Nau nai haere mai, talofa lava, malo e lelei, kiorana and bulavinaka

Warm Pacific greetings as is said at all Pasifika events. Our Pasifika performance group were wonderful last Saturday at the Canterbury Polyfest. Huge congratulations to all involved - our students, families, and tutor Helena Meafou, supported and organised by Miss Angie Sisifa our Kaiarahi Pasifika, Mrs Aline Taylor and Mrs Laura-Jean Peawini.

Congratulations too to the rowing crews for their fantastic medal haul at the South Island Secondary Schools regatta at Lake Ruataniwha last weekend. Well done to our parents, coaches and Mrs Catherine McDermott, teacher in charge of rowing.

Our commiserations to all our students who were to compete at National Tournaments. It is disappointing for them not to be able to bring all the hard work and training to that final stage but bigger things are at play. However, as they say, it is all about the journey so the teams can treasure the successes and time together over the season.

We are in unsettling times as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds. I am updating you as Ministry of Education communications come in and we are well prepared here at school. There are a number of rumours circulating and I want to confirm that we have no parents or students who have tested positive for COVID-19 to date. You can be assured that should a case eventuate both the Ministry of Health and Education share information and activate immediately. Parents would also be very quickly fully informed about a school closure.

The best place for our students, until advised otherwise, is here at school with peers and support from staff and structure around the day and learning. Routine and normality is good in turbulent times. We have a wonderful community wrapped around our girls here - parents and staff - so it is a safe and secure place for them in an insecure world.

It will reassure our young people if we can all endeavour to stay calm, spend family time together unless unwell, practise good hygiene and social distancing and moderate their social media activity so they are not bombarded with falsely alarmist information.

Make an effort as families to still go for walks, to the beach and to the park and undertake relaxation away from the news. I am going to try and take a dose of my own advice!

Take care and stay safe.

Ngā mihi nui

Christine O’Neill