Principal News

Although the strength of Intermediates, including Tahuna, is the wide number of activities on offer, I particularly like Term 2 as it is the term that has the least amount of interruptions, and teachers and students really get to focus on their teaching and learning.

I have been thoroughly impressed with the work effort that is happening in classes, and I have enjoyed walking through and seeing all of the interesting learning that is taking place around the school.

This term's Project Based Learning (PBL) topic of sustainability is in full swing.  Students have been completing testing and prototyping a number of inventions and systems that will hopefully reduce our waste from approximately 180 Kgs of waste a day to about 90kgs.

Please make sure that you support your child, their class, or the whole school projects that are being trialed over the next few weeks.  I know Room 12 has been inspired by the idea of "Rahui" and is planning a day when the student's lunch waste needs to be taken home or, even better, banned from coming to school.  I know that this is something that Cardrona Ski Field does, and I think if a big company like Cardrona can do it, surely we can too.    

As you may know, the NZEI and the Ministry of Education have agreed to a new two-year contract.  This brings to an end any industrial action planned.  I know how disruptive industrial action (Strikes and Paid Union Meetings) can be for families, but I have been heartened by the support that teachers have received during this process, both nationally and locally.  I would like to thank our community for your support.  The new contract, although not everything we wanted, will provide many benefits for your child, and we look forward to sharing new initiatives with you towards the end of the year as the bulk of new conditions takes effect in 2024.     

Kind regards

Simon Clarke