Welcome to the Kaiapoi High School newsletter.
Tēnā koutou e te whānau, e ngā tauira, e ngā kaiako, me te hapori whānui o tō tātou kura. Greetings to our families, our students, our teachers, and the wider community of our school.
If you made it through my last principal’s message—an epic in length—I appreciate your patience! This time, I promise to keep things more concise.
This week, we have started our year group assemblies, each with a tailored message relevant to the stage our students are at in their journey:
- Year 9 – Get involved early! Engaging in activities now helps build knowledge, friendships, confidence, and school spirit. They’ve already heard this message before this year, but it’s an important one.
- Year 10 – Make the most of this foundational year and some early assessments. Set up some good habits, knowledge, and skills before the intensity of NCEA qualifications in Year 11.
- Year 11 – Every assessment counts; every credit matters. Take advantage of every opportunity now to set yourself up for success. Don’t treat anything as optional.
- Years 12 & 13 – Leadership matters. As our senior students, you set the tone for the school—lead by example. They’re already doing a fantastic job of this and were encouraged to keep up the good work.
Across all assemblies, however, there is one consistent message we are sharing with our whānau whānui (wider community) because we need collective support to reinforce its importance:
Attendance = Success
Attendance of at least 85% is the absolute minimum that students should be aiming for. While 85% might sound like a solid grade in an exam, in terms of attendance, it paints a worrying picture—over five years of high school, it equates to missing 30 weeks of learning, or three whole terms.
The impact of poor attendance is significant: it affects academic achievement, mental health, stress levels, friendships, and engagement in school life. This week we discussed with our Years 12 and 13 students that attendance below this threshold can also result in the loss of privileges, including major events like the School Formal (Ball) and Tournament Week.
Some may argue that we shouldn’t impose consequences for students struggling with attendance. However, let’s put it in real-world terms: would an employer hire someone who consistently fails to show up 1½ days every fortnight? Habits formed now will carry into adulthood, and we want to set our students up for success in all areas beyond school.
Of course, we understand that genuine illness or bereavement can impact attendance. We aren’t unreasonable – when considering whether a student is eligible for key events, we take exceptional circumstances into account.
If this expectation is causing concern or anxiety, please reach out to us. We are happy to work alongside students and whānau to find ways to ease worries and support engagement. That being said, it’s important to remember that the best things in life require effort, and while this is a topic for a future message, a certain level of stress is actually essential for positive mental health and resilience.
I’ll leave you with a whakataukī to reflect on:
“Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tūohu koe, me he maunga teitei.”
“Pursue excellence, and if you stumble, let it be due to a lofty mountain.”
Ngā mihi,
Jason Reid
