Kia ora koutou te whanau

Our recapitation application has been sent to the Ministry. It was a big push to get it done – but we managed it. It will be interesting to see how they respond to this application. As a more mature school, I think the arguments for recapitation are stronger now. Next term we will write some brief statements and circulate them so that people in our school community who have useful political contacts and connections can pass them out and enlist some support for our application. I am not particularly experienced in political lobbying, so if anyone would like to assist me with some advice or help, I would really appreciate it. Please email me on principal@amesbury.school.nz and we can arrange to catch up.

The real work in terms of recapitation will begin if we are successful. Then we will need to talk together to put some more details around how the year 7/8 programme would be different from the year 5/6 programme and the “rites of passage” that will let these students know they have reached a milestone. We have some great ideas but we would like some more input from parents and students. We would also need to add year 7/8 to our Health Education Statement. This will require input from you also and may well be fairly controversial as we will need to discuss issues such as sex education and drug education. Careers education is likely to be less controversial but also very important.

We will keep you informed about the recapitation application as it progresses.

I am away this week for a leadership retreat with a group of principals from Australia and New Zealand. However, I hope you all have a wonderful Easter and a very refreshing holiday. It has been a long term and I think both teachers and students are in much need of some R & R.

Happy Easter! Arohanui!

Lesley