Many adults are now attending individual sessions in public speaking and effective oral communication. Feel free to connect me for more information.

I recently enjoyed the opportunity to further hone my skills in assessment by attending the New Zealand Speech Board Examiners Accreditation Seminars in Wellington January 2019. This is a strong professional body offering a range of courses. Shortly, I will be training , March 2019, as a ANZDA Drama adjudicator. All of these opportunities are broadening and deepening my knowledge base, but also reminding me about “learning” – it always helps to remind us just how hard learning is!

Terrific to be part of these lovely young women’s success. Eight years of fun and confidence building expressive artistic voices resulted in ATCL diplomas for Kate Taylor, Jess Dasent, Kate Taylor and Katie Jane Wellock. This year – there are 10 candidates for ATCL!
Absent – Catherine Maunsell and Gavin Cao. Melissa Rouse gained ATCL in teaching Speech and Drama – so happy to help you in this journey.

Dio students (year 7 – 10) are having fun rehearsing for their Parent Showcase on May 28th. 6pm. 

Thank you for everything you have done for Jess over the past , I have no idea how many years!

You have enriched her life not just as a teacher but as a pivotal person and have been such an important part of her becoming the amazing young woman we all think she is. How you touch the lives of all you teach and interact with is wonderful to witness.

EJ Dasent

Thank you Deirdre Snedden Trust, SCA for the scholarship to study at the Globe, London in July 2018. It will be an opportunity to be cherished. The Meredith Caisley Award  (a replica of Shakespeare’s Home) for the SCA Public Relations 2017 is sitting proudly  in my studio.

Thank you soooo much for bringing back what I remember from my youth to the Northland Performing Arts Competitions….We appreciated your expertise and your feedback from the floor. We learned a lot.

The Comps have been dying a horrible death, much to my dismay over recent years and for me, this is incredibly upsetting…. I, personally competed in these competitions every year (we combined it with a holiday with my Nanas best friend) and they were competitions to behold! I want to bring that back and was extremely pleased to have the ‘Park’ family arrive and take out most of the competition as it was that – a competition!! Both of my boys were equally impressed and I hope we have sparked, this year the interest and participation they deserve.

I still hold the title (apparently) for the Rose Trophy awarded to the highest aggregate mark for my performance of ‘The Old Place’ by Hone Tuwhare – this was the last time the Speech and Drama section won this – I am 44 and it is time it came back!!

Thank you for your support and I really hope to see you back again – In the meantime, I will do my best to round up more competition to ensure we are back at the Performing Arts Centre with a programme to behold!

Laurene

This year’s Performing Arts Festivals have begun with Napier’s amazing festival on Easter weekend.  A very big thanks to the convenors there, who looked after me so well. Thanks Natalie Sandbrook! It was a terrific festival and NZ can be proud of the confidence and creativity its young people are developing.  I will be adjudicating next at Rotorua in July, Northland in August and Hawera in October. I can’t wait!