A SMALL SCHOOL HAS MUCH TO CELEBRATE

Tapora School may be small (boasting just 54 students) but it is by no means insignificant in it’s achievements and subsequent reasons to celebrate success. Throughout 2006 several students attained excellence across the curriculum on both a local and national level.  Year Two student  Emma Walton with Jersey calf, Lilibell took a 1st in leading, !st in care and effort, 2nd in dairy type sections and won both the Leading and Care and Effort cups at the Tapora School Ag Day. At the Otamatea Interschool Group Day held at the Kaiwaka Domain she also won two 1st’s in the Champion Light Breed and Overall Champion Leading sections. To top off her successes, 6 year old Emma won the Reserve Champion of Champions cup, competing against children several years older than herself.

Year 8 student Corey McDevitt represented Rodney in the Under 13’s  Taniwha Cup Team which subsequently won the Northland Taniwha Shield. Year 5 student Tony Coombe was picked to represent Rodney in the 10th Grade Rodney Soccer Representative Team. Year 7 student Michael Lindsay won the national award for Year 7/8 students in the English Online, Book Busters Quiz. Caitlin Fleming (Year8), Ngaroma Rika and Zara Hammond ( Year 7) were chosen as Rodney Netball Reps.

Just recently it had an extra special reason to celebrate, with it being 50 years since the school opened in 1956. The Tapora School Jubilee, with some 160 past pupils, staff, BOT and their families. in attendance covered three days of  celebratory activities, with one ex pupil Fred Pita, travelling  from as far as Darwin, Australia. Christine Bruce who recently retired from teaching at Tapora School after twenty four years of service, was also in attendance having travelled up from Invercargill.

Friday the 10th November was an open day for the school with classes exhibiting various stages of “Past and Present” unit study work. Classroom windows were painted by students signifying specific attributes which make their school special. The school hall was turned into an ICT memorabilia show with two power points running simultaneously showing 1956/2006 people and events. A fantastic range of fun activities were organised for students on the field by sports co-cordinator Pete Wynwood and teacher aide Pam Hogg. Several parents dressed up in convincing costumes as cartoon and story book characters who generally played havoc during the games and races, much to the children’s delight. A shared lunch was incorporated into the day as well. A mix and mingle, wine and cheese event was held in the school hall that night.

Formalities took place on Saturday 11th November commencing at 1pm with a powhiri followed by speeches from special guests, Tory Collier, Wally McConnell and Wikitoria Wright. Especially important was the presence of the school’s first principal Mr Des Witheford whose great, great nephew Kayne is a current student at the school. Mr Witheford shared several anecdotes such as finding tadpoles in the school milk, having to close the school in high winds and the students having to take three weeks extra holiday whilst he attended compulsory military training in the fifties. He also shared of his sadness that his wife of many years was not able to be with him on such a special occasion as she had passed away some fifteen months earlier. He was however accompanied by his daughter Raewyn McKnee. Mr Witheford is presently writing a book called “Gateways to the Run” which will be published next year. He hopes to be able to both loan and sell the publication to the public.

There was a poignant mix of tears and laughter as other ex-staff and  pupils plus members of both the past and present community shared personal experiences from across the decades. The cutting of the Jubilee Cake made by Peggy Steele and iced by Tereza Lusty was also a special part of the proceedings. This was dutifully carried out by the oldest past pupil Carol Donaghy (nee Egan) and the youngest current pupils, Emma Fairweather and Dekan Fleming.A special koha was presented by past pupil Marilyn Ward ( nee Steele). A magnificent painting of a rural Kaipara scene. Decade photos were taken throughout the afternoon whilst students got to enjoy a sausage sizzle and the adults afternoon tea. On Saturday evening a dinner and dance was held in the Tapora Community Hall with entertainment by local band  “ The Wharehine Warblers”.

Sunday 12th November a church service was held, officiated by the Minister of Wellsford Church of Christ, Peter Armstrong. This was followed by a commemorative tree planting ceremony   in the newly landscaped garden created by local landscape gardeners, Annie Calder, Peter Hammond and Kevin Wright. Formal proceedings concluded with the blessing of the gateway entrance by Minister Peter Armstrong on Sunday afternoon. Many hearts and lives were touched throughout the Jubilee weekend with old friendships kindled, absent friends remembered and plans made for the future. Tapora School has indeed had much to celebrate.

Judy Herde

Tapora School