Congratulations, thanks and staff news below

First a huge thank you to SLT and all the staff who were out on Friday lunchtime helping to de-escalate the fight between two students. It was a team effort and made a huge difference. A staff member did get hit accidentally whilst separating the students and that staff member was looked after and is unhurt. The police were called and the students involved are in the midst of an investigation process which began on Friday afternoon. One student has been suspended and the other one is not in school pending the investigation outcome. This will continue through Monday. Please do as always and shut down any conversation around this apart from re-iterating that this is not our school values and school must be safe for staff and students. Take the opportunity to talk about our school values. We are fairly confident that this was not videoed but please let us know if you hear differently. 

Please see also a parents' email afterwards below - she had driven through the bus bay as things were happening. 

Ko Maree Edwards tōku ingoa.

I am Trinity Edwards-Rea mother.

I witnessed an incident between 2 kōhine today at Avonside High School.

I just wanted to acknowledge your staff for the way in which they handled this incident and the process taken to try to deescalate the situation.

My normal instinct is to support but, in this case, your staff were there to support each other.

Please pass on my gratitude to your staff for all they do for our Rangatahi.

I hope the teacher that was hit is doing ok. 

Secondly - a huge thank you to all the staff who met with ERO partner Shane Morrow to talk about compliance of the school in your area or work or leadership. Linda Glasgow and I met with him in the afternoon and he was highly complimentary including saying that Avonside had some of the best systems he had seen ever in a school. We only one small area to tidy up our compliance which was ensuring we sight ID for teaching staff we hire. We have now added that to our process. 

We have a Board meeting this week in which we will confirm our process for the consultation for our Strategic Plan for 2024 and 2025. Information will be available for staff asap and how staff can be involved. 

We have an MNA review in week 8. This involves HOLAs and the PN mostly but please be aware and respond to information from Rob Lay or HOLAs immediately. 

Just a final reminder about consistency with phones. I did two walks around schools and collected about 8 phones, and we still have the odd student turn up 5 minutes before the bell to collect a phone. Another area is hoodies - this week can we all stop and ask for hoodies to be removed or taken off before coming into class. The final are is teaching to the bell. Please continue to show kia manaaki towards each other in sticking to our school policy in these three areas. 

Arohanui

Catherine