Kia ora koutou katoa

This month is special, as Matariki reappears in the dawn sky above Aotearoa – signalling the start of the Māori New Year. Visible in the night sky over the months of June and July, Matariki is the name for the cluster of stars also known as Pleiades. Matariki is a time to spend with whānau and friends – to enjoy kai, share and reflect on the year gone by, to celebrate new beginnings and plan for the year ahead. It is also a time to celebrate the present. In this week's Queen’s News, as always, there is much for us to celebrate: students being involved, helping others, sharing their skills and talents, and representing our school with pride. These are some of the many things that make me proud to be part of the Queen’s High School community.

This week six of our sports teams traveled to Oamaru for our school sports exchange with Waitaki Girls’ High School. I was disappointed not to be able to travel with the girls’ but know they were warmly welcomed by Ms Koni. The final result was a 3-3 draw over the six games and I thank everyone who made the day a success.

Thank you to everyone who attended our parent teacher evening last night. I would also like to remind everyone that reporting is now accessed through the Parent Portal. This is our primary means of reporting on student progress. Comments will be brief and provide specific feedback linked to either achievement standards (in the senior school), curriculum objectives and/or learning for the term (in the junior school). The comments will be more informal than traditional reports. All students can see the same information via the student portal, and we will be encouraging them to view their comments and results. After reading your daughter’s comments and results some possible questions you could ask her are:

· What has gone well over the first half of the year?

· What will you do to keep challenging yourself?

· Have you given your best and worked hard in each class?

· Do you need to make any changes next term for you to get the best results you can?

I wish He Waka Kōtuia, the combined Queen’s and King’s Kapa Haka group, every success in Te Hautoka – the regional Secondary School’s Kapa Haka competition - being held in the Town Hall next Saturday. 

Ngā mihi

Barbara Agnew