Comments from the Principal

Greetings, Bula, Talofa lava.
I have been reflecting recently on change. It is possibly this time of year that causes several of us to think about the end of a year, the start of another, and the possible change that comes with that. For parents, it may be the end of an era with children finishing school and moving into their next adventure. For teachers and support staff, it may be a change in employment or direction in their place of work. Many in the educational field say that the only constant in education is change – and it certainly feels like that at times! Maybe it is the annual cycle we work on and the desire to make every year better than the last for our new group of learners. We are at that point at St Peter’s where much of what we set out to do five years is now business as usual and we are looking forward to the exciting challenges of the next strategic plan. The Board consultation evening last week certainly gave us plenty to think about and priorities to consider. Another change to education in Eastern Southland is the establishment of the Kahui Ako (Community of Learning). Representatives from thirteen schools have been meeting regularly for over a year now and relationships and cooperation between schools are already strengthening because of this. We are in the process of appointing ‘across school teachers’ who will work in all schools to share and support practice. I was with most of the Kahui Ako principals last Friday and what was clear and evident is that we all want the same thing – to make our educational community the best it can be for our young learners.  
Junior exams for years 9 & 10 will be held from Wednesday to Friday this coming week. Teachers have made sure that students have been well prepared in class and continue to assist them with revision. However, it will be the time put in at home that will make the difference to results. Please encourage your son or daughter to set some personal goals for these exams and work towards them. This is a good opportunity to practice academic challenges and focus on the learning potential they have. After a year of learning it will also be useful to have something to show for it!!
The PPTA has instructed its members to attend a Paid Union Meeting on Tuesday, 20th November to discuss negotiations with our new collective agreement. As a result, students will finish school at 12.30pm on Tuesday. Any students who need to remain at school until 3:15pm are welcome to do so. Please contact the office if you would like your child supervised by non-union staff during this time.
The end of the school year is coming around very quickly. Our college prizegiving and the end of our academic year is Thursday 6th December so please keep this date in mind. You can find the 2018 end of year dates and the 2019 start of year dates on the school website under the Parent Dashboard.
As we move into the busyness of the Christmas and holiday season, as well as the excitement or maybe the worry of change for some people, let us pray –
Loving and generous God, let me be content with who I am, what I have, and where you are leading me. Help me to have a mindset of confidence, courage and thankfulness all day and every day. 
Amen

Kate Nicholson