Kia ora e te whānau,
Nau mai ki te pānui tuatahi mō te wāhanga tuatoru – welcome to the first newsletter of Term 3!
This is one of my favourite terms – it’s packed with valuable learning time, along with a healthy scattering of extra and co-curricular activities. Because there’s so much happening, this pānui could easily become a small novel, so I’ll keep things as brief as possible!
Community Consultation – Thank You
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to our community consultation last term. Every single voice mattered. We’re now in the final stages of turning the wealth of feedback into a clear set of strategic goals that we hope reflect the diverse views of our community.
While we value all contributions, not every suggestion will be included in the final plan. In some cases, feedback may not align with our school’s values, our commitment to equity, or current legislative requirements. In these instances, we’re unable to take those ideas forward – but we appreciate the thought and care behind every submission.
Senior Attendance – A Key to Success
As the term gains momentum, it’s particularly important for our senior students to monitor their attendance carefully. While our school is seeing some fantastic overall attendance figures, even missing one class can impact learning outcomes. As mentioned earlier this year, 80% attendance can seem like a good number when it comes to attendance. But it’s not, it means missing the equivalent of one day per week – a substantial loss over time.
We’ve been backing this message up in assemblies this week, especially for our seniors in the lead-up to final assessments and exams!
Uniform Reminders
Apologies for the extra uniform email last week! We aim to keep our communications relevant and infrequent, so as not to overwhelm your inbox. If you haven’t already, you can read more in my recent newsfeed post about the new school kilt. A friendly reminder: please only purchase uniform items from our approved supplier. Items bought elsewhere may not meet our design and colour specifications.
We’ve had a few queries about whether there are specific items tagged to ‘winter’ or ‘summer’ uniform. The answer is no — students are free to wear any combination of our approved items throughout the year. That means shorts in winter or kilts in summer are perfectly fine – but perhaps not advised.
If you’re having any difficulty sourcing uniform items, please get in touch with us. We have a direct line to the supplier and have recently been able to resolve any concerns quickly.
Head Student Nominations
Nominations for Head Student roles closed over the weekend. If your Year 12 student missed the deadline – don’t worry! They can still apply, though they may not have been added to the nominations email group. Application packs are available from the school office. We’ve received a great number of applications so far, with 37 nominations for 23 candidates. They will be contacted shortly with advice on how to progress to the next stage of the process.
Kāhui Ako Update
You may have heard about the Government’s decision to withdraw funding for Kāhui Ako (Communities of Learning) at the end of the year. This is a loss, as our kāhui provided wonderful opportunities for schools across our region to collaborate for mutual benefit. That said, our local schools are actively working together to sustain and build upon the great progress we’ve made. Watch this space.
Out-of-Zone Enrolments and Year 9 Transition
Enrolment zones are always a hot topic at this time of year. Kaiapoi High School accepts fifteen out-of-zone Year 9 enrolments each year. For 2026, we received 30 applications. A ballot has been drawn, and the remaining 15 students are now on a waiting list.
We understand this can be a frustrating process for whānau. If someone you know missed out or missed the deadline, we strongly encourage them to complete enrolment at their local secondary school and reach out directly for advice.
As part of our transition support for Year 8 students, we’re currently visiting local primary schools and running our popular ‘Coffee and Cake’ evenings. These are informal sessions to answer questions from parents and students. If you missed one, we’re running an extra session on Thursday, 19 August, here at Kaiapoi High School, starting at 7.00 pm in Te Kōhiko (our whare at the front of the school).
AI in Education – Preparing for the Future
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing how teaching, learning, and assessment happen in schools. We’ve pulled together a dedicated team here at Kaiapoi High School to ensure staff, students, and whānau are well-equipped to navigate these changes – making the most of the opportunities while managing the risks. Expect to see some exciting developments this term.
NCEA Changes on the Horizon
You may have seen in the media that significant changes to NCEA are being proposed. As always, change in education can feel a little daunting. Rest assured, we are already working hard to tailor our local response in a way that puts our students – and our values – at the centre.
Apologies for the length of this pānui, and for the many exciting things I haven’t had space to mention.
Kia tino pai tō koutou wiki – have a fantastic week ahead.
Jason Reid
Principal
