E ngā whānau whānui o te kura, tēnā koutou katoa! To the entire school community, warmest greetings to you all!

Welcome to our March newsletter. It's astounding how swiftly the school year is advancing, with just two weeks remaining in term one.

Firstly, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the whānau and students of Kaiapoi High School for their diligent efforts in ensuring the smooth transition to a cellphone-free environment. This policy could have presented considerable challenges; however, discussions regarding cellphones have been surprisingly low throughout the day. An unforeseen effect of this policy is the increase in noise, play, and activity during break times. We extend our apologies to our neighbours for any disturbance caused.

We appreciate the feedback received during the uniform review. The next phase involves our uniform committee drafting proposals for potential additions to our current attire. Our objectives are twofold: to maintain a high standard of presentation while ensuring the functionality of our uniforms for our students. We plan to present these proposals, dressed on students, to our community for final feedback, including details on any additional costs. As highlighted during our consultation process, we aim for these changes to be enduring, thereby representing a long-term investment in our uniforms.

This week, we're poised to celebrate the exceptional achievements of last year's NCEA students at our academic assembly on Thursday. Kaiapoi High students have every reason to be proud, with our average achievement rates significantly surpassing national averages across all levels. Particularly, our Level 1 students achieved an impressive 17% above the national average. The assembly will acknowledge those who earned merit and excellence endorsements, reflecting our academic excellence and the increased number of students receiving awards compared to last year.

Success manifests in various forms, evident in the performance of our Polyfest group at Hagley Park recently. The combined effort of the North Canterbury team, comprising students from Kaiapoi and Rangiora, brought great pride to our community through an exceptional showcase of Polynesian cultures. Our heartfelt thanks go to everyone in the community, whānau, and staff who supported our team, as well as the whānau, tutors, and teachers who guided our students through extensive practice sessions leading up to the festival.

In addition, our sports and music departments have witnessed remarkable participation and success. The recent athletics sports day was a highlight, featuring competitive spirit and numerous records being broken. The senior music performance evening was a showcase of our students' years of dedication, forecasting their future successes in musical endeavours.  At this point, I would like to particularly acknowledge the outstanding work of our Sports Coordinator, Hayley Newton, this term.  Hayley's efforts have been above and beyond expectations as she has tried to accommodate the huge number of students wanting to take part in a sport.  

A key goal for our school this year is to foster active participation between our students and the wider community, encouraging a mutual support system. Should you have suggestions for enhancing this interaction, please reach out. We are eager to explore additional ways to support one another.

In conclusion, I extend my heartfelt thanks for your ongoing support this term. The multitude of experiences we've been able to offer our tamariki wouldn't have been possible without your collective efforts.

E tūmanako ana mātou ka pai tō koutou mutunga wiki roa. We wish you all the best for the long weekend. Have a happy Easter. 

Jason Reid