Tēnā koutou katoa

Nga mihi nui ki a koutou

Just after our newsletter went out we moved back to Level 1. As a country, community and school we are having to be very nimble and able to adapt quickly to make sure that we keep everyone safe. We, as a school, were able to go back and look at our Level 2 Guidelines from 2020 and we move from Level 1 to Level 2 very smoothly and then back again. Thank you for all of your support.

We have begun the process to ensure that all of our classrooms are online in our Akoranga Learning Hub. We will keep you up to date with our progress. Thank you to Sandra Quick and Angela Seyb who are working with our staff on this.

I will also remind you again to join our Facebook page and download the free school app - Go to the App Store on your Apple or Android device and Search "SchoolAppsNZ” then Search Greymouth High - and when you do, check then regularly.

Last week we had to make some last minute changes to our calendar due to the change in COVID levels so we will get back to you with the new date for our Year 9 whānau meeting.

This week we also remembered the ten year anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake. Talking with local Greymouth people about it I was reminded of my friends from Christchurch who were affected and also students and their families who moved up to Te Aroha after the earthquake. Kia kaha Christchurch.

I managed to travel back to Te Aroha to pack up part of our house to move into my new place in Greymouth and also take my daughter to University. I really have to commend the University of Waikato for being so organised and moving nearly a thousand students into the halls!

Our first school event, Athletics Day, was held on Tuesday 23rd February. It was a great day and the students and staff had a fantastic time. Well done to everyone who participated and did their best, including our staff members. Kia kaha! Results and winners will be published in next week's newsletter.
Thank you to Maddison Crawford, our sports co-ordinator for all of her hard work. There was something for everyone! Keep an eye out for our new video about the day filmed and edited by an ex student Jake Lacey. I was so impressed by the one he created in 2018 that I was very keen to get him to do another one!

We also had our Year 12 Earth Space Science class visiting the International Antarctic Centre. What a great experience to enhance excellence in learning.

Heads up for next week that we have some more exciting learning experiences including the WCSS Senior Touch competition at South Westland Area School which should be an exciting event.

“Whāea te iti kahurangi - strive for success”

Nāku noa, nā

Samantha Mortimer

Principal