Kia ora,
Spring has certainly sprung at Papanui High School this week and despite some snow on Tuesday morning, we have been enjoying the benefits of the warmer weather including daffodils on the school grounds. It has been excellent that many students have seized the opportunity to get out on the fields or courts, get fresh air and enjoy the benefits of being together outside this week.
As we move into the final weeks of the term, we look forward to a number of different events which will showcase the many talents of PHS students as well as give them the opportunity to earn credits for their hard work. The first of these is Infinite Dance on Monday. This will start of a week of performances and celebrations that we are so pleased to be able to invite audiences to.
In Week 9, senior students will have the opportunity to sit practice assessments and prepare for the NCEA exams at the end of the year. Timetables are due to be published shortly. Now is a really good time for all students and caregivers to review academic goals and advice from teachers as well as use all of their study resources to research the requirements for assessments in each subject.
We welcome the applications from Year 12 students to future leadership positions, and the process for becoming Head Students in 2023 has begun. Mr Smith is looking forward to reading the letters and profiles of all of the applicants and supporting them in the process.
As a community school we really appreciate the efforts of the Northlands Mall to keep our students safe and to work with us in terms of supporting everyone to attend school regularly. Now that there are no limits to big groups of students being together in public spaces, the mall has become increasingly attractive as a hang-out space.
The mall management encourage students to stay in the school grounds during the hours of 8:30-2:30, and may require Year 12 students to prove that they are on a study break in order to be served during the day. Before and after school, the mall welcomes the custom of our students but we do ask that when in school uniform and representing Papanui High School, students remember their PRIDE values and that they respect that the mall is a shared space for everyone in our community.
The following whakatauki befits our focus on Dare to Excel in Week 7 and 8 of this term and the lead-up to Te Wiki o te Reo Māori next week, Whāia e koe te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe, me he maunga teitei. Pursue Excellence – if you stumble may it be to a lofty mountain. The whakatauki encourages us to pursue our dreams and persevere even when they get hard.
Ngā mihi
Stacey Fry