It was a special occasion to have Mark Callaghan’s family attend a small gathering at school to commission a seat in memory of him. On Daffodil Day, Friday 29 August Mark’s family were joined by a small gathering of current Board members, staff, students, whānau and community members.
Just over two years ago on the 14th of July 2023, the school community was deeply saddened by Mark’s passing after a brave but brief battle with cancer. It was a loss that was felt deeply, a testament to the positive and lasting impact he had on this place. Mark was our Board Chairperson at the time.
Mark was more than just a dedicated parent and an active member of our community; he was a terrific leader and Chairperson of our school board. His passion for Christchurch South Karamata Intermediate and its students was genuine and sincere. Mark’s time on the board was defined by his thoughtful leadership, his integrity, and his desire to do what was best for every student and staff member here. He faced every challenge with a calm strength and pragmatic, practical and common sense approach. He was quick to smile and approached all his Board tasks with a cheerful demeanour and great humour. He was highly supportive and trusting of the Senior Leadership Team to manage the school.
Many of the current students at our school will not have had the privilege of knowing Mark but we appreciated the respect shown by the student leaders who were present to represent the student body. It was particularly appropriate that our Social Awareness Leaders were there as they had organised the Daffodil Day fundraising and awareness activities in support of past, present and future cancer sufferers through the work of the Cancer Society.
We hope the seat will be a quiet place for our students, teachers, whānau and Mark’s family to sit, to rest, and to reflect. A place where his legacy of service, his caring spirit, and his commitment to our community can be remembered for years to come.
