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If your children attended Rodney College, you might be unaware how much Gay Pride has done for their schooling.
The college celebrated with Gay last week as she stepped down from the Board of Trustees after 27 years in the job. Gay says that as a mother of five she first joined the Tauhoa School board, because she knew schooling years were going to amount to a significant time in her life.
“If parents see the school as important and take an interest, then the kids will also view their schooling as important,” she says.
“My mother, my husband, and my kids all went to Tauhoa School, and I just felt joining the board shows your commitment to your community.”
Gay recommends the job, but says parents need to recognise that it is a governance role and not a way of shaking up things they don’t like about a school.
“You have to bring community concerns to the table, but balance them with what is achievable and what the government of the day wants.”
Rodney College principal Irene Symes says the work that Gay has done for the board is the epitome of everything good about having the community involved in the running of a school.
“She had credibility because she was always a visible part of the community. She was prepared to front up and talk to parents from their perspective and was confident in telling them what they needed to do.”
Gay’s husband, David, also coached Rodney College’s U14s rugby team, and Gay was there to cheer them on at every game, Ms Symes says.
“She is notorious for yelling across the field, and I am certain everyone is going to miss the presence of her distinctive howl. The team has progressed really well thanks to their care.”
Ms Symes says looking back on Gay’s service to the school is poignant, given that the Ministry of Education is currently reviewing the ‘Tomorrow’s Schools’ governance model that established school boards.
“Some principals are anti-boards, but I think Gay is a great example of the positive impact they can have.”
