Here we are at the end of Term 3 and almost through the school year, particularly for seniors who will finish on 01 November, just over two weeks after returning from the holidays.

The seniors have had an intensive internal examination period preparing for externals in November. It is important that they take an opportunity to rest and refresh before heading into the long haul of NZQA examinations. It is also an opportunity to prepare a good study plan for those examinations from return at the start of Term 4. For Year 13 ( and some Year 12s) they are entering an important transition in their lives from school to tertiary study or work. It is an emotional, exciting, anxious and challenging time – all at once!

A busy schedule of leaving and end of year events is coming up including the Acland House Leavers’ dinner on 26 October, the school Year 13 Leavers’ dinner on 29 October, Senior Prizegiving on 31 October at 6pm at Christchurch Boys’ High School auditorium, and senior release day on 01 November. Further information on these will follow the first week back after the holidays.

As schools have been able to reconnect back into community events we have had many outstanding successes recorded in this newsletter. Last Saturday our kapahaka group performed at the Canterbury schools’ competition in the Tūhono section, performing a choral, an action song, and a haka. Our results were impressive gaining first place in choral, action song, kakahu (uniform) and best solo/duo (Sophia Smith and Kohonnah Vanilau). We were placed second overall. A huge thank you to Bethany Crossan for her leadership of the group assisted by Sophia Smith and Aromea Lee-Reiri, to Hope Anderson-Gardner for assistance and to our two kaiako, Whāea Adrienne Huia and Whāea Grace Manuera-Schreider. We are very proud of you all.

Daylight saving is meaning darker mornings but lovely light evenings. It’s a real pleasure seeing the blossom trees out in Hagley Park. I think we all have a feeling that we are heading into a long hot summer, a fresh start after the constraints of the covid framework and the ability for our young people to re-engage in all those activities that bring so much richness to school life after a “long winter of discontent”!

Ngā mihi