Kia ora Koutou, As we are wrapping up with what some could describe 2022 as a rollercoaster of a year, I am proud to say we have made it.

There have been many highlights and things to celebrate over the year such as the annual year 10 camp, Tongan language week, Te wiki o te reo maori, and most recently prizegiving. It has been amazing to watch our tamariki grow as people and achieve success as this year has not been easy. The creative excellence is still continuing to grow throughout each class, sporting and our cultural activities and it has been great to see the pride our students have had within their work.

This being the third year in a row that Covid-19 has affected education, I can say that 2022 has definitely been the hardest however everyone was able to take all the setbacks and ride this out. One of our school values is resilience and I can confidently say that everyone proved how resilient they are.

To our student leavers, I wish you the best of luck with whatever the future holds. You have the world in the palm of your hands and it is now up to you to choose where you want to go. My biggest wish for you is health, happiness and to find your passion. If you do something that you love, it will come easy and never feel like work.

It has been a pleasure to be Tīeke Dean for 2022 and I look forward to working with you all next year.

Have a well deserved Christmas, New Year and Summer break.

Ngā mihi,

Oscar Richardson