July 2021 Newsletter

Tēnā koutou

Footloose

I’m constantly reminded of what an amazing bunch of talented young men and women we have at Riccarton High School and this weeks major production; ‘Footloose’ is just one example not only of the skill and commitment significant numbers of our students display, but also of just how many opportunities are available to them. 

On the theme of ‘Footloose’, a special acknowledgement needs to be given to the students and staff who have been involved in putting this production together over the last five months. 

Being able to balance already busy schedules with endless hours of rehearsals is truly an amazing feat. Ka mau te wehi!

Board news

As mentioned elsewhere in this newsletter by our Board Chairperson, Janine Ogier, a warm welcome to two new parent representatives on the Board of Trustees; Natasha Austin and Angela Dowty. 

They join us at a very important and exciting time in the school’s history as we continue to prepare for our redevelopment work starting in 2022, in addition to completing work around reviewing our 3-5 year Strategic Plan and creating our first Strategic Plan for our amazing facility at Orohaki. 

I know that Natasha and Andrea will bring a lot to the important decisions that our Board will need to make over the next 12 months.

Thinking ahead

As we head towards the end of term 2 it also marks the time when our Year 13 students need to be thinking about their potential pathways for 2022. 

For those thinking about tertiary study, a reminder that there is a vast amount of scholarships that students can apply for, some of which have already opened.

My advice is:

• That you investigate which scholarships can be applied for. Mrs Heenan in the Careers Department is happy to assist.
• That you check what documentation is needed to support each scholarship application
• That you identify who your referees will be and that you contact them early!

Although our Government currently has the policy of ‘free fees’ for the first year in tertiary study many scholarships can be deferred until your second year. 

There are also scholarships which can assist you greatly if you are thinking about applying for a Halls of Residence. 

Applying for a scholarship can be a time consuming task . It can also reap great rewards so get onto it early!

Happy Holidays

Finally, can I wish everyone a restful break over the July holidays. 

2021 is very quickly passing us by and for our senior students that fact that there are only 14 weeks left in the school year before external exams serves as a timely reminder and a good opportunity to reflect on what needs to be achieved in that time.

Ngā mihi nui
Neil Haywood