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Linda Miller, Principal
 
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Principal's Report

Ms L. Miller, Principal —

Today we bade farewell to our visitors from Yasuda Girls’ High School in Hiroshima, Japan.

Thirty students and two staff have been with us for the past two weeks learning English, taking part in activities and excursions in and around Dunedin, learning about tikanga and te reo Maori and living with kiwi families. As always, very strong bonds have been formed between the girls and their host families and it is always a tearful time when they leave.

I have just returned from the New Zealand International Education Conference. One of the key themes for the conference was internationalisation and its importance in preparing our students for their futures. Internationalisation is “the preparation of people to function in an increasingly international and culturally relevant and diverse environment” (IGI Global). The Yasuda exchange is one of many ways we provide students with the opportunity to learn about other cultures and to view the world from different perspectives. Thank you to all the families who hosted the girls. I am sure you and your family have gained as much from the experience as our visitors.

On Monday a number of areas around the city were affected by snow. Otago Girls’ High School is part of the Dunedin Secondary Schools’ Partnership and in the event of snow or ice preventing schools from opening, a joint call is made. If the school does close you will be notified via the school app and announcements will be made on local radio stations. If you have not managed to download the app, now would be a good time to do so to ensure you get cancellation messages. Regardless of whether or not school is cancelled, if it is unsafe for your daughter to travel to school due to weather conditions please do not risk your or her safety. If school is open simply notify us via the usual channels of her absence.

Next week we will be staging our Junior Production. The show is called “A Cup of Tea and a Wee Lie Down” and follows the New Adventures of Alice Spirl and Minnie Porter, two bumbling detectives. Written, produced and directed by Ms Kathryn Dick, the production promises to be a lot of fun and provides a great opportunity for our junior thespians to show off their talents. Door sales are available on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Yesterday we were one of 12 Otago secondary schools presented with a defibrillator by the Balmacewen Lions Club. We are very grateful for this piece of life-saving apparatus and for the generosity of the Lions Club in donating it. The defibrillator will be placed at the school gymnasium. We already have one in the school office.

Please note the upcoming Student Learning Conferences for all Year 10 to 13 students on Thursday 22 August. These are an important opportunity to check that everything is on track in terms of girls’ achievement and that any issues can be addressed by family, school and learner. Students in Years 11 to 13 will receive subject reports on Tuesday 20th and these will outline what students need to do leading up to the practice NCEA examinations in Week Eight.