Miller takes charge

Principal Miller Sampson (centre)

Miller Sampson was a popular principal for the day at Tauwhare School.

Behind Tauwhare School’s reception desk, Paula Brown picks up her phone and punches a number on the keypad.

“Mr Sampson,” she says, “I’ve got the reporter here from Cambridge News to see you. Shall I send her in?”

There is a pause on the line as eight-year-old Miller Sampson gives the idea some thought.

“Yes please,” he says.

Agreeing to meet the press is one of the many important decisions the year 3 student has had to make today – and it’s not even lunchtime yet.

Miller, aka Mr Sampson, is principal for the day. He’s the big cheese. The head honcho. The top gun. And it appears he has things well under control.

He’s already welcomed students to school, run Friday assembly, eaten lollies, delivered a speech to his teaching staff, eaten lollies, made himself a hot chocolate with the fancy machine in the staffroom, held a senior leadership meeting with the support team he appointed (deputy principal Asher Burke and assistant principal Dustin Vandy), eaten lollies, visited classrooms, done some building maintenance, eaten lollies, played a round of golf on the back field and attended a Zoom meeting with Ngahinapouri School principal Mike Harrop.

In that meeting he made decisions around choosing and positioning equipment for a new junior playground scheduled to be installed next year.

“I decided we needed some new swings, because we don’t have any at school and I only have a tyre swing at my house,” he said.

Miller is looking the part today, dressed in a well-cut blue suit, crisp blue shirt and skate shoes. It’s a perfectly judged combination of refined sophistication and effortless relatability.

“I just got the suit for this,” he said. “But when I go out for dinner I’ll wear it, definitely.”

Principal for the day was a prize Miller’s father Peter won during an auction at a PTA quiz evening in term three – for the bargain price of around $700.

“Dad said to me that he had a few beers and he was encouraged by people at his table and he got a bit carried away,” said Miller, who was “surprised and excited” to hear the news the next morning.

“I was like, oh my gosh!”

He knew, almost immediately, what to do with all that power: he would hold a bomb competition in the school pool.

That was scheduled to happen after lunch and he expected it would be the highlight of the day. He was really looking forward to being the judge and handing out prizes for the best manu.

Regular Tauwhare School principal Chris May was impressed with Miller and said the young student had a lot of potential.

“What he’s really demonstrated is decisiveness under pressure,” Mr May said.

“For example, when he’s on duty, whole groups of children are coming up to him asking him to be the mitigator of the troubles at morning tea and the decider of what should be happening.

“One thing I’ve really admired is how he’s thought not just of himself, but how he can set things up for other people. I just think that shows true leadership.”

Miller now sees the role as a potential career option.

“Now I’ve been a principal, I really want to be a principal when I’m older, or a farmer,” he said.