Kia ora,

I would like to start by acknowledging and congratulating the students who attended the senior formal last Friday night at the University of Canterbury Students’ Association.  Our students showed the utmost respect for the occasion, and were outstanding ambassadors for our school.  They are wonderfully mature, and socially responsible, and these attributes were clearly demonstrated on the night.  It was also very pleasing to see so many staff attend, reflecting the genuine interest they have in the students, and share in the occasion. 

This week our Rainbow Diversity Council ran PRIDE week, where we acknowledged and celebrated with our rainbow community.  The Council organized rainbow-themed events each lunchtime including a Pride party, and musical performances in the Music quad.  A huge ‘thank you’ to the team at Hell's Pizza Bishopdale, for sponsoring our Pride Week this year by donating 25 large pizzas for the Pride Party to kick-off Pride Week. 

Congratulations to the students performing in the three bands who competed at this year’s Smokefree Rockquest and Tagata Pasifika Beats.   “Hot Feet”, a band of Year 12’s has made it to the next round of the Regional finals.  A write up features on the following page.  

Mānawatia a Matariki 

This year, the first public holiday to celebrate Matariki will be held on Friday 24 June.  Matariki marks the beginning of the Māori new year.  There are special activities planned for next week, with junior students taking part in curriculum based activities, as well as whole school activities in form-times.

COVID Update    

We have worked really hard as a school to keep open for instruction every day despite the impact of Covid and other winter related illnesses.  We understand that this has taken its toll on some staff and students, who are now feeling the effects of a very busy term of teaching and learning.  There is a possibility that we may have to increase the strategies used to ensure that students have access to continuous learning opportunities. This could include: rostering home, reduced EOTC, and/or forms of hybrid learning.  We will communicate in advance any changes of normal school routines to our community, and will endeavour to ensure that staff and student well-being is at the forefront of our decision making.

We will maintain a watching brief in this space and continue to keep all of the required health measures in place at school. This includes ventilating all of our learning spaces, so students are advised to wear all of the layers of uniform the keep themselves warm.  We would continue to appreciate families/whānau notifying us of new cases via the email: [email protected]    

Ngā mihi nui

Stacey Fry

Acting Principal