We started the year with a very successful House Challenge Day (Tayla, Katie and Olivia had a fun floral theme!).

Our senior classes are settled and there should be no more class changes this year. These senior students are working well and many classes have already begun assessments for NCEA credits. As parents, we can expect the level of work and stress to escalate over the next 6 weeks of term, and it would be worthwhile to sit down and have a discussion with your sons and daughters around time management and sharing when they feel under pressure. We have study classes at all year levels, and in Years 11 and 12 these are staffed classes where students can complete work and learn skills that will enable them to be organised and focused on achieving their full potential.

Two of our head students spoke well at the Waitangi Day celebrations. Mana and Waiora spoke to a large group of our community about what the day meant to them as not only teenagers, but also as Māori. Their speeches were well received and our students once again represented our school extremely well. Here is a link to the video from the Waitangi Day celebrations: https://www.ncnews.co.nz/the-south-today/?video=6131452454001

On Tuesday 18th February we held our PTA Wine and Cheese evening for new parents. This was a fantastic event and was the largest turnout of parents that we have had since starting this event. Parents and staff had the opportunity to chat, mingle and get to know each other in a relaxed environment. I hope those who attended enjoyed themselves and if there is any feedback you would like to give, please email our Assistant Principal, Jo Collins (j.collins@kaiapoi.school.nz).

Sports are in full flight at the school. We currently have had a resurgence in volleyball at the school, which is now one of our largest sports, and already basketball and netball signups are looking huge. This is on top of rowing, dragon boating, softball, touch rugby, indoor football, hockey, archery, small bore rifle and canoe polo. It is great to see the high level of engagement in activities, and these work alongside all the cultural and music offerings here at school. This does add pressure on our staff to coach and manage these teams, and if there are any parents who are willing to help out it would be greatly appreciated. The best way to contact the school for sports is through our acting sports director, Dot Dixon (d.dixon@kaiapoi.school.nz).

I don’t like to dwell on the negatives, but I do feel the need to address an issue that we have had over the last couple of weeks. It is something that we have not seen at school for a number of years, and in speaking to my fellow principals there appears to be a trend not only in Canterbury, but across New Zealand. There are some students who have not fully embraced our school values, and these students have been organising a number of fights, mainly after school at our local park. I want to reassure our parents that we are fully aware of this and are addressing the issue. Sadly, I have had to take a less than restorative approach with the ring leaders of this unpleasant behaviour and a handful of students have been either stood down or removed from school. There is a group of teenagers who are involved who do not attend Kaiapoi High School, and we have connected with the local police to encourage them to stay away from our school. We believe the message has now got out that this behaviour is not acceptable and we are taking a hard-line approach to those students who are involved, including those watching. This week has been more positive and please have no doubt that as a school we will continue to monitor this situation. As parents, you can help us by talking to your sons and daughters about how this behaviour is unacceptable, and please do not hesitate to contact our Assistant Principal, Scott Liddell (s.liddell@kaiapoi.school.nz) if you have any information to share.

Finally, on a more positive note, the Board of Trustees has decided that we will upgrade our central courtyard with the injection of money from the Prime Minister. At the end of last year, we were gifted a reasonable amount of money that had to be spent on, essentially, beautification of the school. We will never have this opportunity again and the school is very excited to improve this concrete area.

Kind regards,

Bruce Kearney - Principal

Kaiapoi High School

Welcome to Kaiapoi High School ~ February 2020

In this issue

From the Principal's desk

NCEA changes update from the Government