From the ground up

I gasp as I open the magazine - a gift from a friend - its plastic wrap carefully removed this time. It’s been sitting on the kitchen bench for a couple of days now, waiting for a space, a time to unfurl when the monotony of life needs to be banished.

My gasp turns to palpable excitement, as the face of a woman I know graces the page.  It is Noline, and memories flood through my brain, simultaneously vague but strong. I am ready to read, but I change tack, flicking a message to her: “OMG Nols, I’ve just seen it,” my delight heightened by the discovery on a dull grey Sunday morning.

Jumping online, I send a message to The Kids, a tiny group of four, my sons and their gorgeous and talented girlfriends. Sharing this news right now is important, a thread that runs through all our lives, defining who we are. When my oldest son explains she is “the principal” I say that is not enough to describe a woman that is such a force of nature.  She was a co-conspirator, mentor, and friend, I tell them. She shares her love of frogs and photography, and I grab both as my own.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. The Minister invites me to join the establishment board, and we meet, six - or was it seven of us? - in dusty rooms, a focus on education more important than interior design. Later, we will move to a temporary office, sandwiched between a liquor store and a sushi shop, closer to home. We are building a school from scratch.

There are eight or nine candidates for the top job, a large number in anyone’s books. But this is a significant role and we have to get it right, carving out a whole day for the task. She is the first person we interview, a strategy carefully thought out. From the moment she walks in, there is an energy, a determination, a passion that reverberates throughout the room. I have been dreaming of this for four years, she tells the panel, and we believe her. There are other strong candidates who will be successful in other roles yet Noline is outstanding. Our decision is tough, but we are confident we’ve made a good choice, as the days, weeks, and months roll on.

As the school starts to emerge from the dirt, my marriage starts to crumble. I love the weekly meetings and the choices we make about teachers, carpet, the uniform, a logo and the IT systems we’ll install. At home, my choices are diminishing: will I stay or will I go?

On opening day, my youngest - still a pre-schooler - joins the throng for the powhiri, the sun as bright as the eager kids and staff. He sees our principal, and calls out “Hello Nols!” his four year old self unaware that others are overawed by this woman he already knows so well. She is awesome - we love her and what she has created. What we have created. It is visionary, it is innovative, it is welcoming. It is ours.

It is ours, from the ground up.