Kia ora koutou. Talofa. Kia Orana. Malo e lelei. Bula. Fakaalofa atu. Namaste and Kumusta. Greetings to the Linwood Community.

Communities run on whanaungatanga / relationships. And for a school the primary reason for these relationships is learning—student success and particularly success with integrity. Learning relationships are everything. Two whakataukī illustrate this: Mā pango, mā whero, ka oti ai te mahi: With red and black the work will be complete, and So’o le fau i le fau: Join hibiscus fibre to hibiscus fibre. 

Therefore, I wish to thank all the whānau who were able to attend our mihi whakatau / welcome for the new students, whānau and staff. It was a wonderful way to start the school year. In particular, I mihi / acknowledge Ngāi Tūāhuriri and Matua Corban Te Aika who spoke for the mana whenua / hosts, and speaking for the manuhiri / visitors (new students, whānau and staff) both Mr Garth Lewis, our new Asst Head of Maths and dean, and Matua Hohepa Waitoa and the Waitoa whānau. 

It certainly is very positive to know that 2020 and 2021 are settled years. We are calling this Phase 2. No packing to get ready to move school sites, no move itself, and no unpacking and setting up. Adding to this positive note, now that the very specific asbestos management at Aldwins Rd has been completed, we can now see the visible progress of the demolition, getting the site ready for our new school.

Further concerning a learning-focussed environment, one of the joys of my job is that I am able to walk around the school a lot. Most classrooms are humming along with positive activity. However, over the last couple of weeks I have noticed that in a small number of classrooms one or two students, who are new to LCŌ, are repeating a negative pattern. In simple terms, they are disrupting not only their own learning but the learning of other students by not responding to the teacher's directions. This is not fair on either the vast majority of the other students who value learning or on the teacher.  

LCŌ has a commitment to our school values, values that are put in place by our BOT, and we expect students to put these values into practice. As all schools should we offer considerable support to students who, for whatever varied reason, have difficulty with this putting into practice, but the BOT and I are united that the right of everyone to education includes the right of students to learn in a settled environment. 

I know that our HOLAs (Heads of Learning Areas) and deans are already working with these harder-to-reach individuals, and as I write this, I have just supervised four students who were on Principal's Sunday Detention (yes, for students who keep pushing the buttons it is Sunday 9-11am in full school uniform for school work and other activity). And while I don't want to blow this point out of proportion, equally I am deliberately raising it in the first newsletter of the year so there is clarity for the community. One disrupted lesson is one too many.

Finally, schools can be complex places, so if any member of school whānau wishes to talk to us about anything, including the above, please contact your child's dean either directly or through the office. Alternatively, to talk with me, my direct dial is 982 0100 ext 839. My door is open.

Ngā mihi nui

Richard Edmundson 

Tumuaki-Principal