Jan Tinetti Labour MP

School principals are very special people, often going above and beyond their job descriptions in their service to their students, staff, parents and community.

One such principal was Delcie Martin who sadly passed away last weekend.

Delcie was the principal of Merivale Primary School for 17 years before I took up the role and hers were definitely very big shoes to fill.

Delcie was completely dedicated to the Merivale community and was a passionate and effective advocate for many, many people.

Delcie not only dedicated herself to the school but she worked tirelessly alongside members of the community in developing the Merivale Community Centre and the building of the Merivale Action Centre, both of which are amazing assets which the community still enjoy today.

I had known Delcie from the early 1990s when she was the chair of the NZEI Te Riu Principals Council, she immediately stood out as a person of integrity who wanted the best educational opportunities for all young people.

She was intelligent and hardworking and most of all she was great fun. Many people have shared tributes to Delcie on my Facebook page; among them that she was very supportive of all women in leadership roles, a ground breaker for women in senior roles, a taonga of education and from those she had encouraged into the teaching profession.

Rest in peace dear Delcie, thank you for all your hard work, it is so appreciated by so many.

And to all our principals thank you for the work you do and I hope 2023 will be a great year for our schools around the Bay.