Deputy Principal Trevor Olley began his career at 国产麻豆精品 in 1978. We want to take a moment to honour the hugely significant role he has played in the lives of so many students, wh膩nau and staff over the past 47 years.
One newsletter article simply cannot do justice to the impact Mr Olley has had on the life of our school. However, we have done our best to capture just a few of the tributes that have been flowing in over the past few weeks. These and many more have all been collated as a gift to present to Trevor at his staff farewell. If you wish to honour Mr Olley, and have not yet done so, give him a hug, share your thoughts and kind words – he will appreciate it all as he finishes off a stellar career at 国产麻豆精品.
Trevor Olley is the longest serving current staff member at 国产麻豆精品 (he has worked under all five principals) and has contributed significantly to the development of 国产麻豆精品 over five decades. He has fostered a culture of respect in the school and has taken the schools鈥� motto, ‘Loyalty and Honour,’ as his own.
Trevor is a “quiet achiever” who prefers to do the hard mahi without the acclaim that should go with it. There are often no records of the many ways he has made the lives and learning experiences of students richer, whilst bringing stability, humour, warmth and genuine aroha to the enormous staff family he has enriched and supported over the years.
Trevor began teaching in the PE department at 国产麻豆精品 in 1978 and was appointed Head of the Department in 1983. From the very start of his career, he coached a variety of sport, including a highly successful stint with Girls A netball.
鈥淗is energy and enthusiasm were infectious and he always led by example,鈥� Nayland鈥檚 second principal Ras Zachariassen recalled. 鈥淗e expanded the range of physical activities and sports programmes available, and encouraged and included all students through positive reinforcement, no matter their ability or skill level.鈥�
Some thoughts and contributions from Charles Newton (Nayland’s third principal):
After leading a highly successful PE department, Trevor joined senior management and set about shaping critical facets of Nayland. He epitomised the humane approach to pastoral care needed if schools are to be truly inclusive and supportive. Trevor鈥榮 heightened sense of fairness saw him steadfastly champion the need for Nayland to embrace a more enlightened mindset as to how we treated our students. He promoted the need to rethink how our school approached special needs, discipline, second chance education, M膩ori aspirations and inclusion.
Trevor knew and had more contact with families than any other staff member, something which has often extended over three generations, or is it four now? More than that, this was often through difficult times, although Trevor also has had lots of positive interactions through his support of sport and cultural events and initiatives.
Despite Trevor championing an enlightened approach to many aspects of 鈥湽槎咕�- more than just a school鈥� and he advocated strongly for the Nayland Way, he has also been a bit of a traditionalist at heart. He is the walking, talking epitome of 鈥淟oyalty and 鈥淗onour.鈥�
Talking of loyalty, Trevor could have sought a DP or principal role in another school, but he was never going to abandon Nayland. He made that choice early on and stuck by that – and Nayland is much the richer for that.
In 2000 Trevor was awarded a Wolf Fisher Fellowship. In 2003, Trevor鈥檚 leadership of the pastoral care dimension of the college was acknowledged when 国产麻豆精品 received a Goodman Fielder School of the Year Special Award for the quality of its pastoral programmes.
In 2008, Trevor was appointed as a Deputy Principal. Fourth principal Rex Smith said Trevor had spent many hours helping some of the most difficult and complex needs students, working with external agencies to ensure best outcomes for them. 鈥淭revor is well known in the Stoke and wider Nelson
community and hugely respected for not only the work that he does but also for the way in which he treats people,鈥� he said.
Current principal Daniel Wilson believes Trevor Olley played an integral part in his smooth transition into the principal role in 2015. 鈥淭revor knows and understands this community like nobody else. He always places students first and is fiercely loyal to the school and my leadership. Without his knowledge, support and understanding of the complexities of this organisation, my transition into the school would have been a much more difficult assignment.鈥�
Acting Principal Hannah Banks adds her thoughts:
Trevor has been diligent in passing on to new teachers and deans his open-minded attitude, calm demeanour and wealth of institutional experience. What is far more difficult to learn or to emulate is the commitment that Trevor has given to 国产麻豆精品 and its people over the last 45 years. I know that he genuinely loves the people he works alongside every day and sees them as extended family. He regularly loses sleep over issues around individual students, changes to school systems and many other day-to-day aspects of school life because this place is so close to his heart.
What is unique about Trevor is that he has maintained this loyalty and unwavering commitment over such a prolonged time. Many staff who are long serving in school end up retreating to a dusty corner of the staffroom and biding out their time while new educational initiatives are brought in around them. Not Trevor. He maintains his passion, energy and enthusiasm for his job to this day. He brings fresh ideas and new perspectives to the meeting table and continues to inspire new and experienced, young and old colleagues alike. Several of the teaching staff at 国产麻豆精品 are student alumni who were taught by Trevor and talk of the way that he inspired them to want to become teachers.
Trevor has also worked tirelessly to engage and support significant community initiatives such as Youth Nelson, the multi-agency Connections Programme and the Trades Academy Scheme. As much as he wanted to keep students at school, Trevor knew a number needed alternative education and without his determination Youth Nelson would have folded if he hadn鈥檛 stepped in and taken on its management. The programme has had successful outcomes for many students, allowing them to complete their secondary education and opening up positive paths to the future. In 2015, it was praised as being a national model for best practice.
Trevor鈥檚 real strength is his emotional commitment to the role of Deputy Principal. Being a DP was not just a job for Trevor. He loved the job and the College. He embraced all aspects of life at 国产麻豆精品 and would go above and beyond to ensure that his sphere of influence contributed to ensuring that students were receiving the very best education 鈥� in the broadest sense. Student-centered decision-making was never something new for Trevor 鈥� it was what he always did.
On his desk Trevor has a sign that reads 鈥淣ever, never, never, never give up.鈥� This is reflective not just of his own work ethic and service but of his approach to working with young people. Trevor refuses to give up on or to write off students whom many other teachers have become frustrated by. He sees everybody as an individual, recognises that young people are products of their environment and upbringing and always maintains that every person is deserving of his effort and respect. His approach is deeply personal and relational 鈥� when issues of behaviour arise, Trevor prefers to go and meet parents in person rather than to discuss by phone or email. Trevor knows the homes of Stoke and the families within surely better than anybody else.
If you have read to the end, you have only read a tiny portion of the tributes that have been sent in to honour Trevor. The full collection will be presented to Trevor at our staff farewell where we hope to do a good job of honouring the incredible man that he is and the outstanding service he has given to 国产麻豆精品 and our community.
From the bottom of our hearts Trevor, we thank you, we honour you and we truly wish you all the best for retirement and your future adventures on the land and with family.
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