A warm welcome back to Term 2. We have had a focus on working with our students and staff on routines and habits after the longer than usual term holiday break which included Easter and Anzac Day. As we head into the winter weeks, it is critical that we focus on healthy habits with our young men including diet, sleep and exercise. If we encourage positive habits in these areas our students will stay healthy and continue with a positive high attendance.

Recently the Government has released an attendance strategy in response to some alarming national statistics in which large numbers of New Zealand young people are not attending school regularly. Here at St Thomas' we have a good level of regular attendance, however it is important to remind our wider community of the importance of attending regularly in regards to all areas of development - academically, socially and mentally. There is clear evidence of Year 10 students attending regularly (higher than 90% of periods timetabled) and achievement in the senior years, those that attend succeed.

It has been pleasing to see our students settle into their various winter sports teams, this is a large part of the holistic education we offer at St Thomas'. I would like to wish all of our teams at all levels the best of luck as they head into their winter sport seasons.

I would like to congratulate all of our students involved in the joint St Thomas' and Villa Maria musical “Annie”. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and thought all actors were of the highest quality.

I thank everyone in our community for your patience throughout the current industrial action. I understand completely how disruptive this process is. I also support teachers in improving the conditions for our teaching profession - our young people deserve a high quality and well supported teaching workforce.

I would like to acknowledge the work of Stephen Kennedy, our student leaders and old boys who have led a fantastic Justice Day “You’re the Voice” in bringing together the seven Catholic Colleges from the Christchurch Diocese. It is wonderful to see our young people promoting and living our Catholic social justice values.

For our Kura today, it is a significant day as it is the Blessed Edmund Rice Feast Day, Edmund Rice was a man who showed us all a new way to see Gospel truth. You can read within this Panui more about this Feast Day. As a Kura we celebrate Edmund during our Special Character Week later in the term.

We will be hosting prospective parents and students at our Open Morning on Tuesday 16th  May - I would encourage all those wider family and whanau to attend, and submit all enrolment forms promptly, as we are already in a situation where we have more enrolments than places available.