Welcome to the new term. The students are looking really smart in their Winter uniform. We acknowledge that school uniform is a big expense for families. Please know that this is money well-invested. School uniform is not only long-lasting, it also creates belonging and equity in our school community. When students wear their uniform well, it builds pride in and connection to school, enabling them to feel part of a bigger picture, part of a long tradition and part of the high standards and expectations of the quality of education delivered at this school. School uniform also dissolves barriers of social class and cliques and enables school to be the one place that dress doesn’t define us and cannot be judged.

This term we have a renewed and intense focus on Positive Behaviour for Learning and our school values – Kia Whakaute – Respect, Kia Hihiri – Positivity and Kia Pono – Integrity. PB4L enables every student to learn and succeed by providing settled, calm, supportive conditions and relationships in the classroom and beyond. We expect all students wearing the uniform of Otago Girls’ High School to be upholding the values and high expectations of the school in class, at school and out in the community. Moreover, we would expect that these values are supported at home and can be further developed and discussed there.

Respect involves respecting ourselves, the school, its property, other people and teachers. Recently I read a quote from Walter Edward Williams that said “For a student to do well in school, somebody needs to make them go to bed on time and get a good 10 hours sleep. Somebody must make them do their homework. Somebody must feed them breakfast in the morning and somebody must make them mind the teacher. If those things are not done, I don’t care how much money you put in the school system, education will not occur.” Mutual respect and good relationships are the key to success at school.

Positivity is about our cup being half full – not over-flowing – but half full. Life is full of challenges that are not supposed to be easy or happy. Teenagers particularly face challenges with the huge adjustment from pre-teen to adult that happens in just five years. Positivity is about getting protective factors around us – friends, family, good attendance and a positive attitude to school, good work habits, exercise and good sleep and nutrition so that we can grit through those hard times. It is also about realising these are the hard times – and that equally there will be good times and happier times. It is also being mindful of what is going right and noticing the little things. Humour and the ability to laugh at one’s self or situation will also get us through.

Finally, integrity is the deep feeling of right or wrong we all have inside of us. Are we feeling good about the choices we are making? Are we being true to ourselves? Would our whānau, school and ancestors be proud of us and the way we are living our life? Are we living our best life?

Please support us to ensure that each and every student has a happy and successful term. Discuss with your teenager what these values look like at home, in the community, at school. Look ahead with your teenager to the future and back-map what they need to reach their goals. Give them a long view. Remind them that effort and application for five years now reaps great reward for the next 40!

Thank you to all whānau for your continued support of the school and remember to contact the deans or school counsellor if you need support with anything at all.