Tēnā tātou. It feels like a long term, but it has been a good one in many ways!

I am fizzing after walking around our new buildings with our Board of Trustees last night. It has been about eight months since I last looked around the buildings fully and I am glad I waited...

After many, many years and hours and hours of meetings and consultation we have something to look at, and both buildings are look great! What I’m really pleased about is the way we have very strategically planned for a variety of learning spaces, both traditional, in the sense of having four walls and a door, and flexible. The flexible spaces can be used for two classes to combine to benefit the learning and they are more open plan to provide flow across learning spaces in curriculum areas that suit that style of teaching and learning. What I am really saying is we have not created big open plan barn-like buildings. We started with what we as a kura wanted teaching and learning to look like in the future and built to suit that vision. I couldn’t help but think of Mike Fowler (Tumuaki from 2016 – 2021) last night as we were walking around. He was the driving force behind these buildings and I know he will be proud and really pleased with how they are turning out. I am not sure if you read these newsletters, Mike, but if you do, ngā mihi for all you did to make these happen - I can’t wait to show you around.

In brief – Wainuku (pronounced – Why-noo-koo) represents pools of water which originates from the springs of the Waipapa region as a reference to our site, which was historically a place for Māori to travel to with the purpose of collecting water. This building is an Art and Technology collaboration. The building includes specialist spaces for all different technologies, open plan art spaces and also includes a wellbeing space, an area to display work and a kitchen for students to use. Breakout and small group spaces are also included for those needing somewhere a bit more contained. It has an industrial, ‘lets create stuff’ vibe. This building is looking at being completed at the end of the school year with a plan to have students in there and learning as close to the start of next year as possible. You can get a good look at this building if you are driving down Waller Terrace as the building makes up the street front.

Auripo (pronounced – Oh-ree-poor) represents moving water, and the external cladding on the building has tukutuku panels with etchings of pātiki (flounder) as a symbol of moving water and the connection of our place to Ōtākaro (Avon river). This narrative continues through to inside the building through the carpet tiling, for example. This is a two storey building located in the centre of the school. It contains a 209 seat auditorium with a big open foyer and access to a kitchen. Ko Taku Reo (Van Asch) also have a space in the building to run their classes. There are dance and drama studios, a weights room/cardio space and big changing rooms. There is a double classroom, offices, meeting rooms and breakout spaces and a staffroom. In time, this building will connect nicely with a big courtyard on one side and outdoor teaching space for PE on the other. Big balconies and deck space will allow inside and outside connected learning spaces too. This building can be seen from the Stewart St carpark, as many of you that pick up or drop off your children there will know. It is due to be finished around October but again we will have it ready for use from the start of Term 1.

I’ve also just come from a Year 12 assembly that was really inspiring. We have some amazing leaders in Year 12 and I have been working with a small group of students, staff and the Police to work on how we as a school respond to incidents of sexual harassment and assault. Today we asked Year 12’s for their feedback on ways to report incidents and how we can manage these incidents, and the responses are thoughtful and considered. We have had an excellent response from students across all year levels with how this can best be reported and how as a school we can work with the student and their whānau to provide support and ensure school is a safe environment. I am really looking forward to where this goes. The best part is this has been driven by our students and I am really encouraged with the way they are taking on the challenge of this really important work. It was nice to hear comments like: “This is a great thing to talk about, we never would have talked about this at my old school" and that is thanks to my team of students – Ashlyn, Jorja, Sophie and Torion. Kia ora i to mahi! Thank you for your hard work.

I hope our students take the opportunity for a breather over the holidays and come back refreshed and ready to go next term. If your child is feeling a bit discouraged with credit totals or having missed some school with illness please pass on my message of not giving up. Get here everyday (unless you are sick) and work hard. If you need some extra help ask your teachers - they are there to help. Stick with it as credits can often come in a flurry at the end. For this to happen though the work needs to keep being done. To use a sporting analogy, it is often the finishing that counts, so hang in there. You have got this!

To my staff, thank you for all you do to go the extra mile for our students. It is what makes us Hagley! Enjoy a well earned break!

Nāku noa, nā