2020 Prize Giving speech by Mr Stu Wilcox

Principal’s Address – 2020 Prize-giving Assembly

Kia ora tatou

Haere mai ki te ropu

Ki te kura o Highfield School

Tena Koutou. Tena Koutou. Tena Koutou Katoa.

Welcome students, staff, whānau, friends of the school and our Board of Trustees, to our 2020 Senior Prize-giving Assembly, and a very special welcome to our Year 8 senior leavers and other senior school leavers.

This Assembly is a special opportunity for us to come together as a school family and celebrate 2020. It is also an opportunity to recognise the achievements of our students in Academic studies, Sports, the Arts, and Service to the school.

Highfield began 2020 with a hiss and a roar and Our School Vision of ‘Together we are Brilliant’ and our theme of Kotahitanga (unity) enabled our school to understand the importance and relevance of inclusion and collaboration. Our Senior School Students started their options programme and the Junior School started specialist PE and Te Reo Classes. Using our vision of Together, Highfield held a Meet the Teacher afternoon, House Lunch, House Fun afternoon and Breakfast Club every Tuesday and Friday morning. Team Rata embarked on a Rocky Shore Trip and we sent 4 students to the PCT Challenge. On a sporting front, 24 Year 7-8 students represented the school in SCPSSA Cricket Tournament, 11 students represented the school in Triathlon. Highfield held their own Try a Tri, where we had 59 individuals, 29 teams enter to challenge themselves and to gain house points. Each class had golf coaching and 15 Year 8 girls experienced Have a Go Day at the bay. The newly formed School Council met every week to discuss their school and what improvements they could make. After weeks of discussion they decided on a School Feelings Box.

During this great start to the term the rest of the world were facing very different starts to their year...This gradually caught up with New Zealand and on the 21st March New Zealand introduced an alert level system in response to a growing concern of COVID 19. On the 21st March we started on alert level 2, by 23rd March we were on alert level 3 and on the 25th March the country moved to alert level 4 and a National Lockdown for 4 weeks! The school had a short time frame to prepare for online and distance learning. I felt our teachers and students dealt with this rapid change with calmness and a sense of integrity. Lessons still continued on zoom, google hangout, seesaw and google classroom. Like never before we felt less connected emotionally but more connected technologically. On 23rd April we moved to level 3 where the school created 4 student and teacher bubbles and finally (or so we thought) all students arrived back on 13th May to a level of different restrictions including start times, play times, social distancing, finish times and encouraging when they are sick not to come to school! This also meant that staff were encouraged to do the same...Finally on the 8th June parents were allowed back on site. A huge sigh of relief was felt and we resumed a new level of normality. Then the unthinkable happened on the 11th August an outbreak occurred in Auckland and the school returned to alert level 2, which meant once again we had to change who was allowed on site! On 21st September we all went back to another new level of normal. Never before have we faced such levels of uncertainty. Therefore, at Highfield it was important to reset the school year and reestablish relationships and ensure we focus more on student wellbeing and ensure our students feel safe, happy and cared for.

I am proud to say that amongst all of these fits and starts our school has achieved so much. We wanted 2020 to be the year of opportunities and for us to create a positive classroom culture that encourages inclusion, student agency, caring, non-discrimination, and cohesion and a focus on wellbeing.

From the end of term two to present day Highfield have put on a breakfast club every Tuesdays and Fridays that are run by student leaders. The School Council finished the feelings box and students use it regularly and it is checked daily by our Head Students. Nearly two thirds of the school went to Tekapo, ice skating, snow tubing, hot pools, skiing or snowboarding. Team Kauri took part in the Timaru Boys High School Sports Leadership sessions. All students took part in our Highfield Science Fair and the hall was turned into a gallery for our whanau. Tai Topu from the I Am Hope charity came to speak to our senior students about mental health and wellbeing. Highfield put on its own Flava Cultural Festival for the school and community, showcasing our talented students as well as our Kapa Haka Team. 30 Students went to the Young Leaders Day in Christchurch. The senior school took part in Top Team Trailer and 14 students have taken part in the William Pike Challenge. Team Rimu put on the Science of Stuff production for whanau and the school, this was fantastically received and showed students great stage presence and confidence. Team Kauri and Totora performed class skits that told us stories about New Zealand myths and fables. Team Rata put on its own It’s a wrap show with performances from the classes. The school Jump Jam Team competed in the Regional Finals in Christchurch. We had teams go on many school trips from the Te Ana Rock Art Centre to the museum. Most recently Year 8’s went on school camp to Raincliff.

On a sporting front 81 students have represented the school in basketball, 45 students in hockey, 33 students in touch rugby and 15 students in Futsal. We sent students to represent the school in South Canterbury Swimming, Mountain Biking, Athletics, Rugby 10’s, Rippa Rugby and the Caroline Bay Relay. The school held Year 3 - 8 House Hockey in Term 2, House Football in Term 3 and Athletic Sports in Term 4, all at the Aoraki stadium. Our Years 1 and 2 held their own run, jump, throw events back at school.

