Tēnā koutou katoua ngā whānau,
Our Annual Colours Awards Assembly celebrates the success of our learners from 2021 in Level 1,2,3 NCEA who gained Maroon Colours and Gold Endorsed colours for their outstanding academic achievement. Congratulations to all students gaining this achievement – you have done so in a year that was full of challenge, uncertainty including learning from home online for part of the year. You set yourselves goals and worked so hard to fulfil them. You have achieved at these levels for yourselves but this also provides leadership and role modelling to those coming through the years behind you. I would also like to acknowledge and thank our guest speaker Mr Reuben Fletcher (Teacher of Spanish and Religious Education) for sharing his challenges and wisdom as a lifelong learner. I share with you two quotes from Reuben’s speech that I believe paints a picture of the reflection and opportunity for growth our learners have.
“It’s not actually what you can do that truly matters, but it’s who you are that matters. What kind of a person you are, what kind of a person you want to be – that should forever be our unrelenting focus.”
“The kind of personal integrity that always puts the best foot forward, this kind of integrity is what I want to acknowledge and celebrate here today – the character, the habits, the values, and the effort that were the cause of today’s successes.”
This week staff and learners gathered during a beautifully sunny lunch break to reflect on and pray for the people of the Ukraine. This was a prayerful moment for the expression of solidarity in human dignity and our hope for peace. I share with you the prayer of peace shared this week.
Loving God,
We pray for the people of Ukraine,
for all those suffering or afraid, that you will be close to them and protect them.
We pray for world leaders, for compassion, strength and wisdom to guide their choices.
We pray for the world that in this moment of crisis, we may reach out in solidarity to our brothers and sisters in need.
May we walk in Your ways so that peace and justice become a reality for the people of Ukraine and for all the world.
Amen.
Again this week we have been blessed with warm weather, well ventilated learning spaces and the opportunity to spend much of our time outdoors. We are continuing to use the public health measures to reduce the spread of Covid and I am pleased to report that the number of students and staff affected by self isolation or Covid positive remains comparatively low compared to neighbouring schools. We are anticipating these numbers may rise more rapidly as the virus takes hold in the weeks to come. Please continue to follow good practices and monitoring for Covid symptoms when it comes to your own health and the health of your whānau. Please refer to our Whānau Update on our website homepage for further information.
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Let us pray for one another so that, by sharing in the victory of Christ, we may open our doors to the weak and poor. Then we will be able to experience and share to the full the joy of Easter.” Pope Francis
Mā te Atua koe e tiaki – May God be with you
Ngā manaakitanga,
John Maguire
Take a moment:
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and hope your hardest, you’ll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things.” Terry Pratchet