Welcome back to term 3. I hope that you had a refreshing break. In that break I trust you have had a chance to recharge the batteries and that you are ready for what lies ahead. Some of your sons have been working in jobs or on the farm, some of you have spent whole weeks in camp or at tournament, either way it has been a break from the classroom.

Following recent elections, the new Board of Trustees met for the first time early last month. 

Welcome to Term 3 and the business end of the year. Most of you will have finished the majority of your internals and are studying for the practice exams, which start in 31 school days. This means that you have gained around 50 credits. Which is good. But it is even better if you have gained knowledge from these 20 weeks of work, and not just credits.

Year 13 student Jason Wu is currently undertaking a Hospitality course at the Otago Polytechnic.

Even in winter the exotic produce flows from the school greenhouse. Flynn picks Kaffir lime leaves for his latest recipe. Horticultural science meets catering, the taste of science!

Congratulations to Hamish and Hunter Walker who competed in the New Zealand National Curling Championship held in Naseby at the beginning of July.

On Monday the school took delivery of the latest model of a New Zealand made rowing “eight” manufactured by SLR Racing of Napier. All nice in bubble wrap!

The annual winter interschool fixture with Waitaki Boys' High School was held in Oamaru on Wednesday 27 July.  The results are as follows:

Several of our students represented Otago at the national age-group basketball championships throughout the holidays.

Year 10 student Karamuu Taratoa- Bannister took part in the Southern Regional Surf Pool Championships held at Moana Pool on the 16th and 17th of July, competing in eight events.

On Saturday 9 July, Kou Kitahara and Nick Pryde attended the South Island Secondary Schools Swimming Championships held at Splash Palace, Invercargill. 

The South Island Secondary Schools Road Cycling Champs were held in Christchurch over the first weekend of the school holidays.

The Parents Association is once again offering the community the opportunity to purchase these delicious cheese rolls.

As much as possible, could boys and parents please make all medical, (off site) physio, dentist and driving lesson appointments for students out of school time. These one off, but sometimes frequent absences during the year can have a considerable impact on student learning. Your support is appreciated. 

Tell us about the activities and successes your son has been involved in so that as a community we can celebrate with them.