Tēnā koutou katoa. As we end the school year, it is time to celebrate all the achievements of 2022. I am always excited to see what everyone has been up to around the motu.

As a school, we have much to be proud of. We are fortunate to have passionate and dedicated staff working with and talented and inspiring students. This 2022 Yearbook gives us all a window into parts of the school we may not be familiar with and represents a fraction of the amazing work done throughout the year.

On a personal level, it is exciting for me to close the year in the role of Acting Executive Principal while our new Commissioner works through the recruiment process for a permanent appointment. Things have certainly changed a lot since I started out in Deaf Education as a Resource Teacher of the Deaf (RTD) in Christchurch in the mid-1980s. At the time, there were only five RTDs in the Christchurch area, as many learners still attended the School for the Deaf.

Since then, I've continued to be involved in various ways in the Deaf community and Deaf Education. For ten years, I was the coordinator of the Specialist Teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing programme through the University of Canterbury. This allowed me to work closely with teachers who specialised in educating our Deaf and Hard of Hearing ākonga and provided many professional discussions about current practice and how we can continue to improve educational outcomes and our learners' wellbeing.

I also had the privilege of being the Board Chair from 2019-2022, which gave me a different perspective and an understanding of just how complex and vibrant this school is!

Deaf Education holds a very special place in my heart, and I look forward to working with our learners and their whānau and getting to know the staff better in 2023.

I hope you enjoy this summary of our students' achievements throughout the year and that the holiday season enables you to spend time with the people most important to you.

We look forward to seeing you back in the New Year - hei kōnā mai.