Kia ora Parents and Caregivers,

2020 continues to be a challenging year for our school, however it’s encouraging to see our students enjoying being back in each other’s company. Our sports teams have resumed training, orchestras and choirs are rehearsing, and next week we will hold our first House assemblies for this term. There is a sense of normality beginning to form here as we adjust to life at Level 2.

Having said that, the events of the past week following the social media incident have been distressing for us as a school community. We have publicly stated that we deplore racism of any kind, and the tirade of abuse that has come our way has been hurtful and upsetting. Auckland is the most cosmopolitan city in the country, with ethnic groups from around the world. 40% of the city’s population were born overseas. Our school is a microcosm of that society, and we genuinely love the richness that myriad cultures bring to our school. Our learning opportunities increase as we listen to different world views and experiences.

We want all of our students to feel included and have an enjoyable high school experience, so we are using this as an opportunity to create an open dialogue around inclusivity within our school. We will share more about this once we know we are moving to Alert Level 1.

With honest conversations and a willingness to listen, we know we can heal and move forward positively. Next week I will use our resumed school assemblies to talk directly with our students about racism, along with the effects and outcome of the recent incident.

On a brighter note, I hope you enjoyed the Queen’s Birthday long week end and managed to get out and about despite the weather! As we head into winter, it’s a timely reminder to make sure jerseys and suitable footwear are worn, and don’t forget blazers on House assembly days.

Kindest regards

Jane Stanley