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Ōrewa Primary School has been fondly farewelling its principal of 16 years, Diane Lambert, while preparing to welcome Claire Janes, who takes over the role at the beginning of Term 2.
Claire is originally from the UK, where she taught for the first five years of her career. She arrived in NZ in 2004 and taught at a number of schools on the North Shore, where she lives with her family.
During her time at Campbells Bay School she took maternity leave twice – her children are now aged 18 and 13. Husband, Nathan, is principal at Mairangi Bay School.
The couple also spent two years working in senior roles in a start-up international school on an island in South Korea.
Claire has a Masters degree in Education and Leadership and comes to Ōrewa Primary from Belmont Intermediate, where she was deputy principal.
She says she felt an immediate connection when she took her first look around Ōrewa Primary, and is excited at taking on the new role.
“I’ve already made connections with other local principals and everyone’s very welcoming and supportive,” she says.
She has visited Ōrewa regularly and walks the family dog, Toffee, on the beach.
Not only is she looking forward to working with Ōrewa’s school community, teachers, staff and students, but also hopes to introduce them to Toffee.
Pictured: New Ōrewa Primary principal Claire Janes and dog Toffee.
Diane Lambert farewelled
Recently Ōrewa Primary School principal, Diane Lambert was farewelled after dedicating approximately 36 years to the school, 16 of those as principal.
A special assembly, dinner and morning teas have been held over the past few weeks to allow colleagues and families past and present to farewell Diane. Students, staff and colleagues paid tribute with song, dance, kapa haka performances, poetry and speeches for the principal.
Diane started her career at Wellsford Primary School in the 1970s, then moved to Ōrewa Primary School. After taking time off to have her family in the 1980s, Diane taught exclusively at Ōrewa Primary School. She has fond memories of teaching all levels but feels her time as a new entrant teacher was the most rewarding.
During her tenure as principal, Diane oversaw the school’s relocation and development on its new site on Maire Road after it was decided the college needed more space than it had at its previous Riverside Road campus. The school has grown from less than 200 students on the first day at the new site, to its current 454.
Deputy Principal Anne Heath says that, for Diane, students have always been at the heart of the matter and her ability to build positive relationships has been her strength.
“She has capably led the school through significant changes in education and has always stood by the school motto, ‘where everybody is somebody’,” Anne says. “Diane has worked tirelessly to provide the resources and encouragement for all students to achieve personal excellence and she will be missed by all of us.”
