North Canterbury News: September 05, 2019

NEWS
18 North Canterbury News, September 5, 2019
Mandy makes Kaikoura home
By DAVID HILL
Kaikoura SuburbanSchool
has anew principal.
Mandy Woods moved with
her familytoKaikoura from
Piripiri,west of Waitomo in
the KingCountry, in July.
‘‘Wewerevery excitedtosee
the position of principal
becomeavailableinKaikoura
as it is oneofour favourite
places in New Zealand,and, in
fact, the world.
‘‘The majorityofmy
teaching career in New
Zealandhas beeninsmall,
rural schoolsand Ilovethe
whanaufeelingassociated
withthese communities.’’
Mandy’s teaching and
leadership experiencesspan
all levels of theNew Zealand
curriculum andinclude
overseas postings.
‘‘I havededicated my career
to being alife­long learner and
areflective practitioner.’’
Mandy worked in Abu Dhabi
in theUnited Arab Emirates
for three years andthen
Brunei for seven years,firstly
as an educationadviser for
Cognition,aNew Zealand
educationconsultancy,and
thenasaneducationproject
manager for CfBTEducation
ServicesinBrunei.
These positionsinvolved
recruiting, leading
professional learning,
managing andappraising, and
workingalongside thelocal
Ministry of Education in
curriculum andassessment
design andimplementation.
She returnedtoNew
❛I’ve very much
enjoyed gettingto
know the children,
parents, staff and
community.❜
—Mandy Woods
ZealandinJuly 2017,taking up
asole­chargeprincipal
positionatPiripiri School.
HusbandAaronisastay­athomedad
withtheirtwo young
children,Danielle, aged12
andJayden,6,while they have
twoadultchildren, Ayla,26,
andAnton, 19,who live in
Christchurch and surrounds.
‘‘I’ve verymuchenjoyed
getting to knowthe children,
parents, staff andcommunity
of Kaikoura SuburbanSchool
andamexcitedtobeworking
with such apositive Board of
Trustees, who haveaclear
direction forthe school.
‘‘My skill set and personality
lend themselvespositively to
celebratingthe successes and
continuingthe progress
already establishedinthe
school, while contributing
some newideasand energy
towards future projects and
development.
‘‘Ihave apositive and highly
skilled team of teachers, with
apassion for providing the
best forthe childrenthey
teach.’’
Settling in ... Mandy Woods is enjoying her new role as Kaikoura
Suburban School principal.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
More than
just meals
Since 1992, Amberley Meals on
Wheels hasbeen providing a
simple but essential service to
the community, delivering
meals to people who can’t shop
or cook ameal for themselves.
This can be on atemporary or
permanent basis.
The service covers Amberley
from the Waipara Bridge on
State Highway 1, to Amberley
Beach, Leithfield and Leithfield
Beach.
Meals on Wheels co­ordinator
Mary Bimler says theservice
provides ahot main meal and
dessert, and alsogives the
group’s volunteers the
opportunity to regularly check
on elderly members of the
community.
‘‘Our service enables many
elderly residents and people
with disabilities to remain in
their own homes, thus
enhancing their independence,
dignity and quality of life.’’
The menu is designedwith
the health of the clients in mind,
with special dietary
requirements catered for.
Around 30 volunteer drivers
share rostered duties, delivering
meals three times aweek.
The group is now part of the
Good in the Hood programme
run by Z, which Mary says will
enable it to give voluntary
drivers asmall donation toward
the cost of their petrol.
Clientsrequiring meals are
referredbytheir doctor or
practicenurse.
13–16
September
2019
ARTS
showcase
hurunui
13–16
September
ARTS 2019
showcase
hurunui
Guest artist:
DevonHuston of Leithfield
Guestartist
DevonHuston
of Leithfield
Art&eclectic pieces
forsale
People’s choice prizes
Showcasing theArts
by artistsofthe Hurunui
HurunuiMemorial Library
AMBERLEY
Friday9am–5pm
Saturday 9am–5pm
Sunday10am–4pm
Monday9am–3pm
warren thompson waitaha ki hurunui
Hurunui Arts Council
After a 40-year working career in
advertising design, Devon has made the
transitiontoFineArt–workingprimarilyin
thewatercolourmedium. He endeavours
to bring a well-crafted, considered
approach to watercolours, created in
acolourful and traditional format that
he labels “casual realism”. Devon’s art is
displayed and sold in several galleries
New Zealand wide, he also tutors both
watercolour painting and life-drawing in
various SouthIslandlocations.
Among awards won over the years are:
Highly Commended in the Kerikeri Art
Society’s Annual Exhibition; a Merit
AwardintheAnnual Marlborough Peter’s
Doig Art Awards and aFinalist in the
Australian Artist magazine’s Art Prize
Challengefor Seascapes, Rivers andLakes.
Devon also had four feature articles on
his art published in the Australian Artist
magazine.
Now based in Leithfield, North
Canterbury, he has taken adetour inart
to painting “plein air” (outdoors) rather
than mainly in the studio. He finds this
brings anew excitement, satisfaction and
stimulus and results in the watercolours
being art of amore vivid, impressionistic
andspontaneous nature.
Contact Pamela Burrows
folkcraftz@xtra.co.nz
2198043