Brian Field is bowing out after 26 years as principal of Bethlehem School. Photo / George Novak
It is a bittersweet moment for Brian Field as he reminisces over a black-and-white photo of past principals of the school he's led for more than two decades.
There are more than a dozen principals staring back at him.
There is everyone from the first principal Mr JW Duffus from 1883 to 1886, Miss Francis Baker from 1902 to 1927, Keith Henderson from 1957 to 1968, and Iain Taylor in 1994.
Then there is Brian Field, who arrived at Bethlehem School in 1995.
Now, in 2021, Field is bowing out as principal of the school after 26 years.
The primary's longest-standing principal will retire at the end of the school term.
"I've enjoyed my time here at Bethlehem. But I know that it's time also that someone new comes to the helm.
"I feel privileged to have been principal of a school with such rich history."
In his last school newsletter this week, Field wrote that when he was offered the principal's position in the mid-90s the school's roll was just over 100 pupils, six teaching staff, a junior assistant, school secretary and caretaker. Now the school has more than 500 children.
He acknowledged the school's junior at the time of his appointment, Dene Reweti, who stayed at the school until 2014, for providing that "invaluable link" with the school's past and for her guidance and support.
This Sunday will be the last Cow Dump Gala under his principalship. It will be a milestone birthday for the annual school gala, now in its 21st year.
"I'm having lots of lasts at the moment. Thursday night was my last board meeting and I've had my last school newsletter sent out."
The 21st gala will give the community the opportunity to bid farewell to Field.
The gala is the school's annual fundraising event based around the bowel movements of a cow, with $2000 up for grabs.
Field credited long-serving staff member Kathy Crow for the initial idea of a cow dump.
"Kathy made this suggestion to staff and members of the PTA at a time when we were looking to develop a major fundraising event for the school."
Field said former school pupil John Carmichael and wife Cathy - who were in charge of providing the all-important cow - had been the key to the event's success since it began in 2000.
"We have had a Cameo and a few Daisies over the years, they have all been hand-picked by John to be able to cope with the demands of a gala environment."
The event had helped to fund a range of facilities and resources for Bethlehem School including new playgrounds, a school pool upgrade, construction of a school hall and support for extra-curricular learning, he said.
"The opportunities and experiences made available to our students from funds raised by the PTA, through the Cow Dump Gala, have been quite incredible.
"This year the goal is to raise enough to fund much-needed shade sails to cover the school's newly built playgrounds."
The gala is just one of many memories Field will treasure, including establishing a Māori immersion rumaki classroom and the Bethlehem Kids ethos, which he said had influenced many aspects of the school curriculum.
But what Field would treasure the most was the people, he said.
"It has to be the community, the kids, the teachers and the parents.
"There is a saying on our school wall that says: 'What is the most important thing in the world? It's people, it's people, it's people'."
And he has met many people since his career began at Wellington Teacher's College in 1976.
In his last year at the college, he had a practicum at Whakatāne Intermediate and enjoyed it so much that he returned for his first teaching job at Whakatāne Intermediate in 1979.
His first principal's position was at Mokau School in Taranaki in 1988 and he has held principal roles for the last 35 years.
"I've been a principal longer than I've been a teacher," he said.
Field returned to Wellington to become principal of Manor Park School in 1990.
"That was quite a small school located between Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt.
"But I always had a hankering to come back to the Bay."
So when the principal's role at Maketū School came up in 1991 it was not a chance to be missed.
"It was a school in a wonderful setting with a very supportive community."
However, it was an unexpected moment when Bethlehem School featured on a television show called Treasure Hunt in 1990. Field remembers that watching it drew his attention to the primary school he has now spent the longest part of his career at.
The episode was "a game show where contestants guided a helicopter towards a hidden treasure and it hovered over and landed close to Bethlehem School", he said.
"Maybe it was a sign of what was meant to be. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Bethlehem and want to thank the Bethlehem School community, past and present, for their support over my time here."
His connection to the school will not be lost, as his wife Leigh will continue to teach there.
"Leigh has been the rock that I've been able to lean on and be supported by. She's going to continue at the school. That will keep the link for me as well."
Leigh Field said her husband's dedication to teaching and the hours he has put in over the years had been "quite remarkable".
"We have worked together for a very long time. I will miss not seeing him at work each day."
Learning support co-ordinator Wendy Harding said she had seen first-hand the loyalty and dedication Field had shown the school and its children after working with him for 24 years.
"He is usually first to arrive in the morning and last to leave at night and is always one to pitch in whenever it's needed.
"Brian is humble, with the biggest smile and a heart made of pure gold - always taking the time to lend an ear and talk with children, staff and parents, which has earned him their respect and trust. Bethlehem School has been honoured to have had Brian leading us for the past 26 years."
Board of trustees chairperson Kerri Jones said Field had many wonderful qualities but the one that stood out the most was his community spirit.
"This is something he has prioritised and nurtured over time and has contributed to the wonderful community feel that still exists within our school today.
"Brian still pops down the road to visit our local kaumātua regularly, and we often have former students from 10-20 years ago popping in to say hi, which is a credit to the impact he has had and continues to have on those students' lives."
The community can say goodbye to Field at the Cow Dump and Gala at Bethlehem School on the corner of Bethlehem and Carmichael roads between 10.30am and 2pm tomorrow.
Audrey Wilson had repeated falls, a fractured arm and sepsis. She died in hospital.