3 July 2026

"Time is a created thing. To say 'I don't have time' is to say, 'I don't want to.'" – Lao Tzu

This term has been a long one – eleven weeks, to be exact. The last two weeks have certainly tested my perception of time, that’s for sure! But as I write this, I am just "one more sleep" away from saying I survived a two-week stint moonlighting and teaching in Autahi, enduring the humidity of the Kilbirnie Aquatic Centre, and cutting a few minor (and harmless!) corners in my day job. Time has truly been an interesting concept lately.

The major focus for our staff this term has been reporting. I won't go on about how much work goes on behind the scenes – I think you’ve heard enough about that already! However, at a variety of meetings recently, I have been very proud of our staff. We are not using AI to write our reports. Our teachers continue to provide individualised reports that reflect our school's unique flavour, alongside your child's voice and strengths. Call me "long in the tooth," but I believe it would be a sad day if we stopped taking the time to capture the uniqueness of the whole child in writing twice a year.

I can recall a time when I wrote by hand, flowery and ever-so-poetic "essays" for each of my 35 students – believe me, a bottle of Twink was my BFF! It was intense. Reflecting on that era, maybe we managed to find the time "back then" simply because we had fewer choices and less noise around us. No emails, no texts... no doomscrolling... just pen, paper, and a trusty landline. It was rather quiet. Then again, maybe expectations just weren't as high either.

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback about the reporting process – we didn’t really know what you would think, so we are thrilled that you "get it" and are so very much with us on it.

As we find ourselves at the end of the term and as we celebrate Matariki/Puanga, it is the perfect opportunity to reflect on what has passed and what we hope for in the second half of the school year.

Lots of water under the bridge, more to come, and let’s hope for a safe crossing for our little billy goats without a troll in sight!

Kia pai ngā hararei – Happy Holidays