Kia ora koutou katoa

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou

Welcome to Term 2; we hope that you all had a good break over the Easter period.

Important dates

• Monday 24th April: - staff only day. This is an Accord Day which is part of the agreement with the Ministry of Education. School will be shut for instruction.

• Tuesday 25th April Anzac Day: We invite you to join MSA at 6am here at school for our remembrance.

CENTENARY

My absolute thanks and appreciation go to Raewyn McKnight, Susan Smith, Wendy Fleming and Elaine Bruce, as well as the rest of the team who supported the reunion over the Easter weekend. Matua Joe was amazing as always and well supported by Whaea Kylie and NHK for our mihi whakatau (general welcome but less formal than a pōwhiri). Our student helpers were fantastic and so was our music hall production. I’d also like to say thank you to all the staff who created displays which were very popular! It was a fantastic time and I have had lots of positive feedback and thanks.

STAFFING

We especially welcome our new members of teaching staff

• Oliver Bentham who is on a fixed term contract as a reliever with us for Term 2 but also covering some specific classes.

• Ella Lawrene Donaldson who is joining us from the University of Otago as a first year teacher. Ella is going to be teaching Junior Science and other areas.

KA ORA KA AKO (Healthy lunches programme)

We have contracted Fresh Choice at Westport to run our Ka Ora Ka Ako programme. We are thinking to start somewhere around week 4 (4 days of hot, 1 day of cold lunches),

Our current thinking is:

1. We would cut period 2 short by 10 minutes - finish at 10.40

2. One or two students would pick up the food from the cafe area in a box at 10.45

3. Food will be in compostable containers with compostable cutlery

4. Food would be distributed in class - teacher and teacher aides would eat with the students.

5. Containers etc but into bins

6. Box and spare food returned to cafe

Other points

1. Lunches will be provided for trips (day trips and tournaments etc)

2. Lunches will be provided for trades students

3. We will be putting out google forms to students and staff re dietary requirements (ie Coeliac, halal etc)

We will keep you updated as plans progress. 

INDUSTRIAL ACTION

As you would have seen on the news, at the time of me writing this, there has still not been an agreement between the PPTA (teaching union) and Ministry of Education. We are not 100% certain of what will happen this term but at the moment there is a planned strike day in week 3 as well as planned rostering home (this is not due to lack of teachers at GHS but a nationwide directive for us to follow). As always, we will provide updates when we know more.  

Ngā mihi

Samantha Mortimer

Principal Greymouth High School | Tumuaki Kura tuarua o Māwhera