Weekly News Term 1 Week 3

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Thanks for your patience and understanding as we worked through the changes of Alert levels this week. I guess this is how our lives are going to be for a while, and knowing we have the support of our families and communities as we postpone events, change activities, and adapt processes certainly makes our roles a lot easier. The adaption of Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday from full school chapel to whanau based activities was a wonderful initiative by Dr Townsley and one that highlighted that different doesn't have to be better or worse, just different, and we always keep learning as we try new things.

As I mentioned last week we are looking forward to commemorating the 125th birthday of St Hilda’s Collegiate School on the 19-21st March this year.

While we recognise the importance of the Old Girls and past staff and families, this is a birthday celebration, not just a reunion, and so your involvement as current members of the St Hilda’s community will be very special and help to make the weekend a highlight of the year.

If you are planning on booking into key events for the celebrations, please do so as soon as possible. The cocktail party and lunch at the Glen Roy on the Saturday are selling out quickly.

We plan to make this a memorable occasion for all our students and have them as involved as much as possible, so they can understand and appreciate the legacy they are part of, and know that they have a significant part to play in the celebrations.

With a commitment to involvement, inclusion and fun at the forefront of our planning, I wished to outline for you the school events and activities for the students, which will be part of the festivities.

Monday March 15th - Displays will go up in the chapel

Tuesday March 16th - Dress up day – Dress in a Decade of the school. We will encourage all our students to dress up in some way

Wednesday March 17th - Assembly with invited speakers, and the introduction of the new school haka

Thursday March 18th - Cathedral service for the whole school, during school time. Students will walk down to the cathedral in ‘crocodile style’ as they did 50 years ago, and then be released from the cathedral or walk back to school .

Friday March 19th - 12.30pm Cutting of the Cake and badges given to girls. School finishes at 1.00pm and Tolcarne closes at 5.00pm.

It is important that all our students are able to be part of the special activities that week and we respectfully request that all students stay in school until 1.00pm on Friday 19th March, and do not leave early. Classes will run to the normal timetable and learning will continue.

We are closing early on the Friday so that we can set the school up for the over 400 visitors who have registered and will be arriving on Friday afternoon to complete registration procedures and attend the cocktail function.

We have asked for student volunteers to assist as guides and are really grateful that so many students have taken up the opportunity to be part of this historic milestone and contribute to their community. A big thank you to all those students. The school will be open all Saturday and there is a Chapel service on the Sunday. Tolcarne will also be open for tours on Sunday.

School will be closed on Tuesday 23rd March so that all staff and students working to support the celebrations can still have a weekend break. If your daughter does not have a designated role, she is not expected to be at school over the weekend.

Nga mihi

Jackie Barron