This week I acknowledge our primary schools, student leadership and confirm some important event arrangements.

Kia ora koutou

Last week I attended a conference in Franz Josef organised by the principals of Cobden and Blaketown schools where I learnt a lot from the speakers and my colleagues in our primary schools. 

I want to acknowledge the work of our primary schools: they do an amazing job in teaching key skills and values to our students. Especially with Toki Pounamu, we have felt a great partnership with our primary schools which really showed in the resilience of the Māwhera community through lockdown. 

Our Student Trustees on the Board attend their last meeting this Wednesday. Skye Symmers and Ben Anderson have always spoken up on behalf of students, providing that really important perspective that the school is about its students. 

A very belated Pūmanawa hui led to inspiring speeches and sharing of whakaaro - ideas/thoughts - by all the students who took part. There is a lot more work to be done yet before we can really say we're getting things right for Māori learners but I have confidence that students can lead the way. 

The challenges we've faced with Covid and the Senior Ball have highlighted other aspects of student leadership, with the Ball Committee having to be resilient and innovative. This is a group of students, both formal leaders and others, who have committed their time to making the Ball happen. Reminder: the Ball IS happening so long as we are at Alert Level 2 or 1, on Sat 12 Sept at Grey High's Coxon Hall. This is because we believe it is a valuable experience for our students which they enjoy and learn a lot from. There will be no outside partners at all at Alert Level 2 but if we move to Level 1 on 6 Sept, year 13s will have a day to get tickets for external partners. 

The Junior Semi-Formal, on the evening of Thu 17 Sept, is a great evening for years 9 and 10 which our senior students organise. It's a bit more relaxed than the Ball, but still a special event. 

This year, we'll offer an event at the same time for parents/caregivers to discuss aspects of teenage life that may be concerning them, with other parents and supported by professionals:

• teens and the law (Police)
• sexual issues - porn, boundaries, harm prevention and dealing with harm (STOP)
• smoking, drugs and alcohol (to be confirmed)
• mental health (PHO)

Depending on Covid Alert Levels we may need to place a limit on numbers, as this will be in our library, but it is open to parents/caregivers of students in any year.

Noho ora mai

Andy England

Principal