I'm humbled to be able to give this testimony about our schools experience with Reading Recovery. This year I enter 4 years of Principalship and on arrival I was hesitant to continue the program. I found that observing the students that attended, they were hesitant to do so, with some refusing to go, not arriving to school till their session time was over, parents not supportive, interested in the program (not making themselves available when requesting to meet).

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Teachers were not sure what was really going on when their students left the class to attend these sessions. It was hard to track down the then Reading Recovery teacher. To be honest, I was ready to chuck the whole thing in. Until I was so lucky to have a fully trained classroom teacher and trained Reading Recovery teacher apply to take on the role here at our school. What a difference 'the right person is' to do this job is! Someone who 'gets it!', understands the realities of teaching but also does the 'extra's to really get to know the students!

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She spent time building the relationships with students, whanau and the teachers fully immersing herself into the culture of our school. She worked alongside the staff to unpack the vision we had for our students, and also took it upon herself to be part of the extra professional development days that we had so she could best support the students and understand that we could only achieve this with the support of all! It takes a village to raise a child and she was part of the village of people prepared to work with us and as a team.

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In doing this, I found that students were turning up to school, they always remembered to go and in fact kept asking 'is it my turn?' or found that other students wanted to go too. Her work did not stop in her room but spilled out to the classrooms working with teachers and also with our senior classes of ex reading recovery students! It has been wonderful to see the progress of our students because they believe they 'can do anything'.

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Most of our students who were in or are in the Reading Recovery program are students that now volunteer to read in class, or are now seen to MC our whole school Assemblies. It has been wonderful to also see their parents attending and the change they too have noticed has been wonderful and heartfelt!

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So from a Principal that was a non believer on arrival to now a Principal that now has a teacher in training (to ensure sustainability and continue to share the program across the school), a believer that it certainly gives our students a fighting chance, and closes the learning gaps as they move on, I definitely support it!