The feeling of family on this particular day is strong, especially for many of us far from our homelands.  It is always reassuring to witness such a gathering and admire its cohesiveness - students, teachers and parents celebrating together their year of hard work.  It is no small feat to have presided over this family as Principal for the last 12 years and you, Mrs Zund, as we do, must feel great pride in the results before you. Thanks to you, our children have been able to grow and learn in an environment where they feel safe and valued, able to grow in ability and self-confidence in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

Mrs Zund, I was impressed from our first meeting ten years ago when you guided my family around the school and, in particular, the Chalet where the JD was about to take form.  Your justifiable pride in this establishment was evident.  I was delighted when, standing in the then unoccupied chalet there was a sound of a creaking door upstairs and you quickly made mention of the resident ghost.  It served to lighten an otherwise formal and somewhat intimidating atmosphere (from my Colonial perspective), at the same time indicating your wonderful Irish "touch of the Blarney" which still arises when least expected. I immediately felt reassured that my daughters would be in capable, caring and sometimes, amusing, hands.

Over the last ten years the school population has increased considerably, with all its associated demands, and you still impress me with your ability to remember each of the pupils by name and make mention of their particular talents, and are always the calm reassuring presence at most school events.  Moreover, with the consequent increase in the day parent population you have handled our many and varied demands with aplomb and deliberation.  You are probably as relieved as we are that no one has had to be shot at dawn for traffic infringements on this property:-)

On a more personal note, last year I proudly witnessed the graduation of my elder daughter Angela, the same little girl who wandered with awe around the chalet ten years ago.  This year I have observed from afar and with amazement as she embraces with gusto the challenging world of the universtiy.  A large part of the credit for that achievement is owed to you Mrs Zund, in creating and overseeing an environment in which our children can develop the skills necessary to embrace the larger world.  You have taught our children not only to fly but to soar!  What a wonderful legacy!  On behalf of the parents who have witnessed a similar miracle I pay full tribute to you and your staff and offer you our heartfelt thanks.

Finally I am honoured, on behalf of the parents, to present you with a few gifts to mark your retirement and to thank you for your many years of dedication, enthusiasm and commitment to our children.  We fully appreciate how important your leadership has been in making St. George's the school we are all proud to be part of today.

And now, with many thanks to the initiative and hard work of Jane Dunn, and the formidable talent of Gabriel Lawrence, we would like to present you with this painting - an impressionist and expressionist view looking from your office towards the lake.  We hope that it brings you many moments of happy reverie in the years to come.  There are also three other gifts which we hope you, Gaye, and Jean Pierre, will enjoy together.  We wish you both a wonderfully long and rewarding retirement".