Ash Fleming:

This year has been all about adaptability and resilience. From changes in COVID-19 restrictions to a new principal and everything in between, Avonside has gone through many changes this year. Change is always difficult, but Avonside students have been adaptable and positive, becoming stronger and voicing how they want our future to be. After meeting Ms Law at the beginning of the year, it was clear that we had the ability to make Avonside what we want it to be this year. For the first time we had two co-head students, which was the best thing we could have asked for. Olivia and I have worked together over the year with Trisha and Andie to listen and report on what the student were wanting to see throughout the school year. Olivia and I have been offered many opportunities throughout the year which has helped us leave a legacy for our school. We have been a part of forums, that will continue to next year, looking at the impact Christchurch can have in achieving the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. We have also connected with many other schools around Christchurch such as Te Aratai, where we experienced their campus and spoke about some of the challenges our students face today. On our own campus we met with the Head Students of Shirley and aimed to have more collaboration with them on our shared campus in future years.

A highlight for me was being able to MC Lip-sync. It was awesome to see the excitement of many students, being one of our first full school gatherings. To hear the enthusiasm of the students and Pou spirit was really uplifting in such a difficult year. A massive thanks to all of the Pou Leaders and teachers involved in getting Lip-Sync up and running, as well as a huge congrats to Batten Pou for winning our Lip-Sync.

A goal of mine for this year was to create an environment where students felt like they belong. This year it was extremely difficult due to the many days of home-learning disconnection at the beginning of this year. It was great to see the Year 13 peer support leaders continuing their lessons with their Year 9 classes into early Term 2 to help ease the transition back into school. We have begun looking at what it means to be an Avonsider this year, conducting several forums with student leaders, teachers and board member, Jeremy Faumuina, helping us to identify what we value in a school and how to ensure all students feel as though they belong. We have laid the foundation which can be built upon in the coming years to help everyone find their place at Avonside.

Olivia and I have enjoyed working together throughout the year alongside Trisha, Andie and Mrs Law. We would like to extend a huge thank you to Ms Law for inspiring us to make positive changes to Avonside and making her mark in her first year at Avonside. We would also like to thank the Student Executive Council for running all of the council events throughout the year and provide us with feedback from all areas of the school. And finally thanks to Ms Clegg and Ms Shaw who helped us run the Student Exec as well as developing our leadership abilities throughout the year.

Ash Fleming

Head Student  

Olivia Kingi:

This has been a wild year for everyone; home learning and disruptions have made this year hugely different to past years. This is why I'm incredibly proud of everyone who pushed through this year and achieved their best. Lots happened this year. We spent time with other schools, we worked in collaboration with Shirley Boys' High School students, student concerns were presented to the board and a lot more behind-the-scenes work. This year has presented me with so many opportunities working alongside Ash, Andie, and Trisha. I’ve learnt so much about what it means to work in a leadership team and working with a new principal has given Avonside an opportunity to grow. In just one year Mrs. Law and the Senior Leadership Team have achieved so much. The vast amount of change this year has been extremely exciting and I am so proud to be a part of it. From uniform changes to intensive work on integrating Te Tiriti o Waitangi into our systems, hard work all year round has resulted in amazing changes.

The most valuable experience for me this year was being a part of the sexual harassment survey conducted by Dr. Liz Gordon. It was a long, complicated process but so incredibly worthwhile. I hope we can create a safe place for our students to discuss or come forward with their stories; something called for in the recommendations portion of the report. Avonside students had a lot to say, and I am so grateful that we have been given a platform to do this. The goal for the next few years is to implement the recommendations and give our students a safe, judgment-free zone as well as further education. I hope that the changes Avonside and Shirley are making will be reflected in society as the results of this survey show it is desperately needed. I am honoured to be a part of this change and even more proud of the students who were a part of this survey. I hope our students recognise the momentous change they are making and are equally proud of themselves.

This year would not be possible without the Student Executive's hard work so I would like to extend a massive thank you to everyone and their hard work. We also would have been clueless without Mrs Clegg and Mrs Shaw who worked incredibly hard to keep us all on track. And obviously we are incredibly grateful for all of Mrs. Law’s hard work this year. I appreciated being part of decision-making and all the opportunities to work with Senior Leadership. Student voice was truly valued this year and we owe that to Mrs. Law and Senior Leadership. I am going to miss learning and working here at Avonside, but I will always hold this year close to heart as it left me with many new skills, ideas, and friendships.

Olivia Kingi

Head Student