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Photo by Toti West

From the Acting Principal's desk

Rebecca Early —

While Ms Marie Gordon is away on annual leave, Acting Principal Mrs Rebecca Early reflects on the first term for 2022 and commends the courage and resilience of our staff, students and community to navigate the many challenges the Covid pandemic has placed in our path.

Kei ngā mātāwaka o te motu, tēnei ka mihi.

I am sure you all took the opportunity to enjoy the amazing weather during the long Easter weekend with whānau and friends. This break away is well deserved after a term of juggling the uncertainties of staffing due to Covid which has necessitated rostering home year levels at times. Rostering has always been our last resort, as we much prefer our students at school engaging with their teachers face to face. Moreover, many of our staff and students have been affected by Covid, either contracting the virus themselves, or isolating at home due to family circumstances. I would like to recognise and acknowledge the difficulties this has caused families and households. Our staff have worked hard to ensure our students are continuing to learn, either at school or online. 

Hopefully next term, with changes to traffic light settings and a reduction in restrictions, we will see a return to a degree of normality at school. We are excited to be able to run the Hamilton Girls' High School Ball in June, alongside celebrating our Founders day. We will also be honouring Matariki as a nation for the first time this year, recognising mātauranga Māori around the period on the Māori lunar calendar. The heart of the celebrations of the Matariki public holiday centre around the following three key ideas:

  • Remembrance – Honouring those we have lost since the last rising of Matariki.
  • Celebrating the present – Gathering together to give thanks for what we have.
  • Looking to the future – Looking forward to the promise of a new year.

After the previous two years navigating the Covid pandemic as a nation, these messages are more pertinent than ever.

Nō reira e hoa mā, kia haumaru te noho i ēnei wā whakatā, kia hoki ora mai hei te wāhanga tuarua.