A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Mauri ora ki a koutou and welcome back to term 2. There is a big list of dates below but the next 4 weeks are super busy and it’s important to note the two closed days – due to a Teacher Union meeting and the Ministry Teacher only day – please mark them on your calendar. It was really fantastic to see so many of our students out and about in the holidays and particularly the ones I saw taking part in the Kaikoura Adventure Race and ANZAC Day service. The Adventure Race is an amazing event – hard work, fun and teamwork all bundled together and the Kaikoura High students were definitely pushing themselves to enjoy all three aspects. It was really awesome to see so many involved this year and hopefully with the support of some dedicated staff have even more next year and a couple having a tilt at the South Island Secondary Schools champs! We also thank Bin Kennedy, Tim and Tane for the immense amount of work that goes into this event and the massive benefits it brings to our whole community. ANZAC service was a beautiful morning – it’s by far one of the prettiest and poignant in the country with the venue, the horses and the amazing efforts of the community and RSA to run. I was immensely proud of our seniors for being involved but also by the large numbers from our prefect team who came as well to support their colleagues. Good luck to all students who are embarking on winter sports this weekend (or started this week!), I know about basketball, hockey, netball and rugby – I’m sure there is more too! I look forward to hearing all the battle stories next week!

WHAT’S COMING UP?

FRIENDLY REMINDERS

• Juniors cannot sign out of school without a parent to pick them up. The parent/caregiver must come into the school to pick the student up. This is part of Health and Safety procedures (applies to Year 10 and under)
• Phones away for the day – although we have had this for the last term just a reminder that it is mandatory that students do not bring cell phones to school and they cannot be used at any time of the school day – if they feel they need a phone for afterschool commitments there are secure lockboxes in the office where the phone can be handed in prior to school starting.

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING?

Adventure Race
Six Kaikoura High teams entered the Kaikoura Adventure Race held in the middle weekend of the holidays. For most this was a chance to finish a Physical Education assessment, but for some it wasjust for crazy fun. Adventure racing involves biking, hiking/running, navigating with both rogaining and orienteering and often some additional elements are thrown in (in the past or in longer events there is often a paddling stage (kayak or raft) ziplining, ropes, abseiling etc). Adventure racing is a challenge of teamwork, endurance, mental toughness and the ability to work out where you are. The students who took part were in the 3-hour event but with categories up to 48 hrs, there is room for the more adventurous to push themselves further next year and aim for longer! Congratulations to all who took part and finished the event – that is a success in itself! Also thanks to Ronda (our librarian and mad adventure racer) Mr Wood, Mr Lawrie for helping get them prepared for the race, and Matua Alan TeMoananui for making them do it!

ANZAC Service
Our Head Student team was asked to take part in ANZAC dawn service and they represented the school with dignity and aplomb. They all spoke extremely well – a difficult thing to do in front of a large crowd and not of school students! It was great to have other members of our prefect team there as support at what is a very important event. Lest we forget.

Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club trial is on – starting next week at intervals staff and senior students will be offering breakfast club in our extended intervals on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Open to all students(and thanks for the community support in terms of offering some different foods for the club!) Tom has been hard at work making yoghurt!