Integrity | Kia Pono .  Respect | Kia Manaaki  .  Courage | Kia Māia 

As we come together to celebrate the conclusion of another wonderful year at our Kura, AJHS, I want to thank you all for your support this year. Thank you to our middle, senior and student leaders, our kuia, Whaea Trish Ripi, our Tiamana, Matua Rod Caudwell, Whaea Turanita Tipene, our Pasifika kaitiaki, Miss Karen Ifopo, our kaiako/teachers, our support staff, our rangtahi/students, our parents, and whānau.

Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to our Whānau ki te Ako, Albany community of schools, and their principals – our Kāhui Ako Co-principals, Claire Amos and Sue Smith, our iwi advocates, Te Kawerau ā maki, our Ministry of Education advisors, especially PB4L, education, learning support, and property, Tūturu, our wellbeing advisors, and our Board of Trustees, who govern our school with passion and dedicated commitment. A special thank you to our Presiding member (Board Chairperson) John Rutherford for his time and expertise this year.

As I celebrate 3 years of being your tumuaki/principal, I have recently and especially  reflected on our school’s incredible pandemic recovery, rebuilding, and progression over the last 3 years. Together we’ve worked tirelessly to not just return to what was, but to rise stronger, more united, and more determined to achieve academic excellence and support the wellbeing of every student in our care. 

Following the pandemic, our focus has been on student attendance, community engagement and formulating clear goals for academic improvement. This year we have dedicated all our professional learning towards how to more effectively assess our student learning needs in order to design and implement teaching programmes that are rich with literacy outcomes across Y7-10. Next year we will keep strengthening this approach with our new mathematics curriculum, while using our assessment data to keep enriching teaching and learning for teachers and students alike. 

We are moving forward with clearer goals and a new vision. With this we must make an intentional distinction between obligation and commitment, and how it relates to our shared responsibility to provide the best conditions for our students’ wellbeing and learning.

Obligation often feels like something we must do – a duty or a task that is required of us. Commitment, on the other hand, is deeper. It’s something we choose to do because we believe in it. Commitment comes from the heart, from a place of purpose and connection.

When it comes to supporting our tamariki, commitment is what transforms ordinary actions into extraordinary outcomes. It’s the difference between showing up and being truly present. It’s about going beyond what is required to create a culture where every student feels valued, supported, and inspired to achieve their best.

At AJHS, our commitment is underpinned by clear values and a shared vision for the future. Our revitalised vision is committed to providing an inclusive learning environment for adolescent ākonga/students to actively grow their character, knowledge and skills to become responsible and contributing global citizens. Our values Kia Pono/Integrity, Kia Manaaki/Respect and Kia Māia/Courage, guide every decision and action we take. 

As we prepare to step into a new year, I challenge us all – staff, students, and whānau alike – to move beyond obligation and embrace commitment. Let’s work together through our clear vision and values to ensure that every student has the conditions they need to thrive:

• Let’s commit to arriving, prepared and present, every day.

• Let’s commit to fostering curiosity and perseverance in learning.

• Let’s commit to creating a culture where respect and high expectations are the norm, and where our values are more than words – they are lived experiences.

As we conclude our school year, I honour and farewell all those staff and students, and  families leaving AJHS this year. Your legacy lives on with us, and through us. We hope you prosper and thrive in your new places of learning and life. Take care and go with our aroha.

Together whānau, through commitment, we can continue to improve and strengthen the wellbeing and learning outcomes for every one of our tamariki. It is AMAZING to see what is possible when a community unites with a common purpose. 

Ngā mihi nui, thank you all for your support, hard work, and belief in our shared vision. I wish you a restful and joyful holiday season, and I look forward to welcoming many of you back for another incredible school year in our journey together.

Ngā mihi nui, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

Cushla Shepherd, Tumuaki / Principal

Albany Junior High School