It has been a busy few weeks for the school as we focus not only on supporting our students into some sense of a routine but also plan for potential COVID-19 cases within our school community. Although at the time of writing my comments we now have confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Riccarton High School, they remain very small in number and as a result of our Covid protocols, I believe that school is still a safe place to be. Rest assured however, we continue to assess people’s safety on a day-to-day basis and we are ready to act immediately should we see a dramatic rise in cases.

Despite the fact that many events have already been cancelled or postponed this year, we have still been fortunate enough to have our students involved in some activities. In addition to a number of fieldtrips, on the sporting front our 1st XI cricketers recently participated in a 2-day Gillette Cup tournament. Although the results didn’t go our way, the players thoroughly enjoyed the experience and represented the school well. This weekend we have our two ‘A’ teams participating in the Mainland Volleyball Champs. We wish them well and hope that the endless hours of coaching and practicing pays off.

Camps at our facility at Orohaki are now underway, with the first Year 10 class enjoying an exciting programme including raft building, canyoning, mountain biking and an overnight camp out. I encourage our Year 10 students to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. Our Year 9 students are scheduled to visit Orohaki in term 2.

I am always proud to announce the achievements of our students – they never fail to amaze me! Many of these accomplishments are achieved outside of school time so don’t forget to let us know so that we can celebrate together.

Take care.

Ngā mihi nui