Tēnā koe, Bula Vinaka, Talofa Lava, Mālō e lelei, Sanibonani,

As we reach the end of what has been a full and productive Term 2, I want to acknowledge the collective effort, commitment, and growth shown by our ākonga, staff, and wider school community. We have so much to celebrate.

Some well deserved congratulations and acknowledgements: 

  • A huge thank you to our PB4L staff and student ambassadors for leading a fantastic celebration breakfast on Tuesday; your mahi continues to foster a culture of respect, integrity, and courage at AJHS. 

  • Congratulations to the Arts Faculty for a phenomenal showcase on Wednesday night. It was an inspiring display of talent, creativity, and student voice. 

  • To our Year 7 and 8 students who took part in cross country, and to all of our sports teams who have competed with heart and teamwork across the term – ka rawe! You continue to make us proud with your representation and amazing efforts in whatever context you perform and compete in. 

  • Well done everyone for participating in today’s Knowledge-athon! It was a lot of fun and we have raised over $6,400 towards sports equipment and musical instruments!

  • Furthermore, we also acknowledge our dedicated Board of Trustees for their ongoing service and governance this term, and thank them for their commitment to the long term success of our kura. 

Student achievement and progress remain central to our work as educators, and we encourage all parents and caregivers to take the time over the term break to access your child’s learning portal. Here you’ll find their latest report, with feedback and achievement levels across curriculum areas. The report will show whether your child is currently working at ‘Not Achieved Yet’, ‘Achieved’, ‘Merit’, or ‘Excellence’ level in relation to key learning outcomes. These indicators are designed to provide you with a clear sense of your child’s current progress and next learning steps. We encourage you to talk through the report together, celebrate their growth and effort, and spend time formulating new goals for term 3. 

As we prepare for next term, we also wish to share some important reminders with our students and families. While our school environment supports individual expression and personal responsibility, we must be clear about what is appropriate to bring into a school setting. Please ensure students do not bring high-value personal items, imitation weapons, vapes, energy drinks, or any substances that breach our school policies. Bringing these items to school will receive a serious response as we must prioritise safety for all.

We also remind whānau and students that once students arrive at school in the morning, they are not permitted to leave the school grounds without authorised permission from a parent/caregiver and school approval. This is an essential part of our responsibility to ensure student safety during the school day.

Thank you for your continued support this term, whether through attending whānau evenings, supporting events, or remaining steadfast by helping to keep our tamariki prepared for learning each day. 

We hope you enjoy a restful and recharging holiday break, and we look forward to seeing everyone back for term 3, ready for another great chapter of learning.

Take care,

Cushla Shepherd,

Tumuaki / Principal

Albany Junior High School