Teacher sad to be leaving school after 36 years

Members of the Kōwhai class at Concord School (from left) Sierra Ford, 9, Beisha Heremaia, 7, Epa...
Members of the Kōwhai class at Concord School (from left) Sierra Ford, 9, Beisha Heremaia, 7, Epa Ataaere, 8, Hailee McKenzie, 8, Mata McLaren-Taana, 7, and Piere Metuahare, 8, say goodbye to Jacqui Seque, who will finish her role as a teacher next week. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON
After 36 years teaching at Concord School, Jacqui Seque knows there will be a few tears on her final day.

Those tears will be joyful, as Ms Seque says goodbye to the school community she loved for all those years.

She will be leaving the only teaching role she ever held, completing a journey that started in 1988.

People asked why she never moved to teach at a different school, she said.

"I just say, ‘Why would I move from a community that I absolutely love and teaching stuff that I absolutely love?"’

She is leaving the role next week to become a learning support co-ordinator at Tokomairiro High School.

"Very mixed [emotions], obviously. I’m quite sad about leaving Concord and going to miss the people I’m very close to."

Some of her best memories came from the friendships she made, staff she worked with and the progress pupils made.

"It’s like dancing. Anyone can teach the champions, but sometimes you get those kids who just need a different way.

"To see them thriving to me is your biggest wins, to see them going from having very little and then working and finding out about what’s happening and what’s going to help them learn the best."

Before becoming a teacher she considered careers as a hairdresser, jockey and a nun.

However, her mother convinced her to do the "family thing", which was education.

"I’ve got a lot of teachers in my family, a lot of aunties and uncles, cousins and all that, that are school teachers."

She applied for the University of Otago College of Education as a 17-year-old and was accepted.

The role of teacher was a much more challenging one now than it was 36 years ago, she said.

"There’s a lot more research on learning styles and things like trauma and how that can affect children."

Acting principal Wendy Ross said Ms Seque was loved by the school community.

"Parents come back here with their children. Jacqui’s taught these parents and now they’re bringing their children back to Concord School."

Last week, Glen Beadle was announced as the new principal of the school and will begin his role at the start of the 2025 school year.

ben.andrews@odt.co.nz

 

 

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