Kia ora koutou
As I write this we are racing towards Christmas and the end of the year! 2018 was a busy year in the life of the college with lots of great learning going on in the school. Our Year 9 and 10 academic tracking system has been developed across the year and in 2018 we continued to track the progress of our Year 11-13 students. The development of tracking systems is important as it enables staff to provide extra help and learning support where necessary. We will be focussing again on lifting academic achievement in 2019 as it is the core academic business of the College. The Board of Trustees work in partnership with Mr Congdon and the Senior Leadership Team and it is great that we are united in our actions being directed towards ‘continuous improvement’ in all areas of the school.
Through the year we have continued to review and develop our policies and procedures and have developed a new behaviour management procedure which underpins the restorative justice practices we have in the school. With regard to property, it was with mixed feelings that we saw the old gym demolished. Garry Good (Deputy Chair) and Denis Hutchings (Campus Manager) have done much to ensure changes in school facilities are managed well through their role on the property sub-committee. A consequence of the rationalisation plan agreed with the Ministry of Education is that we will be able to renovate and improve other areas of the school facilities, and these changes will proceed during in 2019. Our finances have been ably managed through the work of our Executive Officer, Leanne Phillips and our trustees Dylan Kiriona and Bob Slade who sit on the Finance Sub-committee. Our student representatives Brooke Antonsen, and Sam Anderson who was recently elected to Brooke’s position provided regular reports to the board during 2018 on issues affecting students in the school. We also enjoy learning of student achievements at board meetings. A staff perspective is brought to the board table by Mr Tate and this too is important in ensuring the implications of our decisions are carefully considered. I would also like to thank trustee Nikki Simpson-Tukapua – whose contributions mean the wellbeing of students and issues of social justice and ethics feature strongly in our conversations. In his role as school principal/tumuaki Mr Congdon is able to bring insights from, and has oversight of, a huge range of areas and we couldn’t manage without his valuable input into board meetings.
Thank you to all our students – I do hope the year has been a productive one for you and that you return in 2018 fresh and ready for the exciting learning opportunities which await in 2019. For our Year 13 graduating students – well done on completing five years at college, it was wonderful to see you all receive your graduating certificates and prizes at Senior Prizegiving and I wish you well in all your journey beyond secondary school. A huge thank you to all our teaching and support staff for your commitment and hard work this year. Thanks also to our senior leadership team, to Ms McCormick who has had had two terms as Assistant Principal and to Ms Moerkerk and Mr White our Deputy Principals, and to Mr Congdon. I feel priviledged to work with such an amazing and dedicated team of people, and it is wonderful to see their genuine concern for the academic success and wellbeing of the staff and pupils under their care.
Thank you too to all our whanau for support of your tamariki and for partnering with us in growing successful young men and women in 2018 – I look forward to another great year in 2019.
Ngā mihi
Juliana Mansvelt
Board of Trustees Chairperson