Welcome back to an exciting 2024 academic year.

We trust your holiday was filled with joy, laughter, and meaningful moments spent with loved ones. As we dive into 2024, we are eager to build on past successes and embrace the challenges that will shape our journey in the coming months.

We are excited to see the changes that have happened here over the Christmas holidays. We have focused on improving the grounds for our students and were excited to see the arrival of the picnic tables that the Waitaki Girls’ Community Group purchased. It has been wonderful to see these being well-used by our students. The greatest excitement comes with the “Grand Reveal” of the Junior Block on Thursday, 1st February. It was fantastic to have our oldest Old Girl, Mrs Barbara Simpson, and our 2024 Head Girl, Anna Mansfield, cut the ribbon and officially open the Junior Block. The block is fresh and ready for learning. I want to acknowledge our staff’s sacrifices in 2023 while the refurbishment happened. It certainly was challenging being in many different spaces, some of which were created into a teaching space, and being without a staff room.

This week we had the amazing news that Waitaki Girls’ High School students gained two Scholarship passes. Michelle Fairbairn gained an English Scholarship, and Anika Hayes gained a French Scholarship. Impressively, Anika became the top French scholar in the country as a Year 12 student. This is truly amazing, and we are very proud of Anika’s achievement.

I want to acknowledge our students' focus and calm return to school. It has been fabulous to see students interacting in such a positive manner during break times. The teachers have reported that students are fully engaged and eager to learn.

As we embark on the 2024 academic year journey together, let us embrace the possibilities, support one another, and make 2024 a remarkable chapter in Waitaki Girls’ High School story.

Ngā mihi nui

Ms Sarah Hay

Tumuaki | Principal