Life Members

Colin Cartwright Spacer

Colin contributed towards the education of children in Papakura for many years, firstly at Kelvin Road School as a teacher, then as principal at Cosgrove School from 1983 until the end of 1986. In 1987 he was appointed as the principal of Conifer Grove School where he remained until the end of 2006. 

He served on the Executive of the Papakura Principals’ Association. During his time at Conifer Grove School, Colin led the re-capitation work that resulted in the school becoming a full primary. He led extensive property development, the school hall was built, sunshades were erected, floodlights put in, extensive garden work and he planted the oak tree. Colin worked innovatively introducing Spanish as the school’s second language. He ensured that teachers grew to reach their best potential which benefitted the students. 

Colin was awarded with the Association’s Life Membership in 2014.

Clive Morris Spacccing

Clive was the principal of Drury School for 16 years from 2002 to July 2018 when he retired. 

He was also principal of Te Hihi School from 1995 to 2001 so his membership with the Papakura Principals’ Association spanned 23 years. He served as the Association’s President for one year during that time. 

One of the biggest highlights of his time at Drury School was the planning for and delivery of the school’s 150th anniversary celebration. Clive remembers enjoying the support of a proactive community. Even the students were proactive having enlisted the support of the Papakura Museum, the Papakura Local Board, Rotary and Harcourts to restore the Drury Milepost located on the side of the road outside the school. 

Life Membership of the Association was bestowed on Clive in 2018.

David Tennent JP Spacer

David was the Principal at St Mary’s Catholic School for just over 14 years from October 2005 until 2019 when he retired.  Prior to St Mary’s David was Principal at three state primary schools in the Waikato and Franklin regions. He was a principal for 29 years during his 33-year career in primary education. 

David served as President of the PPA in 2007 and had two bouts as secretary, the first in 2009 - 2011 and the second in 2015 - 2017. David led the Association through an extensive revision of the Association's Constitution during his time on the Executive. He was active in offering pastoral support for his colleagues and worked in a range of support roles with local RTLB clusters and in support of the Papakura Achievement Initiative (PAI). 

David was made a Life Member of the Association in December 2019.

Janette (Jan) Robertson

Prior to joining the Papakura Principals’ Association, Jan served as the principal at Waiau Pa School for eight years before her appointment at Conifer Grove School in 2006. Jan remained at the school for eleven years before resigning in 2017. 

During her career Jan served on the Executive Committee of the Papakura Principals’ Association for five years. As the Executive Committee’s secretary, she served with three different Presidents. She represented the PPA at several NZPF Moots. She worked on the team of the Papakura Achievement Initiative 2008 to 2013. 

Reflecting on her time at Conifer Grove School, Jan feels that the most important role she played was to employ multi-talented and skilled staff who enhanced Conifer Grove in a very diverse fashion. During her time the school roll grew.  This led to leading extensive property development. A new administrative block, staff facilities, library, and learning centre. The modernisation of classrooms in addition to their digital enhancement. Jan also led the curriculum work that saw the school begin retaining more of its Year 7 and 8 students.  

Life Membership of the Association was bestowed on Jan in 2018.

Murray Wratt Spaccing

Murray was the principal at Ōpaheke School for 25 years and two months from October 1988 until December 2013 when he retired. 

He served on the Association’s executive committee for two terms as the President and one term as the Secretary. Murray was instrumental in initiating and driving the Papakura Achievement Initiative, or PAI, for short. The thrust of that initiative was to raise levels of achievement in reading and writing across all schools in the local area.

Regarding his work at Ōpaheke School, two things come to his mind:

●        successfully transitioning the School from a contributing to that of a full primary which ran contrary to Ministry inertia. He then supported Papakura Normal School through the same process.

●        trailblazing the way to staggering the New Entrant intake and only allowing them to start twice a term, this was contrary to the policy back then and frowned upon by the Ministry, however many years later in January 2020 the New Entrant Cohort system was endorsed by the Ministry of Education.  

Murray was bestowed the honour of Life Membership of the Association in 2013.