PNBHS NEWS

Leaving Staff

 
Nutzerbild von Ella Mitchell
Leaving Staff
von Ella Mitchell - Monday, 11. December 2017, 16:40
 

Mr Kendal joined us in January 2011 when he was appointed to the fixed term position of Leadership Director.  He brought his own style and vision to this role and actively sought to identify and nurture young men’s leadership capabilities.  Since 2012 Mr Kendal has taught across the Social Studies, Physical Education and Te Reo Maori departments.  He left us for a year in 2014 to gain experience in another school environment, before returning in 2015 when he was appointed to the role of Dean of Maori Student Achievement.  In this role Mr Kendal has been proactive in working to meet the needs of our increasingly diverse student population.  His contagious enthusiasm and calm yet firm manner have endeared him to both his colleagues and students: He taonga rongonui te aroha ki the tangata - Goodwill towards others is a precious treasure.  Mr Kendal has been a keen contributor to our co-curricular programme, managing a basketball team, but most particularly as a rugby and rugby sevens coach.  The annual Sir Gordon Tietjens sevens tournament has come about through his initiative and has established itself as an important secondary schools tournament.  Mr Kendal has also enjoyed the opportunity to attend Year 10 camp at Anaura Bay and to sample the delicacies on offer on the East Coast.  Mr Kendal leaves us for a well-deserved promotion to the position of Deputy Principal at Northland College.

Unsurprisingly, Mrs Kendal also joined our teaching staff in January 2011 as a teacher of English.  It was quickly apparent that she had the ability to relate to all sections of our school community and had a special appreciation for young men who were struggling with their academic studies.  In 2014 Mrs Kendal was appointed to the position of Year 12 Dean, a role she has fulfilled enthusiastically ever since.  Mrs Kendal has been an enthusiastic promotor of Te Reo Maori in the school, in particular through the wakatauki of the week and word of the week initiatives.  Ahakoa iti, he pounamu - although it is small, it is of greenstone.  As Mrs Kendal likes to remind us, our small contributions to increasing the use of Te Reo are all important and collectively make a big impact.  In May this year she was appointed as the NZQA Principal’s Nominee, and has played an integral role in the administration of NCEA assessment at PNBHS.  Mrs Kendal has been fully involved in our co-curricular programme as the manager of basketball, rugby, sevens rugby and equestrian teams.  Mrs Kendal will be joining Mr Kendal at Northland College next year.

The conclusion of the 2017 school year marks the end of a long association with Palmerston North Boys’ High School for Mr Meldrum, 33 years in total.  Mr Meldrum joined our teaching staff in March, 1985, when he was appointed as the Head of Biology, a position he held until December 2013.

Mr Meldrum will be fondly remembered by both young men and staff as an incredibly passionate teacher who is totally committed to ensuring the students in his classes, and in classes across his department, achieved to the very highest level they can.  He has high expectations in terms of work ethic, student presentation and manners.  Mr Meldrum expects that young men rise to meet these standards, and frequently they do.  Many young men will have surprised themselves with the level of achievement they were able to reach through his teaching.

At the conclusion of the 2013 school year Mr Meldrum relinquished the position of Head of Biology, and since February 2013 has worked a reduced teaching allocation.  However, his passion and enthusiasm for teaching remain undiminished.

Mr Meldrum is equally committed to and enthusiastic about his co-curricular involvement.  Earlier in the year it was fitting that he presented basketball medals and trophies in recognition of 25 years of dedicated service to that sport.  Mr Meldrum was notable for his organisation – a distinctive clipboard for his administration and a bag of lollies for sustenance at half time.  Such a lengthy involvement means that there are literally hundreds of young men whose ability to be involved in basketball as a co-curricular activity can be attributed to Mr Meldrum. 

Outside of his classroom teaching, it is perhaps the Astronomy Club and the Bee Keepers Club that Mr Meldrum will be most vividly remembered for.  That he was able to encourage young men to crowd around telescopes late at night in their own time, is further testament to the impact that his passion and enthusiasm had.  The fact that the activities of the Astronomy Club coincided with prep at College House may have been a motivating factor for some!  The award winning honey produced by the Bee Keepers Club is always incredibly popular, with the containers for sale in the staffroom selling out instantly.  Also very popular in recent years has been the honey ice cream produced and sold during the summer term.

Mr Meldrum is incredibly highly regarded in our school community.  Our teaching staff recognise his expertise as a classroom teacher and his outstanding subject knowledge; characteristics the young men in his classes also acknowledge.  We wish Mr Meldrum all the best for his retirement and hope that he will continue his association with Palmerston North Boys’ High School.