years and forged strong connections with our families and community over the years. It is with joy that her family look forward to spending more time with her and we thank them for allowing her to give such passion and effort to our children and our place. We know that Deb will not be far away from us as she will be coming in from time to time to relieve. Thank you Deb for giving your heart to our students!

"I have had a wonderful experience teaching many of the beautiful children in our community.

Over the past twelve years I have had many different roles and responsibilities; I have been a classroom teacher in the junior and middle school, and a reading recovery teacher. I have taken on leadership roles as a team leader for the Puriri team, Positive Behaviour For Learning team (now the Grey Lynn Way - PRIDE values), and lead the ‘Dig This’ gardening group of keen gardeners. I was also a member of the Board of Trustees for six years.

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of my roles and would like to thank you all for your friendship and support during my time here at Grey Lynn.  He mihi aroha, Debra (Mrs Lawson)"

We also farewell Stacey Kavanaugh and Cristina Cochrane. Stacey has been with Grey Lynn School since 2018 when she took over a maternity leave position and has been in a collaborative teaching space with Deb over 2019. She is a reflective teacher who is extremely dedicated and hardworking and we wish her well as she embarks on her own learning journey as she takes on full-time study in her Masters.

"I have really enjoyed working at Grey Lynn School over the last year, and am thankful for all of the support and opportunities I have had during my time teaching here. Next year I will be returning to university where I will be studying for my masters."

Tina is a passionate and creative teacher who has a growth mindset which she instils in her teaching. She has worked in Surrey 2 with Romiza and Donna over the year. Thank you Tina for your contribution to Grey Lynn School.

“ I have really enjoyed it here, especially the children and talking to their families about their goals for them. I have enjoyed working on the idea of collaboration because this is true collaboration at Grey Lynn and that has been what I have truly learnt. Next, I hope to visit Israel, Egypt and Turkey”.

Today was a fantastic day of celebration of our Grey Lynn Way, we filled all the buttons in each tube for our PRIDE values. This was achieved collectively as a school and today we celebrated with TOP TOWN activities including much water. We thank our local Grey Lynn Fireman for bringing their fire truck and contributing greatly to the smiling faces and dripping bodies! Also thanks to Sonia from Sport Auckland who came to lead Zumba… she has got the moves and we can’t help but dance with her. It was a fabulous day and what a celebration for staff and students!

But wait there was more… a bake sale rounded off the day with sugar and spice helped by our army of an amazing parents helpers who sold happiness as one of our final acts of fundraising this year. Thank you to all who baked and to Tanya Reynolds who made it happen. We raised $1,000!!

This is why Grey Lynn School is so successful… it has a heart and a community with spirit as we build our strong culture of kindness and PRIDE.

Nga mihi nui
Alicia Whata
Grey Lynn School Principal