When Miller Avenue School’s sports-mad new principal arrived on November 3 he was ready to play ball, kicking off his tenure with a winning play – playtime.
Derek Martin has a big vision for the Paeroa primary school.
“I want the school to thrive,” he told The Profile.
“I want us to become even better at literacy and numeracy teaching. We need to be a centre of excellence, with a strong localised curriculum built around the needs of the local community.”
However, many of these achievements were strengthened by work outside the classroom, he said.
“I certainly want to bring my love for sports and art into the school.
“We’re going to do a lot more sport, we’re going to do a lot more arts and cultural events, so that each kid finds something they love [and] is excited to come to school.”
In the handful of weeks since starting, Derek has already established a popular lunchtime sports programme, engaging the students in touch and cricket training sessions.
“It’s a little start, but next year we’ll expand that quite early on,” he said, adding he also had plans to install a basketball hoop, volleyball nets and pickleball facilities early in the new year.
“Many of our students love their sports and we will give them more and more opportunities as the year progresses,” he told parents in the school newsletter.
“We will also look to run music, dancing and drama groups.”
For now though, Derek is happy to finish out the year by finding his feet in the role, and getting to know the school community.
“Principals shouldn’t just lock themselves in their office. They should get out and get to know the community,” Derek said.
“Before I was appointed, I let the board know that that’s what I would be doing. I have already let parents know that if they’re at the school, they’re most welcome to come in and see me.”
Next year, Derek will be drawing on his more than 25 years of senior education management experience to begin making the school “very strong and grow again.”
“I know I can make a meaningful difference and that’s what drives me. That’s what makes me come to work every day in a positive mood,” he said.
“We’ve got extra classrooms. We’ve got the capacity to take more kids, and that’s what I really want.
“The proof will be if we can keep growing and [have] happy kids, who are learning and achieving well.”
