Kia ora Koutou

It’s been an amazing Term 3 at Avonside Girls’ High School/Te Kura Kohine O Otakaro. Students have continued to excel in and contribute to a wide variety of extracurricular experiences alongside their academic learning and progress.

Student-led events thrive at Avonside and we are proud of the kia rangatira shown by our young people of all ages. This term we have had non-uniform days, a GALA Day featuring stalls from all our student councils and a cookie bake off. There have been some notable large school events throughout the term, and I want to thank the students and staff involved in leading these. We started with Matariki celebrations, and an assembly and a week of events led by Te Roopu Hine-Titama. Later in the term our Tongan students brought Tongan culture and language alive across the school. During Te Wiki o te Reo Māori staff pledged to learn waiata and karakia and students and staff created opportunities to talk in Te Reo Māori with each other. Our performing arts students shone in their performances at the Senior Dance show and the Music Department concert – impressive and skilled young people. Our jazz band placed silver in the Jazz Quest competition. The term finished with our annual Lipsync competition, which was fiercely competitive, heaps of fun, and included cameos from teachers to boost the points. Congratulations to Sheppard Pou - who it is argued won on merit (not because the principal did a cameo appearance). All of these events continue to celebrate the wairua of Avonside and its community.

Of course, a huge feature of Term 3 was the success of the winter sport teams. It was great to see so many teams across netball, soccer, hockey, basketball and badminton and of course to celebrate the growth of the 1st XV Rugby team. Alongside this korfball, fencing, rock-climbing, surfing, skiing and swimming enjoyed significant successes. Tournament week was a huge success with teams placing 2nd, 3rd and 4th. A group of eSport junior students led an exciting Minecraft competition between Intermediate schools who spent a day looking at migration stories and designing a waka hourua.

Academic enrichment is a focus at Avonside. This term student groups took part in a philosophy conference, the Model United Nations and World Scholars’ Cup in which we won the senior division. Our AGHS/SBHS team had a win at the Canterbury Robotics scrimmage, Service also featured with groups tree planting, the release of the film I stand for Consent featuring Avonside and students involved in climate action.

Individual student success is a standout at Avonside. Along with students selected for Canterbury sport teams and NZ Korfball U21, we had one student win the Alliance Francaise speech competition and another come runner up in the Liberate Your Words Schools poetry competition. Our students continue to lead, amaze and empower others and themselves and I have probably missed some things above. To our NCEA students kia manawanui as you head towards getting those last credits and to all our students - have a safe holiday break.

In this issue

Tongan Language Week