Kia ora. Talofa. こんにちは Konnichiwa. ¡Hola! السلام عليكم Asalaam Alaikum. नमस्ते Namaste. Kumusta. Guten Tag. 您好 Nín Hǎo. Xin Chào. Warmest greetings to our Papanui High School community.

There has been a distinct international flavour recently as we celebrated the many diverse communities that make up our school. The Adult ESOL students served a delicious array of cuisine from their countries of origin and we all enjoyed the various treats on offer at the International Food Fair.

Along with Te Whānau o Te Whatukura o Papanui, it was a great pleasure to welcome a group of Japanese students and teachers from Hieizan High School. This is the fifth year the school has visited us and it reinforced our very strong relationship with them. Following the pōwhiri, we provided some Papanui hospitality to start their 'kiwi experience'.

Our Pasifika students brilliantly rose to the occasion at the Canterbury Polyfest. I was astonished at the commitment, skill, and discipline of our students as they expressed their culture, language and identity through song and dance. My thanks to all the staff and parents who put in many hours to support our students. Fa'amalo, malo le taumafai!

Of course, sports have featured highly this week as we have had several teams participating in Summer Tournament Week. These are fantastic opportunities for our students to represent Papanui High School, and test themselves against the best. There are so many benefits for our students who participate. Alongside the physical activity itself, we know that involvement in sport improves resilience and mental well-being, builds self-confidence, and strengthens social skills. Again, these activities could not happen without the tremendous commitment of our staff and the support of our parents. Thank you so much.

“Ka pakeke te haere, kaua e hemo”
When things are difficult, don’t give up

Ngā mihi matakuikui

Robert Gilbert
Tumuaki | Principal