‘Maxine’ farewells desk after 27 years

Mataura School pupils Deijah Hope, 10 (left) and Samara Kini, 12, get some help with photocopying...
Mataura School pupils Deijah Hope, 10 (left) and Samara Kini, 12, get some help with photocopying last week from office manager Maxine O’Shea. Ms O’Shea left the position on Friday after 27 years in the role. PHOTO: SANDY EGGLESTON
It is the children she will miss, Mataura School office manager Maxine O’Shea says.

On Friday, Ms O’Shea who has been in the role since 1997 completed her last day at the school.

She worked at Ferndale School in a similar position from 1992 to 1996 until it closed.

She started at Mataura School in 1997, when Nevan Bridge was the principal.

Ms O’Shea said when she began in the role she insisted the children called her Maxine and not Ms O’Shea.

She played and coached sport in the district where the children knew her as Maxine.

"I couldn’t come to school and be someone different."

She thought it was important the children could relate to her as a a neutral kind of person.

"I just feel someone has to be kind, caring and respectful for these children.

"They probably see me not as a threat or a teacher or someone with responsibility."

Teachers had to be in authority over the children, but she did not.

"I’m just Maxine and I work in the office."

There were many times during the day when she helped the pupils and it would be those times of relating to the children she would miss.

"They are little things that are not important to anyone else but they’re important to me."

She always made time to listen to children.

"Whether it’s trivial to a teacher, to that kid it’s really important."

However, she did expect children to use good manners.

"I think it is quite important to have manners in society."

It was also important the school was a welcoming place and each person was acknowledged as they came into the building.

"I like to treat everyone the same.

"For some of the parents school was a scary place for them in the old times."

She always gave the year six pupils the same advice.

"There is life and a world outside the two bridges.

"You can go and explore the world or get a job or have a will to do something but you can always come back.

"You need to first go and see what’s out there."

She valued meeting former Mataura pupils out in the community.

"They always yell out to me and give me a wave and I really like that.

"I got a hug in the bank a wee while ago."

She was looking forward to spending more time on the farm and with her family.

Whaea Kerry Matahiki said Ms O’Shea had many roles in the school and would be missed.

"She’s a machine.

"She’s really and truly going to be missed."

Principal Susan Dennison said she appreciated Ms O’Shea’s calmness especially in a medical emergency.

"Like today, she’s had all sorts of things going on around.

"She just goes from one thing to the next to the next to the next effortlessly, without a fuss and without being overwhelmed by it."

sandy.eggleston@theensign.co.nz