Star Board Term 4 Week 6

Principal's Message

Kia Koutou e te whanau

Just when you thought it was ‘safe to go back into the water’ Kiri Gill comes back. I know that is not what you are thinking but I could not resist the film allusion. Actually my absence was well catered to by my managers stepping up, so I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mrs Sherwen, Miss Glass, Mr Davidson, and of course my hardworking PA Tracey Watt. I also thank my Board for wholly supporting my ‘excursion’.

Sabbatical

I did outline my sabbatical a few newsletters ago but as quick recap it was focused on Executive and Corporate leadership. I spent five weeks meeting some influential leaders in the education and corporate sector and have arrived back on the terra firma that is St Matthew’s Collegiate campus to see how to make the best of those learnings for our context.

You know when you have been somewhere and you come home and you think to yourself “ gosh it’s good to be home” or “ aren’t we lucky we live here”? Well there was certainly some of that for me whilst I was navigating the motu. We are doing some amazing things in our school and in the Trinity, and this sabbatical gave me the chance to check the value-added components of our system.

But, and there is always a ‘but’-that is there is never a time to be complacent in an ever-changing and ever-evolving world so with excited anticipation I bring those learnings to our context.

What’s on my mind?

Recently I had the flattering and reassuring experience of hearing something useful I had said in an enrolment interview four years ago , about a balloon metaphor. Now even though mostly gems fall from my mouth, some are diamonds, gaining in personal value as the years pass by. I am referring to our school marks and values.

Our current value Commitment is one of those diamonds. In a school setting we get the chance to work with our rangatahi/youth about the understanding of and living out of those values as they navigate their way to a life after secondary school. We are also very aware that these values are extolled in your whare. You will all recall when you met me at that application interview, that I took you through the school’s values. When we talked to the meaning of Commitment I simply said “you sign up, you show up”. The domino effect of letting that commitment slide because one cannot be bothered now, or I have not got my gear, or I forgot is not good enough. It is unfair to the team if you do not show for the practice, it is not good enough to think you can pull out of an event because you have changed your mind, it is not good enough to be late without good reason to a rehearsal- because nothing happens in isolation. So, I reiterate If your name is on a list to be there- be there, on time, wearing the right gear, and sporting the right attitude. In a school context, you learn that in a safe setting. Post school you generally only get to ‘not show up’ once.

Ahead

Our seniors are beavering their way through externals, and juniors are making their way to the end of year tests and exams. It is not luck they need as they make their way through and to these events. Rather knowing that they are well prepared (thank you staff) and have utilised their class time and study time wisely (thank you students and whanau) then all they will need is enough ink in their pens, paper to write on, and/or their devices are well charged.

So, as I close - it is great to be back, and I send much aroha to those for whom life has thrown challenges.

I wish you a safe weekend.

Ngā Mihi

Kiri

Around School

Boarding Note

It has been another action-packed week in boarding with more study, exams, sport, town leave etc, but the highlight for the Year 9 boarders was without doubt their social on Wednesday night.

To get into the Christmas theme, our Year 9 boarders could invite a daygirl friend into Main House to get ready for the social. This photo was taken as a group was leaving the boarding house.

Although it feels like our lovely tutors Eleanor and Flora have not been with us that long, their time at St Matts is almost at an end. A huge thank you to these young women who have worked tirelessly in Boarding and Sport throughout the year. We are very sad to see you go!

Enjoy the weekend.

Jo

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