Star Board Term Two Week Five

Principal's Message

Kia Ora Koutou and Talofa Lava

We have just completed the halfway point for this term- phew! It has been wonderful to acknowledge Vaiaso o le Gagana Sāmoa, Sāmoan Language Week, and to be treated with Samoan tucker by a very generous parent. For your support of this week I extend a warm Fa'afetai Thank you.

Reminder

I wrote this in a newsletter some time back, and it is on the calendar, but please do not send your children back to school until next Wednesday because it a Teacher Only day on the Tuesday June 4. For this day teaching staff will descend upon Wairarapa College who are the host school for our professional learning. The office at school will be open should you need to make contact.

Consequences

You will recall that I took time to focus on our school values last week. I referred particularly to Commitment- ‘You sign up, you show up’. When you expand that it also means that when you sign up to be at St Matthew’s you are expected to show up and live up to all our school’s expectations. I will now add into this that ‘with privilege comes responsibility’.

Year 13 is a year which acknowledges maturation and to that end we have given them driving privileges between St Matthew’s and Senior College. On certain days of the week our seniors start their day here or are expected here for the end of day: Tuesday 8:10 Chapel, Wednesday 8:10 Assembly, Thursday 12:45 – 3:10 Kotahitanga, Friday 8:10 House Meetings or School event. These expectations are not negotiable- Year 13 must be here. Failure to comply will result in driving privileges being removed. The slate of absence has been wiped clean and this loss of driving privileges begins next week. I am confident that our young women will heed this advice and be happily driving safely between our two schools at the allotted times from this point forward.

Name your kit

Now I am not saying I am old but I certainly recall listening to Nancy Sinatra’s “These boots are made for walking, and that’s just what they’ll do…one of these days these boots are gonna walk away from you” (poetic licence taken here).

But what appears to be happening on occasion are girls taking others’ shoes in error meaning Nancy’s lyrics should be, “These boots are made for walking, and that’s just what they’ll do… but one of these days these boots are going to be worn by somebody new”.

So, let’s name our shoes; in fact, all our kit so what we wear to school we wear home.

Budget 24 education package

Yesterday the Minister of Finance Hon Nicola Willis delivered Budget 24.

In total, the coalition Government is boosting education spending by $2.9 billion over the next four years to improve student outcomes.

The additional funding increases the total investment in schools and early childhood education by 3.6 percent in the coming year to $19.1 billion.

Key investments made in the Budget include an additional:

• $1.48 billion for school and kura property
• $478 million for Ka Ora Ka Ako to continue the Healthy School Lunches Programme for two more years, including $8 million to introduce a targeted early childhood food programme
• $199 million over four years including a 3 percent increase for Schools Equity and Isolation Index based components and a 2.5 percent increase for the remaining components of school operating grants
• $163 million over four years to support digital services in schools, including cyber security and equipment replacement
• $153 million over four years to establish Charter Schools | Kura Hourua
• $67 million over four years for the implementation of structured literacy in all state primary schools
• $53 million over four years for teacher supply, retention, and attraction initiatives
• $45 million over four years to support the rapid increase in numbers of students that require English for Speakers of Other Languages support
• $32 million for Holidays Act remediation for school employees, based on an updated estimate of liability
• $15 million over four years to increase funding for the School High Health Needs Fund
• $14 million over four years to support the ongoing delivery of Ikura Period products in schools programme.

Budget 24: Vote Education – Ministry of Education

Reunion Weekend

As I draw this to a close, I say ‘welcome back’ to the classes of the fours. Leavers from potentially ’64, ’74, ’84, ’94, ’04, ’14 could be once again trodding a very familiar path this King’s Birthday holiday, albeit peppered with changes caused by time. I am grateful, as is the St Matthew’s Old Girls’ Association, for the assistance of our senior students over this weekend.

Have a great and safe long weekend.

Have a great and safe weekend.

Ngā Mihi

Kiri

Boarding Note

This week I have been fortunate enough to have attend the New Zealand Boarding Schools Association Conference in Auckland.

This annual event brings together representatives from boarding schools throughout the country and is a fabulous opportunity to connect with others in similar roles, discuss ways to enhance various aspects of boarding and to listen to some outstanding speakers. Although the topics may have varied, the well-being of boarders was always first and foremost.

Before the conference comes to a close, we were able to tour St Cuthbert’s, Auckland Grammar School, and Dilworth School.