It has been an absolute privilege to be the principal of Rochester Secondary College for the past five years.

Rochester Secondary College is a very special place, with amazing staff, students and an incredibly supportive community. We are so lucky to have so many generous and supportive staff at RSC, our staff care about all our students and will go above and beyond to support every student.

My time at Rochester Secondary College community has not been as I had planned, with COVID and remote learning, losing my Dad, Ben and then my Mum and of course the floods of 2022. I know that without the support of the RSC community, I would not have made it this far. The support given to both Charlotte and myself has been amazing, words cannot describe what your kindness, generosity, empathy and understanding has meant to both of us. Rochester Secondary College and the wider community will forever be imprinted on my heart and will never be far in my thoughts.

Thank you to our School Councillors, we are very lucky to have people so passionate about our school, students and community. Your support enabled me to make tough decisions and to drive the school in a positive direction.

I want to say a massive thank you to both Chris and Caroline, your support has been unwavering, you have allowed to take time when I have needed it, without question or hesitation and I have known the school is in good hands. You have listened to me, allowed me to cry and share memories. We are lucky to have you both at Rochester Secondary College. But I could say this about so many of you at Rochester Secondary College.

I wish our Year 12s – the class of 2023 all the best for their upcoming exams and their future paths. You are a diverse group, we have electricians, psychologist, builders, journalists, nurses, engineers, IT specialists and many more career paths that you are not even aware of yet. We are so proud of each of you, the resilience, the strength and the courage you have demonstrated this year has been outstanding.

Rochester Secondary College is a great school, so many wonderful things happen every day and as we settle back into our familiar classrooms and spaces we are just beginning to unlock the potential of what can be achieved.

I will truly miss this school and the wider Rochester community and wish you all well on the long road to recovery. The spirit of the Rochester community will continue to drive Rochester Secondary College to achieve great things.

Acting Principal Term 4