A formal farewell function for Pieter Braun took place in the Redwood School hall on Thursday 31st March. Pieter is retiring at the end of this term after serving as principal at Redwood since 1991. Noteable Kids, an orchestra led by Sandra Logan and comprising Tawa College and Tawa Intermediate students, provided the music - and very capably too, especially the theme from "Mission Impossible".

Andy Fenton, former chair of Redwood School's Board of Trustees, MCed the evening. Kim Paver, current chair, presented a gift of a MacBook Pro to the departing principal. He in turn presented the school with an aerial shot of the school itself, photographed from a helicopter.

The gathering was made up of current parents, former students, current and former staff (some of whom had travelled considerable distances to be there), current and former board members, teaching colleagues of Pieter's, three MPs, a local councillor, community board members, and various other friends of the school.

Redwood School is the biggest primary school in Tawa and is held in high esteem in the community, providing a "traditional" education (i.e. it teaches the basics well), much of the credit for which must be given to its long-serving principal, Pieter Braun. May he have a long and happy retirement, and may his successor maintain the same high standards at the school!

[Click on the pics to enlarge]