Sweetappreciation with chocolatebrown

Congratulations to Kaipara Flats School principal Debbie Hamer, who is this week’s recipient of a gift basket from Chocolate

While the last few years have been hard on all principals, this year has been particularly hard for Debbie. She has had to manage covid protocol, strikes and Cyclone Gabrielle in one school term. Cyclone Gabrielle destroyed the school’s only playground and much-loved huts area, leaving no play area for the children. She has bounced back from every emergency and come up with solutions as best she can (the school has managed to get a few pieces of playground equipment, but with a new playground costing over $350,000 and no funding from the government to help replace it, it is a tough predicament to be in). Last week she had to organise an evacuation of the school due to flooding and she (and one other teacher) had to sleep at the school as they were stuck with no way of getting home. And then at the end of the week, the school alarm malfunctioned at 2am. She deserves a little sweet appreciation for being so positive and resilient in challenging times, and is a great leader for our young children.

Know someone who deserves a big “thank you” for their community spirit? Tell us and they will receive acknowledgement in Mahurangi Matters and an amazing hamper from Chocolate Brown, 6 Mill Lane, Warkworth. Send your nominations to editor@ localmatters.co.nz (subject line: Sweet Appreciation) or post to: Sweet Appreciation, Mahurangi Matters, 17 Neville Street, Warkworth. Kindly refrain from nominating members of your own family.