Kia ora koutou katoa

Welcome to Term Four. It is exciting to have the students back in school enjoying an action-packed term leading into the Summer months. I am grateful for the ongoing support of each and every one of our families and all of our coaches, friends, alumni and school supporters.

A reminder that full Summer school uniform needs to be worn throughout this term, including in NCEA examinations. Uniform needs to be worn with pride both in and out of school, including the school blazer. Please help us to help your child to get rid of any excess jewellery, false eyelashes and other distractions to lift our uniform up into what it is supposed to be. Similarly, please reinforce appropriate behaviour on buses, in town and in other public places. Students represent themselves and their families in these settings as much as the school and should always think of others in these situations.

This term we are focussing on the native bird, the KEA. KEA stands for Kindness, Empathy and Action. As we emerge from the pandemic it is important to show kindness and patience in dealing with others and return to normal harmonious relationships with all people. Everyone’s pandemic experience has been different and kindness goes a long way - both in face to face interactions with other students and teachers, and online. Empathy is about standing in others’ shoes and understanding the impact one has. Staff at school have been incredibly generous and supportive throughout the pandemic and it is important that they are shown respect and care by students. Action is about putting plans in place for NCEA success, taking action for others in giving service and for our 2022 leavers, making the most of every minute left of their time with us. It is also about engaging in at least one school activity over the summer. Summer is a time to get active, get outdoors and get going.

Our Celebration service is approaching on Tuesday 1st November at 6pm and this year has the apt theme of ‘Belonging’. We welcome you to join us for this special occasion at Knox Church. In line with this theme of Belonging we are honoured to host Meng Foon, Race Relations Commissioner for New Zealand at assembly next week. Thanks to our Global Prefect, Hala Taha, for organising this. We will also host Mahdis Azarmandi from the University of Canterbury as part of our ongoing Race Relations and Belonging education programmes.

All senior students should be doing a stock-take on their NCEA progress and making plans for revision, accessing further help where they need it. Seniors’ last day of classes is Thursday 3rd November and NCEA exams begin on Monday 7th November. Juniors have exams beginning in Week 3 of the term on Friday 4th November.

Thanks to all those who contributed to and attended Cultural Blues on Wednesday. The Arts hold a special place in the life of our school. Art, literature, music, dance, drama, photography, poetry, public speaking, debating, film-making, critical thought, cultural endeavours, indigenous performances, textiles and all of the arts are vital in reflecting our passions, ideas and creative energy. The arts and humanities open a door to examine ethics, politics, margins and fringes. Film, theatre, art, dance are all open to interpretation and perception and are felt differently by each of us. Aristotle said: ‘The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things but the inward significance.’ We look forward our Sports Blues evening next week on Thursday 27th October.

I am delighted to announce that Paige Milburn is our new Board Student Representative and thank Jomana Moharram for her outstanding service on the Board this year. Congratulations also to Hannah Fleming who is the inaugural recipient of the Zayed Sustainability Scholarship.

As always we encourage ongoing dialogue with you and are always happy to meet and discuss any learning or other issues as they arise. It is always more fruitful to speak with someone on the ground at school than to raise issues through social media or continue to let them go unresolved. We can fix most things if we know about them early. Likewise, the Nautilus Newsletter is a vital link for communicating messages between home and school.

Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou ka ora ai te iwi
With your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive

Ngā mihi nui