I have been asked to write about a couple of subjects on behalf of the RHS Board of Trustees for this terms newsletter, both of which I am pretty involved with and therefore keen on, Sport and Mid Term Board of Trustee Elections.

Firstly Sport.

Sport at Rangiora High has a massive number of people involved who place a huge importance on the value of sport for its young people, and who work tirelessly to make it happen. And I agree with them, sport, any sport, has an important role to play in the development of our young people, both in their physical and mental wellbeing.

The physical aspects are obvious to most, with improved fitness levels helping our young people to thrive, and be healthy. But equally as important are the benefits that come from sport in life lessons learnt on the sports field, court, track, range, pool, or where ever else we find our RHS sportspeople. Be it an individual sport or a team sport the benefits received are worth the commitment to the sporting cause.

What are these benefits? Well there is learning to achieve, commitment, being tenacious, working as a team, learning how to win, learning how to lose graciously, learning how to help and coach others, the list goes on.

And not to forget that sport also provides a vocation for some. Yes some of our students go on to make a living out of sport, and in the age of professionalism this will only become a bigger opportunity, be it as a sportsperson or in the sport industry itself.

How does sport work at RHS? On the whole it works with a huge number of volunteers and RHS staff putting in the hard yards, with support from the school, to create the many and varied opportunities for our students to participate in their chosen sport. These are what we know as extra curricular sports, and they do rely on the whole community for support to keep things going. These sports need Coaches, Managers, Fundraisers, refs, so when your turn comes, please can you think about what it is you can do to help, however much you can give, it will be greatly appreciated by the sporting community at RHS.

How is Sport going at RHS? Well all you need to do is go to the RHS Colours awards, which recognises students sporting and cultural achievements, to be blown away with the talented young people we have at RHS. There are successful teams, individuals, National champions, national representatives,  all sorts of champions, being recognised. If you are lucky (or unlucky depending on the reason) enough to be called in to the office at RHS, go upstairs and look at the National Representative jerseys on display, it is impressive, and the honours board on the ground floor. But it is not just these successes that are worth celebrating, it is all the benefits of sport that the young people gain that is the real purpose of sport.

So please answer the call to help out in any way you can.

Secondly Mid Term Elections

My final plug is to those of you who care deeply about your school to put your hand up for election onto the Board of Trustees. RHS is having mid-term elections for two places on the Board of Trustees in December 2020. If you are passionate about your school being the best it can be, and are interested in helping, the Board of Trustees is a great place to be. The School encourages you to have a go at, and to put your name forward for election.

Nominations need to be in by the 1st of November. If you are interested, nomination papers will be issued on the 9th of October, so have a read, ask questions of the existing board, and have a go.

Many thanks

Ben Prain

Parent Rep on the RHS Board of Trustees