Kia ora parents, caregivers and whānau

It is an uncertain time, as we all await the cabinet decision on alert levels. As we have learned, the nature of alert levels can change too, so 2.5 is a variation of level 2 and we could potentially see a variation of Level 1. This makes planning our events and end of year celebrations very difficult. You can be assured our focus is to provide our students, particularly Year 13, with their end of year functions as much as it is within our control to do so. However, everything will be subject to alert levels and open to change.

Our sports teams are busy at the moment in a modified winter tournament week, with a regional and South Island focus rather than national competitions. Our Senior A netball team came third equal in the A grade of the Canterbury regional tournament and the Senior B team came third in the B grade. Our Year 9 and 10 A netball teams are currently both unbeaten in the regional tournament at Hagley Park and should remain so in the finals today.

The cycling A team won the Canterbury Secondary Schools’ Litolff Cup, which is a fantastic result for this growing sport in the school.

We also have students competing here in Christchurch in the South Island rock climbing event and are awaiting final results from there.

The 1st XI hockey team are playing the final in the South Island Premiership Tournament today at 2pm at Ngā Puna Wai and are favourites to take the title. As we haven’t been allowed to attend as spectators at most of the events, I am looking forward to heading over this afternoon to watch them compete. The 2nd XI hockey team are in the final of the South Island Championship Tournament in Nelson today.

We wish all the teams in finals today the best of luck! Sport enables our students to develop a wonderful range of qualities – teamwork, resilience, striving to give of one’s best, a disposition for ongoing learning and improvement, persistence and the courage to take risks, endure and overcome. It is a very important part of school life and learning.

Ngā mihi nui

Christine O’Neill