Kia ora koutou

What amazing performances at Swimming Sports this week! It was stunning to watch several records fall and to see students really pushing themselves in the pool. The commitment that competitive swimming requires is astounding and these girls do well to manage their schoolwork with their intensive training schedule. We wish Madi Wills all the best for heading to Nationals for Olympic selection next week.

Sports participation and being active are incredibly important. This week has been Activate April week and students have participated in Just Dance, the Swimming Sports, Court Sports and Yoga. Exercising and getting your heart rate up are essential to maintaining a good cardiovascular system and other functions. However the true value of exercise and being active may well be in the endorphin release that occurs when exercising and the social interactions we are able to enjoy during exercise. Research shows that moving and getting out in fresh air every day helps mental wellbeing and in short, makes you feel good! Cultural activities such as singing, dance, aerobics and theatresports also get you up and moving about and feeling good.

We are concerned when any student is not involved in any school activities as this not only fosters boredom but can lead to social media addictions, disconnection and depression. IGen, as the current students are now labelled, are plagued by anxiety and irritability potentially from sitting on phones too long and as we know, this can lead to social issues. Please work with your child to make a schedule that includes exercise into your routines. Although there are expenses related to sport and camps - and a lot of trips driving across town - these are investments in our young people’s future. Furthermore, there is generous assistance to help students with sport-related expenses. Talk to the office or Ms Taylor, our school counsellor, to get help with this if needed. All students should be involved in at least one school activity in Summer and one in Winter and we are concerned if this is not happening for students. Mentors and Deans can help with encouraging students into activities.

In light of recent coverage I think it is worth noting that we have a strong and well-resourced team of pastoral specialists including twelve Deans and three School Counsellors who are always available to support our students. We take all issues around the health, safety and wellbeing of our staff and students incredibly seriously and our team works very hard to develop positive relationships in our learning environment. If there are any issues we also have strong Board and disciplinary processes that may not always be visible to parents. If you have any concerns at all around the health, safety and wellbeing of your child, never hesitate to contact the school – in the first instance it is best to contact your child’s Dean or a school Counsellor.

We wish all our families a lovely break over Easter before we return for the final two weeks of term. It has been a busy term and we are grateful every day not to be in a lockdown situation as we were this time last year.