Kia ora,

It was wonderful to see a number of our Year 12 and 13 students receive their 2021 NCEA endorsement certificates this week. Students who achieved 50 credits with Merit or Excellence were acknowledged by NZQA and Papanui High School with academic badges and certificates on Wednesday. A video was shown at Form time on Wednesday through which Form teachers also commended their students for their top efforts.  Congratulations to everyone. 

As we draw closer to Easter, I would like to acknowledge the hard work of all of our staff this term.  We have managed to provide programmes of learning, co-curricular activities, and some regular events despite being limited by Red Traffic Light settings and several of us being affected by Covid .  Everyone tried really hard to connect with our student body whether it be online or onsite. It has been a real team effort.

Next week, caregivers of junior students can expect to receive a written report on their child’s progress for the second half of this term.  There will be statements to describe how a student has been able to access and complete hybrid learning activities and/or subject material. For senior students, real time report comments are starting to be collated and they will be viewable at the end of Term 2, Week 1.

I would like to thank our Head Students, Student Council and Student Committees who have positively brought ideas to the table this term and haven’t been too disappointed when things have been postponed or delayed.  Thanks to the team who put the virtual combined assembly together this week to remind us of all of the activities that we do as a school which contribute to our hauora.  It is fitting then that Term 1 will culminate in a Staff v Students ‘Capture the Flag’ game on the field.  The competition currently sits at 1-all and so the winner of this match will be able to take bragging rights into the holidays.

It is a little bit difficult to signal in advance what might happen next term, and to confidently place too many events on the calendar.  We are hoping that the government announcement next Thursday will indicate which Traffic Light setting we will be in from the beginning of May.  This will make a difference to what activities can be offered and to whom.  I can signal that Thursday May 12 is an Accord (Staff Only) day for all Christchurch secondary schools so that teachers can work together on NCEA changes. 

Rostering Home will continue next week.  Students who have been working online should seek to complete work so that it can be viewed by teachers for feedback and writing progress reports.  Google Meets will continue for those students isolating at home.  If you are unable to have a student at home on their day we can provide limited supervision for them at school.  Please email [email protected] We will advise all of our community if there is a need to continue rostering home in Term 2 once we consider any new information from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education.

If a student tests positive for COVID or needs to isolate at home because they are a Household Contact please continue to advise us using the following email address [email protected] 

Ngā mihi nui

Stacey Fry

Associate Principal