Kia ora koutou katoa

The events at school this week make me proud: proud of the depth of talent in our students, proud of the opportunities we offer and proud of our staff who work so hard for our students.

• Monday’s Art Exhibition opening was really well attended by families, beautifully curated by Louise Carey and Paula McLeod, and showed off incredible artwork by many students

• Tuesday’s NCEA evening, aimed at whānau of Year 10 students, was also very well attended. Thanks to Matt Maude, along with Shelly Boyes and Shawn Gough, for the organisation of this event

• Thursday’s Oral Tapestries evening showcased the oratory talents of our younger students and was fascinating to listen to, given the range of issues and arguments presented.

This is without mentioning sport! Our under 15 rugby team played well against a strong Rolleston team on Wednesday and it was great to see senior students, Louis Ridgen and Mason Thompson, share the expertise they’ve learnt through the Selwyn Combined First XV. That Selwyn Combined Team beat St Andrew’s College last weekend in a memorable win. This weekend’s basketball draw is massive, with four teams playing on Friday night and a quad tournament on Sunday.

I hope that parents are enjoying our new fortnightly engagement in learning notes. These are designed to be informal but informative, providing for frequent check-ins on your child’s engagement at school and giving you a base for conversations at home. Despite our efforts, the single biggest determinant of your child’s academic outcomes will be your engagement in their school journey!

Please remember we have a Staff Only Day on 22 August. This is to prepare for the changes to NCEA which take place over the next few years.

Last but not least, Deputy Principal Trish Evans has tendered her resignation from the end of this year. Trish was originally employed as a teacher in 1995 and has been a Deputy Principal since 1998. She has been the backbone of the school for much of this time, notably seeing us through recent changes of principal and managing the crazy demands of relief during Covid. She is looking forward to spending recreational time with her husband and family.

Ngā mihi maioha

Andy England

Tumuaki | Principal