A nice warm welcome

NEW FACE: Hamish Ruawai is the new principal at Kaikohe West Primary.

"Is it always this warm up here?" asks the smiling new principal at Kaikohe West Primary School, Hamish Ruawai, who claims to have never been north of the harbour bridge until bringing his wife and three young sons to the Far North to take up his new role.

Mr Ruawai was officially welcomed on his first day of the term this week.

Well-wishers included a contingent from the 200-pupil Linton Army Camp School where Mr Ruawai was principal for 10 years.

"I want to build on the marvellous job Barbara Wards did here.

"The school’s going very well and I am delighted with the support I’m getting from other school principals here who have all offered me any help I might need," he says.

"The staff here are wonderful and committed people."

An educationalist for 20 years, Mr Ruawai confesses to a passion for sport, particularly rugby, which he played for a number of years in Italy and Spain.

"My family’s sports mad," he says.

"Now we will be supporting the Taniwha."

The family have settled in Kerikeri.

Mrs Ruawai teaches at Kerikeri Primary School and was deputy principal at Foxton Beach School.w

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