Mākoura College has welcomed its incoming principal Simon Fuller at a pōwhiri [welcoming ceremony], prior to him starting in the role in term four.
The school has been without a permanent principal since Marion Harvey left last year, and it was announced in July that Fuller would take over the job.
He arrived outside his new school yesterday afternoon with hundreds of staff and students from his current school Kuranui College in Greytown, where he has served as principal since 2018.
Kuia Frances Reiri-Smith led Mākoura College’s teachers, students, and wider community in welcoming their new principal and his contingent into the hall.
Kaumātua Mike Kawana led the whaikōrero [formal speeches] for the host party.
Halfway through the pōwhiri, Fuller crossed the floor from the Kuranui to the Mākoura side while Kuranui students erupted in haka to farewell their principal.
Hundreds of Mākoura students responded to the challenge, performing their own haka to welcome Fuller less than a metre from the Kuranui students, filling the hall with sound.
In his speech, Fuller said being a principal is a privileged role that carries a responsibility to connect people.
“I look forward to connecting with people at Mākoura and keeping my connections at Kuranui,” he said.
Fuller quoted Mākoura’s motto, “Kia Manawanui,” which he translated as “be of courageous and compassionate heart”.
“Every journey in life takes courage, and every journey in life takes compassion,” he said.
“I’ve had an amazing journey for five and a half years at Kuranui, and I can’t wait for the next part of my journey alongside all of you at Mākoura; this school has a massively strong heartbeat.”
Before serving as Kuranui’s principal, Fuller had been principal of Opunake High School, assistant principal of Naenae College, and assistant principal and head of science at Taita College.
Kuranui College has not yet announced who will replace Fuller as principal.
