Kia ora

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We’ve had a busy week this week at school, with lots of authentic learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom, and out in our community.

All Year 10 students visited Shantytown on Tuesday as part of their social studies learning, as we work to bring to life the local curriculum and the richness of Aotearoa New Zealand Histories. Thanks to our wonderful Social Sciences Leader Corinne Coulthard for her hard work in coordinating this visit.

Our principal attended a Canterbury-West Coast Principals trip to Australia in the second half of this week to connect and share leadership practices and develop knowledge of secondary schooling approaches and innovations.

Year 12 Biology students travelled to Orana Park to participate in their fascinating hands-on learning programme on Wednesday with their teacher Dan Steggles, who, despite the risks from dangerous predators and terrible weather, delivered everyone safely back to school in the evening.

On Thursday all school staff went to the Arahura Marae to work with the Komiti Matauranga, the Ngāti Waewae Education Committee. This was an excellent opportunity to grow everyone’s connections to the West Coast where we all live and build our understanding of local histories from the perspective of Mana Whenua. Building our cultural capability and getting a fuller understanding of the history and impact of Tiriti o Waitangi breaches for tangata whenua of Te Tai O Poutini is pivotal to developing a local curriculum that is more responsive and inclusive of everyone’s perspectives and histories.

We have students at the secondary school Chess competition at Greymouth High School, and at the secondary school Squash tournament today.

As well as academic learning, next week brings:

  • Monday: Year 9 social studies students head to Shantytown.

  • Wednesday: We have the local secondary school Rugby competition kicking off, a guest nutritionist from the West Coast PHO speaking to students, an interactive rural health workshop running in the last hour of the day, as well as Bootcamp and Clubs.

  • Thursday: Badminton competition, and we’ll have some teachers attending PLD about NCEA changes.

A reminder that PPTA industrial action is still underway (unless there is progress with talks), you’ll receive an email letter outlining strike day and rostering home actions. Students have access to up-to-date class learning through Microsoft Teams to work on independently. Should the actions go ahead next week:

  • Tuesday 9th May is a full day strike, students stay home.

  • Thursday 11th May, Year 13 students are rostered home (no teaching for Year 13s).

Have a restful weekend and God bless,

Madeline Campbell