Week 12, Term 2

Kia ora koutou,

What a year we have had so far and we are only halfway through.

Who would have guessed as we started the 2020 school year that our school would be officially learning from home for 6 weeks? I wish to congratulate both staff and students for the adaptability to do our best during that time. You are also to be congratulated for the way you respectfully followed the "rules" we as a nation followed to slow down the spread of coronavirus. Look where we are now, back on track, back to some normality. Thank you.

This term has been 12 weeks long with the first 5 weeks being alert level 4 and 3. We have all been back in school together for the past 7 weeks. During that time our students adapted well as new rules were put in place including significant handwashing. 

During lockdown and since returning we will have experienced many highs and lows - children, young people, and adults alike. It is absolutely normal to feel this. When our young people are feeling a bit down, which again is absolutely fine to feel like this, there are two things they can do - firstly recognise it, it is important that you recognise how you are feeling, secondly talk to someone, preferably a trusted adult.

In the last newsletter, I wrote about “hunting for the good stuff”. Focusing on what went well is really good for our wellbeing - it makes us feel good. And it doesn’t take much to find the good in people looking around our school and our community. 2020 Shave for a Cure campaign, although it is fun watching people having their heads shaven and how funny we look, it is done to support an incredibly worthy foundation - the Leukemia and Blood Cancer Foundation. I would like to take this moment to publicly thank Liam Bamford for his leadership in this campaign - ngā mihi nui ki a koe, well done. Liam has been strongly supported by his peers, particularly our year 13 students leading the way with the bake sale and sausage sizzle held on Thursday. 

Looking out into the community we had the Oxford winter light festival run by OPAC who encouraged business and to put up lights making for quite a spectacle driving down the main street in the evening. Oxford Area School got behind this with the help from the wonderful ladies in the front office - and we were placed third! 

Last Thursday the Oxford District Lions were giving out hot food to our community as a way to say thanks and to support. And the Oxford Community Trust. The trust under the “I’ve got your back” campaign is giving hot chocolates to each of the families of our school. Please take time to look at the messages on the back of the can when you receive them. We are well and truly looked after in this township and incredibly lucky to have so many wonderful people around us.

Again thank you, mihi to everybody - ngā mihi ki a koutou, enjoy your break - get out and enjoy your surroundings, recharge your batteries and we look forward to seeing our wonderful students return for the beginning of Term 3 where we will be focusing on the value of caring - kia manaaki.

Mike Hart
Principal/Tumuaki
Oxford Area School
Te Kura o te Poho Rakahua