Nau mai, haere mai.
As we end the second week of term two, it has been a great start to the term with a lot going on. Last week, we had our local Anzac Day services in Woodend and Kaiapoi, which I was fortunate to attend with our Head Student group. Our students spoke at the Woodend service and both the Kaiapoi dawn and morning services. Our community is always strong in its remembrance around the ANZAC spirit, and our work with the RSA continues to support a special day for Aotearoa. I have been receiving a lot of emails and calls about how well all our students spoke. They were a credit to our school and community.
Our first CACTUS programme for 2026 started this week, and it will run for the next nine weeks. With 24 students and a good mix of staff, the students have been put through their paces. This is an amazing programme that brings our staff and students together with other groups in our community. I must give a special shoutout to our receptionist Erin and our Canteen Manager Leanne, who are coming along each morning.
Next Tuesday, May 5th, we have our Open Night from 5-7 pm as we begin the process for our 2027 intake. Please tell anyone you know who is looking into schools for 2027 that they are very welcome. Anyone can come along to Open Night, and I would encourage parents and whanau to come and have a look.
On Friday, May 22nd, we have our parent/caregiver interviews taking place from 9 am – 5 pm. Classes will not be operating on that day. We encourage parents and caregivers to bring students along to these important meetings. More information will come out soon on how and when to book.
Last Wednesday, I had the privilege of attending the NZQA Top Scholar Awards at Parliament, where ex-student Reuben Foulds was awarded Top Physics Scholar for 2025. This was a huge occasion as only three South Island schools were represented in the 40 subject awards. Reuben was able to discuss with me the impact Mr Simon Fairbrother had on his success, by giving him extra tuition, support and extra time beyond the classroom. This is huge for Reuben, but also a testament to Mr Fairbrother for his tireless work ethic and support for our students.
As winter begins to creep in, we begin to see more uniform issues showing up. This is a reminder that non-uniform items must not be worn as we need to keep our standards high. It may seem minor, but we are seeing students wearing white or other coloured socks on a more regular basis. Please make sure students are coming to school in our complete uniform.
Ngā mihi
Scott Liddell, Deputy Principal
