Headmaster no stranger here

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 16, 10 September 1985, Page 9

Headmaster no stranger here

Raetihi Primary School children and teachers welcomed their new headmaster, Geoff Lovegrove, from Clinton, to the school yesterday. Geoff replaces Mr Holmes, who retired from the school nearly a year ago. Since then, Mrs M. Crowley has been acting principal. "She has done a tremendous job at the school during the year," says Geoff. Mrs Crowley is now back to her original position of deputy principal. Geoff and his wife Sue, with their children John, 1 1 , and James, 9, arrived in Raetihi during the school holidays and were thrilled with the work done by parentsand committee members to their house, which had got a little run down since the previous headmaster left. "The garden was a lot better than when we had seen it at Easter," Geoff says. The Lovegroves have lived in Clinton, which is near Gore, for two years. Geoff taught at the local school there and Sue-, also a teacher, taught part-time remedial work and art. Geoff, a teacher for 18 years, was at Owhango for four years before moving to Clinton, so the family got to know the area well. They

used to come to the area to ski often. Sue is even more familiar with the area, as she lived in Ohakune during her high school years in the mid-60s ,when she attended Ruapehu College. Her father, Howard Prosser, was principal of the college then. Living around the mountain and in the south, the Lovegroves are well used to the climate. "The week before I left Clinton the school was closed because of snow," says Geoff. As principal of Raetihi Primary, Geoff will not teach any classes, "but 1 still want to keep in contact with the children, so I will have to make arrangements to see them." Sue is keen on art and enjoys golf. She says she is pleased that the boys have found lots to do around Raetihi. "They're building a hut down the road which is sheltered so they can go there while it's raining, and they were thrilled to find a BMX track nearby." Sue also commented on the friendliness of the local people — their neighbours and people in the street all stop for a chat, she says.