Kia ora koutou. Talofa. Kia Orana. Malo e lelei. Bula Vinaka. Fakaalofa atu. Namaste. Kumusta. Haere mai ki Te Kura Huruhuru Ao o Horomaka. Warm greetings to the Hornby High School community.

Nearly there. As you read this our seniors will be approaching the end of their third week of NCEA exams. One more to go. We have seen good attendance at the exams, important because if you aren’t present, you can’t succeed - that’s a big lesson in life.

Our juniors have been completing end of year testing. This is the data that tells us what progress they have made individually and collectively in reading, writing, and mathematics. It is the data that we use to inform our work within our Manaiakalani mahi. However it's worthwhile remembering that not all that is achieved can be measured in tests. How has each young person grown their character, their empathy for others, their ability to be kind to others? These are important qualities that we all need to continue to work on throughout our lives, and they are qualities that begin in the home. It is your mahi as whānau that ultimately supports your tamariki to grow into good people. For our part, our wānanga classes are designed to support the growth in positive relationships that are the basis for all learning. Our staff team aims to model positive relationships, and support our rangatahi to learn what it is to be relational, to be empathetic, to be kind.

Not everything that matters can be measured, and not everything that can be measured matters. You see that every day in the ways in which your children show kindness and understanding. Adolescence is a tough time. Children are learning who they are, and how they can take their places in the world, as they grow into adults. They make mistakes. It is our collective work to support them to learn and grow, to make it through their mistakes. The need for strong partnerships between home and school has never been greater. As I said, not everything that is important can be measured in tests. But you know that.

Please make sure you follow us on Facebook for the latest and most up to date news https://www.facebook.com/hornbyhighschool/ , and on our website www.hornby.school.nz . You can also follow my thinking on our education journey at Hornby High School, and more generally, on my blog at https://whakataukihewakaekenoa.blogspot.co.nz/

Kia tau te mauri

Robin Sutton

Tumuaki