The highlight of this week has been the staging of our Otago Girls’, Otago Boys’ production of High School Musical.

The cast and crew have worked tirelessly and overcome a number of challenges to present a show which is vibrant, lively and a lot of fun. If you need some entertainment and humour in your life, especially during the depths of winter, this is the place to find it! There are still a few tickets available for the remaining shows. You can book these during school office hours at either school, with any remaining tickets available as door sales. I can guarantee you will be delighted at the quality of the show and wowed by the talent of our students.

Year 9 students have enjoyed a week of language immersion this week, all taking part in a range of activities in the second language they have been learning this year. The languages department at Otago Girls’ High School is a significant point of difference for our school with seven languages taught face to face. The week started with all Year 9 students participating in a Te Reo Maori day. Activities included a haka competition and the making of traditional kites. For the remainder of the week students have cooked, sung, danced, spoken and created in their second language.

Next week will see our Year 9 and 10 students change over to their second set of half year options. Students who have installed the Edge app on their phones will be able to access their new timetable through this and I would recommend all students doing so. The app is free of charge and is found through the AppStore.

Reports for students in Years 9 and 10 will be available through the Edge portal today. All parents and caregivers will receive an email with login details to access these this afternoon. Please spend time going through your daughter’s report with her. These conversations can be a great way of you finding out more about how your daughter is progressing. If the reports raise any concerns you would like to discuss with teachers please contact the office on Monday to make an appointment or email the teacher concerned. Overall I have been very impressed by the positive attitudes shown and very good academic progress shown by the vast majority of students.

As winter ills and chills bite it is important that students are looking after their health and wellbeing. Good nutrition, exercise and plenty of sleep are all important to ensure both staff and students are able to stay on top of things. With holidays starting at the end of next week I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a restful break.