Our guitar playing, cricket loving principal, Mr Edmonds is leaving our school at the end of the year. I interviewed Mr Edmonds to find out a little more about him.
His teaching career
Mr Edmonds has taught at lots of different places. He started his teaching career at Wainuiomata Intermediate. He then went up north and taught at Whangarei Intermediate.
When he returned to Wellington he taught at Avalon Primary School, and got his first management position as deputy principal.
He eventually found his way to Gracefield where he has been the principal for 21 years!
Mr Edmonds says that throughout his time teaching, his favorite year to teach was Year 3, but he thinks he taught the best while he was teaching years 5 and 6.
Mr Edmonds leading singing in assembly
Mr Edmonds said that at all of the schools he taught at he taught lots of sport and music. At Gracefield he leads the singing in assembly, takes choir, and sings with the juniors every week.
His passions
Mr Edmonds is particularly skilled at playing cricket and music. This won’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows him.
He said that as a kid he would sing to CDs until they wore out. Mr Edmonds told us that one of his friends became famous from playing music.
He is also very good at medium-fast pace bowling in cricket. He won four New Zealand junior titles in table tennis, which is pretty cool too.
What Mr Edmonds will miss
This was a difficult question for Mr Edmonds. He says that he will really miss the staff and the children. He likes seeing a smile on a child's face because they are excited about learning. He will also miss the singing and helping children solve problems.
“I think I most enjoy that when children are singing and they are learning new things. That’s gold. Especially children who are nervous or shy about singing. I think that’s because I was quite shy when I was a child.”
We will really miss Mr Edmonds. He has given so much to our school and has been a truly amazing principal.
