Kia ora koutou parents, caregivers, whānau and students
After two long years, it was such a celebration on Tuesday to reinstate and hold our powhiri ceremony to welcome all our new teachers and families, with an unprecedented number of 500 new students joining our school. Thank you to all our new parents who were able to attend to support their children. It was fantastic to meet you. We were delighted to meet your children, our new tamariki, who were excited for their first day of school with us.
We look forward to seeing and meeting more of our AJHS families this Wednesday 15 February at 6pm for our Meet the Teacher evening, starting with a 2023 welcome in our main gymnasium.
At our powhiri on Tuesday I spoke about our expectations at AJHS. As a school of approximately 1200 students which provides a unique and specific 4 year programme for our growing adolescents, we must maintain a high standard of expectations to ensure all our students can learn, socialise, grow in their wellbeing, and experience our school opportunities with independence and confidence.
If you have any concerns or questions regarding teaching, learning, staff, or an incident with your child, please contact the teacher or Whanau leader in the first instance. Please don't contact me as the Principal, as my first response will be to ask you to see the staff member who is best positioned to support or work with you initially.
A big thank you too to all those parents and caregivers who took the time to fill in our parent/caregiver end-of-year survey in December. There are some great trends emerging, and we have taken on board the feedback. Thank you.
Our teachers, our support staff, our senior leadership, and our Board work hard each and every day for our school community, so please communicate with respect. We live in a society which can be quick to assume and cause hurt. At AJHS we honour our relationship first, and then together, seek to understand and find a way forward.
Important Dates:
Wednesday 15 February 6pm: Meet the Teacher evening (meeting the gymnasium)
Monday 20 February - Friday 24 February: Year 7 camps
Saturday 4 March 9am - 2pm: AJHS Summer Gala
Potential Weather Event This Weekend
With the potential weather event due to arrive from Sunday, please keep checking your emails regularly, as the school may have to react at very short notice.
Take care and enjoy your weekend ahead.
Cushla Shepherd, Tumuaki / Principal
Albany Junior high School