A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

It is my firm belief that an important element of a high school education is the development of leadership skills and competencies and Kaikoura High has a long history of producing fine men and women who go on to lead in all areas of our society. There is little doubt that in the world as it stands right now we need effective leadership and the need to develop good young leaders for the future has never been so critical. Over the last year, we have certainly seen a variety of forms of leadership on a global platform – some effective and some not so. What is clear is that leadership makes a difference in the lives of people. Our leadership structure at the top end of school has changed for 2024 with Prefects holding portfolios and being more involved in planning parts of school life. I feel this has been a positive change for the school culture and will flow down to creating our Year 10 and Year 8 positions to have more purpose rather than just being a title.

Leadership is for everyone as it is an action not merely a position. It starts with the idea that we can be a leader from any position. We don’t need a title – we need to make a choice. It is action that defines leaders, not the labels we carry with us. Each and every one of us is a leader, already…if we choose to stand up and take action. As mentioned to the students in assembly – leaders are not necessarily the most popular person (in fact sometimes they can be the worst leader in the worst way!) and in nominating or voting for leaders students need to consider the traits they admire or think will be useful if it was a difficult situation. Sometimes the quietest person is the best leader and leads in a way we never thought of before. We encouraged students to think of a sports team they have been part of or watched and what it was that made the leader in that group stand out.

I look forward to seeing students put themselves forward for these leadership positions and encourage those who like the idea of making change and having a hand in how our school operates to step up to such a role. I wish these students the best of luck for the year and thank them in advance for the generous spirit in which I know they will lead us into the future. At the same time a huge thanks to those in leadership positions for 2024 – you have truly made a difference to the way the school is and this legacy is the first step in making Kaikoura High School a special place to be!

WHAT’S COMING UP?

FRIENDLY REMINDERS

• If your child is going to be late or absent, please call the school office on 03 319 5138 or email office@kaikourahigh.school.nz any time after 8 am to let us know. We send texts out around 10.55 am for absent students.
• Ear pods are NOT part of school uniform and invariably are connected to some device. Staff will ask for them to be handed in as they are a technology violation. Parents would be able to pick them up from the office.
• Follow up on Goal Setting: as the calendar is so jam-packed this term we are not putting another event in. Expect your child’s form teacher to have a follow-up phone call or catch up with you about the discussions they have had with your child about their goals.

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING?

Kaikōura High School vs Darfield U15 Rugby
Last week’s weather was nothing short of dismal! After a few days of biting our nails, and looking at the gloomy clouds and sodden field, we were relieved to finally confirm the game against Darfield. Conditions were wet, and muddy and made for some great sliding.

Despite Darfield taking home the win, they commented on how it was a fantastic game to play ahead of their tournament coming up in a few weeks. It was also a great school game ahead of the boys’ game up in Picton next week against Queen Charlotte.

Our coaches couldn’t pick a Player of the Day because all of our boys did their job and played well. Their attitude and positivity today were reflected in their teamwork, which is something the Saturday coaches have been working on this season with them, so it was great to see that paying off.

Matua Doug saved the day on the BBQ for the aftermatch, which he definitely wasn’t expecting to do, as did Mrs “Grandma Jan” Dasler who helped get set up so the boys could have a feed after the game. Middlehurst Farm Store kindly donated the patties, which were tino reka!

Thank you to everyone for their support, including Kaikōura Rugby Club JAB for their coaches and for sourcing our referee!

Clubs Term 3
Term 3 clubs are up and running period 5 on Fridays, thanks to teachers volunteering their time to let students try all sorts of new and loved activities!

Combined Country High Schools Netball Tournament
This week was the Combined Country High School Netball Tournament in Rangiora. The majority of the team was made up of our Junior SISS team (Year 9/10s) and only had two senior students. Our Year 9/10s stepped up hugely to play against teams made up of Year 12s and 13s – and didn’t look out of place, either!

We played against senior teams from schools of similar calibre and Kaikōura demonstrated their prowess and determination on the court, despite the odds being against us with several of the girls falling ill overnight. This year’s tournament saw the participation of schools from the CCHS cluster and invited teams from Greymouth, Catholic Cathedral and Ellesmere, to allow them to prepare for Senior SISS, adding to the competitive atmosphere.

We were one of the youngest teams alongside Cheviot, but we excelled in our pool play and secured victories against both Cheviot and Ellesmere to advance to the final playoff. In the finals, Kaikōura faced a formidable Greymouth team. Despite their best efforts and a commendable performance, Kaikōura finished as the runner-up (but first out of the CCHS cluster!) Their journey through the tournament showcased their teamwork and skill, earning them well-deserved recognition. The team is extremely proud of their success and looks forward to their continued growth and future competitions. Congratulations to the team for their outstanding effort and sportsmanship!

Top of the South Hockey
Our senior hockey team was offered the opportunity to go to the Top of the South tournament this year. This was an awesome chance to see where we are at and pit ourselves against some other mixed teams that we don’t normally get to play. It was a 2-day tournament and we had some tough lessons and some great hockey in a short period of time. Lots of comments from the Nelson teams on how great it was to have us there and our hockey improved significantly. The chance to play on another fast full turf was a great opportunity. We finished 3rd in our group overall.

Curriculum
It’s been an epic first semester in Trades, Hard Materials, and DVC (Graphics) at Kaikoura High. Our students have been hard at work, showcasing their skills and creativity through a variety of hands-on projects. Check out these photos to see the amazing progress and fantastic work our budding craftsmen and designers have been up to!
Last semester, the Year 9-10 Visual Art students worked on clay modelling and created some beautiful pottery pieces. They consistently showed a positive attitude and eagerness to learn new techniques, including underglazing and glazing their own creations. For a closer look, their work is on display by the main entrance and will be available for viewing for another week.

Fundraising Auction
Kaikoura High School is excited to present our premium large Macrocarpa BBQ table for auction on TradeMe.
This handcrafted table has been built right here at our school, showcasing the exceptional skills and quality workmanship of our students and staff using quality materials.
Perfect for New Zealand’s outdoor lifestyle, this table is designed to withstand the harshest conditions.
You can make a bid on this must-have table by searching the listing number #4854569129.
Happy Bidding!

COMMUNITY NOTICES

Kaikōura High School Board of Trustees – Casual Vacancy for Parent Representative
Kaikoura High School Board Parent By-Election 2024

Our school will be undertaking a parent by-election for 1 School Board vacancy. This position will be held until the triennial election in 2025. This process will start with the issuing of nomination papers to our caregiver community by Friday 16th August 2024.

We have employed CES to undertake the election process on our behalf. This year with legislative change, our nomination form and full instruction on how to place your nomination into our own School’s Election website will be emailed to you if we have your email address in our database or you will receive it by post if we don’t have your email in our database.

Nomination papers will also be available at the school office. The school will send those on to CES for processing upon receipt from candidates.

Nominations close on Wednesday 4th September 2024 at 12 noon. We look forward to your participation in this process.

Returning Officer CES

89 Nazareth Avenue | Middleton | Christchurch | PO Box 414 | Christchurch 8140

P (03) 338 4444 Web www.cessl.org.nz