Tēnā koutou and Warm Christmas Greetings to you all - both those in New Zealand and around the Globe.

2025 has been a year of great progress and change. We are at the halfway point of our extensive renovations and building projects, we have increased intakes of International Students and Year 9 students for 2026 and we remain in the top three results for NCEA Level 3, University Entrance and Scholarship over 27 schools in Otago for our 2023-2024 results. School culture is alive and well and the school is thriving. 

Highlights have been the opening of our new accessible stage lift, office area, new additional student toilets and extended staffroom. We acknowledge Naylor Love’s significant contribution to making the building works run smoothly - even over the one-month exam period, where noise was kept to a minimum. We welcomed our new School Board in September following triennial elections and we are very fortunate to have Mrs Sharon Knowles continuing as Presiding Member. The calibre of both new and departing Board members is very high. Thanks to Head Prefect, Jessie McGrouther, Deputy Head Prefect, Meg Allison and the Prefect and Peer Support Teams for their considerable contribution this year.

We were delighted to host prominent barrister, Dr Mai Chen, and her mother, Mrs Jean Chen, at our Leavers’ Assembly and Prizegiving last week. Mai has committed to twenty years of giving ‘The Mai and Jean Chen Prize for Transformational Leadership’ and this year’s recipient was Peer Support Prefect and ‘Rhythm’ business leader, Emma Fahey. Emma’s team produced and marketed a health supplement to provide natural support for girls during their periods. Congratulations Emma and thank you to Mai and Jean for their generous ongoing support of our school. 

This week the roof of the school was encased in scaffolding ready for ‘wrapping’ for Christmas. The orange tiled roof will be replaced completely with the same materials, in line with Category 1 Heritage building guidelines. A full sprinkler system and additional exits will bring the hall up to modern fire compliance. All works are expected to conclude in July 2026. 

I wish you every happiness and happy memories of your school days over the Christmas period. I invite and encourage you to attend our ‘Spring Connect’ on 16 October 2026. This provides a wonderful mingling of past and present students and the current students love to hear your memories and stories. Save the Date now. Phoebe Ashdown is our new Head Prefect for 2026, ably supported by Deputy Head Prefect, Emily Lokman. A new innovation this year is our appointment of a School Council Alumni Prefect for 2026 - Zoe Martin. You will hear more from Zoe in 2026. 

Meri Kirihimete

Ngā mihi nui