The last fortnight has been a period of celebrations and farewells.

It started with our annual Celebration Service held at Knox Church, where we enjoyed an evening of song, instrumental performances and readings, all based around the idea of “New Zealand Identity”. The evening highlighted the wide range of talent we have amongst our students and it is a way of celebrating what our school represents. The Year 13 displayed their cohesiveness and talent in the wonderful medley they performed at the end of the evening. Thank you to all the parents and ex-girls whose presence added to the atmosphere of the evening.

The 2017 Year 13s have always been a special cohort to me as they were the Year 9 students at the school when I began here as Principal in 2012 and I have enjoyed getting to know them and watch them grow over those five years. They have done themselves proud, and have, as a group, role modelled our core values of respect, positivity and integrity. I know they will go on to do a range of amazing things and I encourage them to remember that they will always be an OG’s girl and to keep in touch with the school. I must also commend these students on their Year 13 “crime scene” prank, which was undertaken with consultation, good humour and harmless fun - well done girls.

On Tuesday evening we recognised the International students that are leaving Otago Girls’ this year and it was an opportunity to celebrate everything these students have done to integrate into our school community. We will miss all these students but I must make special mention of our International Prefect Crystal Zhang for the exemplary way she has carried out her role this year. It was a lovely evening where the camaraderie between the students was obvious and a number of groups made the most of the opportunity to get up on the stage and perform.

All our seniors left school last Tuesday to go on study leave and the first NCEA and Scholarship examinations began yesterday. I would like to remind students that tutorials will be available for them at school during the leave period and that staff are here to help them with any issues they may have. I must also commend all our Junior students for the approach they have taken to their examinations this week and they will get full school reports at the end of this term.

I would like to remind you that all senior students will need to return to school on Tuesday 12 December, for book returns, prize-reading and leavers’ assembly, followed by prize-giving that evening. This year, due to unforeseen circumstances, our prize-giving will be held in the Lion Arena at the Edgar Centre (starting at 6pm) and I would be grateful if you could make sure that OG’s parents you know are aware of this change.