Principal's Pānui
3 March 2023
At the end of our second full week our school has settled into enjoyable and busy routines. Trials for Winter sports underway (Yes, we are now in Autumn), cultural group practices are in full swing, and students are getting involved with various activities around the school. From my office can be heard the incredibly talented students who are auditioning for this year’s production “Mamma Mia!”, it has been several years since we have been able to hold a full scale production. The fact that auditions are already underway demonstrates the level of commitment from the students involved, and from the teaching staff responsible for nurturing their talent – countless hours are put in by those teachers to ensure the highest production standards.
We farewelled the first group of students from Hamamatsu, Japan midweek. Our student buddies and our homestay families sharing a lunch with them before they departed. The links that had been forged between our students and theirs in the short time they were here was remarkable, with barely a dry eye as the group left the school grounds. A second group from the same school arrives this weekend for a 17-day visit.
Work on our new music block reached a stage where it becomes obvious as to the scale of the new spaces that will be available, the roof trusses were erected on the newly constructed classrooms (where our old reading room once stood) and the high ceilings are framed up in the new bandroom and studios. When completed, this facility will be state of the art.
With the introduction of in-school lunches next term, we are looking to increase the amount of seating available around the school. We are currently exploring several options to introduce new seating in areas where our students congregate. Whilst some will be built with the help of our Academies, we are always grateful for contributions from our wider community as well.
The week ahead sees the return of our Scholars Assembly. On Tuesday morning we will be acknowledging the following students (and graduates):
| Kiera Dunn | Geography |
| Aryan Prasad | Biology |
| Henry Ly | Calculus |
| Aref Osman | Calculus |
| Yujung Heo | English |
| Gabe Wilcox | English |
| Wiremu Hindman | English History |
| William Kang | English |
Congratulations go to these students, as does thanks to our staff who worked through the year with those students who attempted Scholarship exams.
We will also be recognising the efforts of those students who gained their Level 2 NCEA Certificate endorsed with Excellence. Also named will be this years group of Silver Badge Prefects. This Assembly will take place on Tuesday morning during period 1, all year 13 students will be present for that assembly.
Our parents of students new to the school have been invited to our Whānau Evening on Thursday night (6pm to 7pm). This is an opportunity for those parents and caregivers to meet their child’s Tutor Teacher. The Tutor Teacher is the teacher that our students in Year 9 will see nearly every day for the next 5 years. The relationship between home and the school is a crucial component of our students time at school and the evening seeks to provide a solid foundation for the start of that relationship.
Finally, Polyfest makes a welcome return this year. On Wednesday, our Tahitian and Tuvaluan Groups take the stage at the Manukau Sports Bowl. Our Samoan Group then performs on Friday. Of course, Polyfest week is not limited to those groups who perform at the festival itself, it is also a focal point for other cultural groups in the school and our FiaFia Night on Tuesday allows them to express themselves, and showcase their cultures to an always capacity audience. The evening starts earlier than usual with food stalls operating from 4.30pm (these are fundraising for the rugby tour to France later in the year). Performances begin at 6.30pm in the Bruce Ritchie Performing Arts Centre.
I’d like to extend thanks to those teachers and members of the community who give up their time to coordinate, lead, and supervise the many groups that have been practicing nearly every day after school.
Thanks as well to our student leaders who have organized a cultural dress day for students which will take place on Thursday. Some will also be accompanying the groups performing at Manukau during the week.
Ngā mihi
Alastair Fairley, Principal