Kia ora koutou to all students, families and caregivers; welcome to our first Update of the year.

We are very excited to be coming back together as a school community. We started the year with a Pōwhiri to welcome our new students and staff. I’d like to acknowledge the work of our Connections Leaders and Prefects in helping us with this welcome. Ka mau te wehi!

I’d like to introduce and welcome the new staff who have joined us this year:

Ms Carmen Papaluca - PE and Health

Ms Elise McIlroy - PE and Health

Ms Emma Baker - ACT

Mr Jon Samia - Social Studies, Media Studies and Pathways

Mrs Sheena Raman - joining us in the school office

Ms Rose Bourke - Art Technician

Mrs Pauline Motuliki - Pasifika Mentor

The lashing that Cyclone Gabrielle has given the country in the last few days has been a reminder to have emergency plans in place and I am pleased to say we have already conducted our first evacuation drill so that all new students know the procedure in case of an emergency. Fortunately, Palmerston North city seems to have avoided most of the damage experienced further north and east, but to those who have suffered flood damage or high winds - our thoughts are with you.

I’d like to pass on my thanks and congratulations to students for the way they have settled back into school. It is never easy to have a change in routine and this year with the introduction of our new cell phone rule it has meant some changes in the way we work and interact with each other. It has also meant some changes for families and how they communicate with their young person. This is a change in mindset and it does mean that messages sent cannot be immediately accessed by students via text. However, students are able to check their cell phones at the end of the day once the 3.10 bell has gone so can see if you have sent a change in pick up arrangement. We thank you for your understanding around this.

As indicated, we do pass on urgent messages but in a school of 1200 students we need to clarify what is considered urgent. Our staff will always pass on messages regarding medical supplies such as inhalers, diabetes medicine; family emergencies such as severe illness or death in the family. What they cannot pass on are communications regarding dropping off locker padlock, clothing, lunches, PE gear or ‘drop off/pick up’ arrangements. Thank you for your understanding.

My congratulations to NCEA students - our results indicate that our students continue to perform well. In particular, well done to our 13 scholarship awardees including Jimin Ahn who achieved an Outstanding Scholarship in DVC. Congratulations also to the teachers and parents/caregivers who stand behind and support this student success.

There are some academic areas we will be prioritising in 2023 and are participating in the Ministry of Education’s “Lost Learning” Initiative to ensure that identified students who were adversely impacted by learning interruptions last year, such as Covid, receive additional tuition and support in 2023 to give them a learning boost. We are also participating in the government’s Pacific Innovation Fund by employing a Pasifika Mentor to work alongside our Pacific Rangatahi to ensure they are able to access all learning opportunities available.

Congratulations to our Prefect team - we recently spent an excellent training morning with them and presented them with their badges in a special assembly. I particularly look forward to working with our Executive team: Head Girl - Charlotte Cobham; Head of Community - Kaitlin Murphy; Head of Sport - Awatea Hepi; Pikikōtuku - Macy Cribb; Head of Arts - Ivy Ho; Head of Humanities and Sciences - Amy Bezuidenhout. They have been given the responsibility to lead the school body and I look forward to working alongside this talented team.

As a school, we are focusing on our school value of Respect in these first few weeks of the year. To show respect we need to think about how our actions will affect our environment - not just our physical environment but also our emotional environment

Respect is about showing humility and being sensitive. Respect encourages us to co-operate with others in order to achieve our common goals. To show respect is to be open and honest and to behave with integrity.

This is part of our school vision - Inspiring young people who are successful learners and act with integrity.

He manu hiringa

He manu ariki

He manu rere ki te rangi

This whakatauki speaks of encouraging our students to build their own tools to seek their own destiny - an ariki is a chief, a manu is a bird that can fly in different directions and hiringa means integrity. So in other words, let the bird ( the students - fly – be the best they can be). And I really encourage all our young people to take all the opportunities offered this year, to be the best example of themselves they can be.

In order to fly we all need to respect ourselves and each other.

To all students, caregivers and families - welcome back to another exciting year with endless opportunities and possibilities.

Nga mihi nui,

Tracy Walker

Principal