"I can shape my future." He awa whiria: the braided river and Mauri Ora: Flourishing wellbeing.

Kia ora koutou. Talofa. Kia Orana. Malo e lelei. Bula. Fakaalofa atu. Namaste. Kumusta. Warm greetings to the Linwood community. Haere mai to LCŌ.

Linwood College believes in a “pathwayed curriculum”. This means the school, students and families knowing the "in and the out."

The "in" is LCŌ knowing our existing students’ learning and skills from their whānau and from our partner primary schools, and building on these successes. The "out" is the student knowing how their present learning connects to what they want to do when they leave school. “What are my post-school pathways and how does my LCŌ help me achieve these pathways?”

In this way, learning is meaningfully personalised to the individual and is strengths-based. In this way Mauri Ora: Flourishing wellbeing is at the centre of everything that we do.

As part of this pathway-thinking, LCŌ is considering tertiary pathways. We wish to ensure that the pathway to tertiary education is open to all our students so they have real choice over this.  In initial conversations for our 2020 planning, this is emerging as a very positive priority.  The University of Canterbury, Lincoln University and Ara, three big players for tertiary pathways in Christchurch, have already signaled that they wish to be part of this conversation.  In short, we are talking about creating explicit LCŌ-tertiary pathways to create real choice for every student and their whānau. 

Our first term at Linwood College at Ōtākaro is over. It has been a good term as attention to learning has been retained amidst all the potential distractions. I wish to thank all the staff, the students, the Board, and the Ministry of Education who have worked so hard to get us successfully to this point and I wish to thank whānau for their continued support and adaptability over this term.

Finally, schools can be complex places, so if any member of the community wishes to talk to me about anything, please contact the office, or my direct dial 982 0100 ext 839, to arrange a time for this to occur. My door is open.

Ngā mihi nui

Richard Edmundson

Tumuaki-Principal