Kia ora parents and whanau,

This has been a week of connections and all the joy those entail.

On Thursday we hosted our prospective boarding families and shared with them our plans for the future, our teaching and learning and our hostel.

Our current students were excellent ambassadors for the school and rose to the occasion, as they always do. The Year 13 guides were outstanding and many of them then continued on in the afternoon, sharing Tolcarne with the visitors. It is a very big day on the school calendar, and one that strengthens our links to the community, and gives us all time to reflect on the aspects of St Hilda's that are most precious to us.

While working around the daily progress of the renovation to Chapel/Whitby meant that we were slightly squashed in places and the campus is not exactly looking its best, the ground work and demolition is also a tangible and visual reminder that we are a progressive and modern school with a sound plan for the future of girls education. Today, we have been festooned in pink, celebrating and acknowledging Pink Shirt Day and the importance of inclusion, diversity and belonging, not only in our school, but in society generally. The archway decorated by the Prefects and Student Council ensured a bright, warm, and friendly start to the day and seeing the ranges of 'pinkness' and variety of outfits and costumes it was impossible not to smile. What a gift for all of us. 

The brisk and chilling breeze today has reminded me that winter is here, and with the start of winter sport the term seems well underway.With events such as Cross Country, Big Sing and the Senior Formal all on the horizon, we can be grateful that we are able to enjoy all the events that we have missed over the past two years and I look forward to sharing them with students and families.

Nga mihi nui

Jackie Barron