Tēnā koutou katoa, Mālō e lelei,

This newsletter is to update you on changes to the Board of Trustees at Katikati College and to also let you know my own plans as Principal.

First I would like to thank and acknowledge the two Board members who resigned last week.

Rachael Jeffrey has served on the BOT for the last 4 and a half years, which has included filling the Deputy Chair role. She has been involved in the College as a coach of Netball and Manager of the First XV. Rachael has also been involved in the development and evolution of our Innovative Hort Project and Trust and was a BOT trustee on our Pou Arahi Roopu (Mana Whenua Advisory Committee). I have valued and appreciate Rachael’s contributions and student centred approach, and her passion for inclusive education in our community.

Chris Jacobs has been our first Pou Arahi Roopu (Mana Whenua Advisory Committee) co-opted Trustee and has been on the board of Trustees for 18 months. His passion for Te Ao Māori and inclusive education has helped the college become more culturally inclusive and responsive. I thank Chris for his contributions to our Māori Strategic Plan, Kapa Haka and Te Ao Māori. Chris has been passionate about improving Te Reo Māori access, representing mana whenua and success in the college for all our rangatahi.

I am extremely proud of the progress in achievement that the College has made. Our 2020 NCEA results which we released last month were outstanding and showed big improvements over the past few years.

The projects we have undertaken with the community are also a huge source of pride and are proving very popular with the students.

The indicators are all there that the College is doing extremely well.

Having said that, the feeling amongst some of the staff and from some members of the community is that I am not on the right track nor am I the right person for the job.

We need to be a team working together, but at the moment there are divisions which make leading the school difficult. It has become very personal and very divisive.

I need to take some time out for my own health which has suffered over the past month. It will be a short period of stress leave for me to re-evaluate the situation.

I love this school and want to return as soon as possible to continue working on behalf of our students and community.

I also want to thank those who have supported me and worked so hard for the students at Katikati College.

He waka eke noa – We are all in this together.

Nāku noa na

Carolyn Pentecost

Principal/ Tumuaki