Judy Jemmett is retiring after a working life dedicated to education. Photo Sue NewmanAshburton’s Judy Jemmett is retiring after a working life dedicated to education. She catches up with Guardian reporter Sue Newman.

When the final assembly for the year was held at Ashburton Intermediate School, it was also the final day of school life for deputy principal Judy Jemmett.

In some ways it seems a long, long road since she started her teacher training in 1966 as a 17-year-old, but in others it seems no time at all, she said.

Over all those years, however, there’s never been a moment when she hasn’t loved the opportunity to spend her working day with youngsters, when she’s lost the love of teaching.

If deciding to be a teacher was easy, deciding to retire was not.

“It’s been very hard to make the decision to retire, it took two years.

“I’d planned never to still be there in my 70s but here I am,” she said.

And at 71, Jemmett believes she’s done with classroom time, but admits there’s a chance the odd spot of relieving might tempt her back.

She trained at a time when you were paid to train, with the trade off, of a five-year bond.

Leave before your time was up and you paid back some of that money.

“I didn’t break my bond, but I think I’ve more than paid it back,” she said.

All of her teaching years have been spent in Ashburton schools, with Allenton her first appointment.

“After five years I stopped and had my children but during that time I retrained as a pre-school supervisor for playcentre because I couldn’t just do nothing,” she said..

Five years later, with three children, one of whom was a baby, Jemmett said she was doing a variety of jobs to keep busy.

Idle time didn’t sit easily and she was tempted back into teaching with a relieving position at Ashburton Intermediate.

That was 1979 and the beginning of what would stretch to a 40-year association with the school that has taken her from reliever, to part-timer to full-timer and to deputy principal.

“I guess I’ve devoted myself to education really and I love the intermediate kids, the emerging adolescents. It’s a special age,” she said.

One of her teaching highlights was setting up a special needs unit at the intermediate just prior to becoming deputy principal in 2006.

And she’s always retained a passion for working with children with challenges.

“It’s very rewarding and I love these kids in spite of them doing things wrong, all kids make mistakes.

“You just have to be firm and fair and never take sides.”

Before the arrival of current principal Brent Gray, Jemmett spent a year as acting principal, a new challenge and one she says she enjoyed.

Becoming a teacher might have been her ambition but staying on at school was not what her parents had planned.

Her parents thought office work would be the best option and they were keen for her to leave school at the end of Year 10.

Jemmett had other ideas.

“I’ve got Win Daniels (head mistress) to thank for my going back to school for another year.

“She convinced my father to allow me to go back for another year.”

At the end of that year Jemmett was only 16 but knew it was now or never if she wanted to train as a teacher.

“I had to go before a panel and they asked if I wasn’t accepted would I apply again the next year.

“I said no, I’ve already had my bonus year back at school.

“If I don’t get in I’ll be in an office.”

She was accepted and from day one of training loved everything about teaching.

Now with her full-time career wrapped up, Jemmett says she prefers to say she’s ‘refizing’ rather than retiring.

“One door closed but another will open, there are other opportunities out there. For me age is absolutely immaterial and now I’ll have time to do the things I haven’t had time for before.”

That includes enjoying working in her large garden, something she’s had to do a superficial race around at weekends in the past.

And there will be more time to read, do puzzles and she’s hoping there will be more overseas travel in the future as well.

“And if I miss teaching I’ll possibly do some relieving – dangerous words.

“I won’t know if I’ll miss it until the kids go back to school.

“Right now it just feels like what it is, the school holidays.”

Holiday break aside, Jemmett knows she’s cut ties.

Her keys have been handed in, her desk tidied and it’s time for new ventures.

“I take my hat off to all the teachers.

“This is more than a career, it’s a dedication and a commitment.

“You’re always thinking about school and all good teachers spend time reflecting on what they could do and what they could do better.”

Teachers might not receive the financial rewards they should today, but that didn’t take away from the knowledge that every teacher was doing one of life’s most important jobs, preparing youngsters for life, she said.

By Sue Newman © The Ashburton Guardian - 2 January 2020