It is incredible that all of our Cultural and Sporting events are so well attended and supported by our whanau. Thank you so much, being part of your children's learning is so important.

Highfield Teachers have worked hard to drive the positive classroom culture by giving out school gotchas. This year students have received 194 20 Gotcha Certificates, 61 40 Gotcha Certificates, 14 60 Gotcha Certificates, 2 80 Gotcha Certificates and 1 100 Gotcha Certificates. Gotchas start fresh every term. For the first time in Years Highfield presented the House Trophy to the winning house. A tradition that we definitely will be carrying on.

With our focus being on Wellbeing and student ownership we were lucky to receive funding to initiate a wellbeing programme. This was run by a TA and students and involved daily mindfulness and yoga. Buddy STEM activities and the creation of our Highfield Garden. This programme has had a huge impact on so many students resulting in better engagement, less anxiety and more regular school attendance. We are presently seeking the funding to continue this very important addition to our school life.

What hasn’t Highfield done in 2020! Over the last 10 weeks our student council, student leaders, teachers, staff and all of you have contributed to our future journey. Through collaboration, conversations, discussions and reflections Highfield has created a new vision for 2021 and beyond. We want our Highfield community to live and breathe our new vision of ‘Together we Soar to New Heights’. In 2021 we will continue this narrative and use it to create our own Local Curriculum. A curriculum that is purposeful for students at Highfield School. We want to construct a future focused curriculum that covers all our students literacy, numeracy and inquiry needs. But also is coherent and has deeper learning opportunities in all co curricular subjects including social and mental health and wellbeing. This year the Board purchased 30 more ChromeBooks and presently the school has 87 chrome books that will help in our aim to expose students to more creativity and innovation. We have already started to develop many of these concepts within our strategic plan and we will continue to build on our academic learning programmes so that all students are able to make sufficient, adequate and equitable progress.

Students are at the centre of everything we do at Highfield and enabling them to be leaders and have a voice on the way our school operates is vital for the sustainability of everything we stand for. Therefore, Highfield will continue to offer lots of leadership opportunities in PALS, WAVE, class buddy system, librarians, road wardens, breakfast club, house leaders, school leaders and school council.

Our Overriding element is for students to have Mana - dignity, honesty and pride. Students will learn humility, show integrity and have the courage of one's convictions.

Thank you as always for your support this year with your children’s learning and our school. From fundraising to assisting with trips and coaching – the number of hours that you – our parent community – volunteers is hugely appreciated! Thank you! A special thank you to our team of parents on the Home & School committee who did an amazing job fundraising for vital resources under unprecedented times.

To the Board of Trustees – Fiona, Blair, Maree, Aaron and Nic along with staff reps Siobhan and Jill, and Nicola (Board Secretary)! Our community is fortunate to have such a capable and hard-working team leading and governing the school.

To our staff – it has been great to welcome a number of new faces to our team in 2020. You have all added value, and to our whole team my sincere thanks for your hard work, care and dedication to enable our children to achieve all they have this year. Enjoy a well-earned holiday break.

At the end of this year we say farewell to Anna Miller who has been with us for three years, and Jasmine who has been with us for a year. Thank you for all that you have brought to our team during your time at Highfield. We’ll farewell you at our staff lunch on Tuesday, but thank you for all that you’ve contributed during the time that you’ve been with us. All the very best for 2021 and we’ll look forward to keeping in touch.

Finally students – a big thank you to you! You know that dreams don’t work unless you do, and you have strived, applied and committed yourselves to the learning adventure once again in 2020.

To our graduating Year 8’s and our other senior school students – you are fantastic group, who have represented yourself and our school with pride. It has been a real pleasure to get to know you and watch you grow and develop.

As you enjoy your final day here at Highfield and get ready to move on to High School and exciting new things – be proud of where you have come from… be proud of who you are becoming. Continue to grow your Head and Heart for Learning and Life, but know that you are ready for the next exciting step. We know from our years of experience that you are ready to launch, and you will be successful next year.

Here at our place, your school, you have accomplished some great things.

Now you are at the starting point of an exciting new journey, and it’s time for you to move on to what’s next.

Look forward to this next step in your adventure.

Continue to make good decisions, and most importantly choose your friends wisely – they will have a significant impact on your future.

Parents – for a number of you – today and tomorrow represent the end of a long association with our school. Thank you for all that you have contributed over the course of these years. It has been great to have your partnership in growing the hearts and minds of these fantastic young people in front of us. All the very best for this next stage in your journey. Keep in touch.

Year 8’s - as you leave school at the end of this year, be the change you want to see in the world... and remember that Dreams don’t work unless you do.

Tēnā tātou katoa Noho ora mai
Thank you to you all. Stay safe and well, and enjoy a lovely holiday break.