Principal's Weekly Review 12 March 2021
Kia ora,
We have just completed Week 6, which is just over half way through the first term, and staff and students will be well and truly settled into the routine of teaching and learning
This week was International Week with lunchtime activities, performances, and the very popular Adult ESOL international food fair featuring cuisine from seven different countries. We thank them for their ongoing commitment to this event. As we all know food can be a wonderful barrier breaker, and often serves as a positive introduction to gaining some knowledge around a country’s culture. Many staff and students thoroughly appreciated having the opportunity to be treated to a fabulous selection of food.
Monday the 15th will be a very busy day. We are very pleased that we have been able to reschedule the Academic Assemblies, which celebrates student success through Merit and Excellence Endorsements from the 2020 NCEA results. Our Year 13 students will attend their annual Conference in the morning. The focus is careers orientated, and features a number of guest speakers and panel discussions. Also on Monday evening the PTA Annual General Meeting, including the election of the Executive Committee will take place. The meeting will be held at 7.00pm in the Papanui High School staff room, and new members are most welcome.
Next week also holds a number of curriculum based overnight trips and activities including such things as Year 12 Outdoor Education going up to Arthur’s Pass, the Year 12 Biology students going to Temple Basin, and the Year 13 Physical Education students sea kayaking in the Marlborough Sounds, and the three day Year 11 BP Business Challenge at school. These trips/activities provide for learning beyond the four walls of a classroom, and is an important component of what we do here. The opportunity to include authentic and enhanced learning opportunities is critical to support student engagement, and to potentially see the ’bigger picture’ of what the learning means and/or where it might fit with their future aspirations.
We are mindful that Monday marks the second anniversary of the events of March 15th (2019), and that kind thoughts, kind words, and kind actions unite us all. He waka eke noa - We are all in this together
Ngā mihi nui
Jeff Smith
Principal