This week, we farewell a much loved member of our staff. After 30 years of dedicated service in Year 7, Mrs Jenny Green is retiring from full time teaching. For so many of our students, their seven year journey at the college began in Mrs Green’s classroom, a place where our school values were lived and taught every day. Alongside inspiring young learners, she has been a tireless advocate for our Waterwise programme, ensuring generations of students gained skills and confidence on the water. Her connection to the school runs even deeper, with her own daughters having attended the college as students. We are deeply grateful for Jenny’s commitment, passion, and care, and wish her every joy in the next chapter.
Looking ahead, senior exams for Year 12 and 13 are coming up in Week 8, and now is the time to get organised. Students are encouraged to:
- Create a realistic study timetable, breaking revision into manageable chunks
- Prioritise topics they find most challenging
- Practise past exam papers under timed conditions to build confidence
- Balance study with regular breaks, exercise, and good sleep
Parents and caregivers can support by providing a quiet study space, helping students stick to their plan, and offering encouragement along the way. The goal is to enter exam week feeling prepared, calm, and confident.
Our winter sports season is drawing to a close, with AIMS and Winter Tournament Week just around the corner. We can’t wait to see how our winter codes and tournament teams perform and we know they will represent our school with pride. This season, our athletes have not only shown skill and commitment on the field and court, but have also been shining examples of our school values. Whether they win, lose, or draw, they represent our school with pride, humility, and sportsmanship.
It has also been wonderful to see students involved in activities and opportunities outside of the classroom, with the Year 7 Social on Friday night. We have also been treated to remarkable talent from our Year 11 Drama students in their performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, a truly inspiring showcase of creativity and skill. This week our Orchestra and Jazz Band have performed exceptionally at the KBB Music Festival which has allowed our students to share their passion, skills and expertise through a dedicated performance.
Education remains in the media, with last week’s focus on the proposed NCEA qualification changes and this week with teacher strike action. Consultation on the new qualification pathway is open until 15 September 2025. The proposed rollout of the new qualifications is 2028–2030, aligned with the updated curriculum.
Here is a link to all the consultation information and documentation.
Here is a link to the specific information document for parents/caregivers.
Regarding industrial action we will communicate any updates as soon as possible. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have questions, and thank you in advance for your understanding and support. To view the broadcast sent out this morning via SchoolBridge 2025 PPTA Strike
Finally, Board elections for our parent representatives are well underway. If you have any queries, please see the article in this newsletter and once again, thank you for your ongoing support of our school and community.
As always, it is the ongoing partnership that we have which makes our school such a special place. Whether it’s cheering from the sidelines, helping with fundraising, volunteering time, or simply encouraging your child at home, your contributions have a lasting impact. We are grateful to work alongside you in guiding our young woman to be empowered to challenge and shape their future, not only as learners, but as kind, resilient members of our community.
