Kōrero

Our focus this week has been on Service and the importance of this, in allowing us as individuals to experience a sense of satisfaction. At Craighead, Service/Whakarato is one of our key values, we have defined this as “understanding our place and responsibility in society”, therefore we need to consider what it is that we individually and collectively can offer the Craighead community, our wider community and society as a whole. As Peter said in the New Testament 4:10 As each has received a gift, use it to serveanother. Our Year 13 students have identified four concepts they wish to explore and put into action this year, and this term that concept is ‘lift’. Camryn described this to us in last week's assembly as ways in which we can lift others up by acts of service. Each of us has a responsibility to those around us to ensure that they are supported and when we apply this to service, the more of us who are involved in this means each of us are able to achieve more individually. So, my question to the students this week was how can you serve your community, what contribution do you want to make to your community and society and what legacy do you want to leave?

Service was also unpacked in Chapel this week with Rev Steph focussing on Kate Sheppard and the incredible act of service she undertook for women in New Zealand in the late nineteenth century. Sheppard worked tirelessly, alongside the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, to gain women the vote, her argument being that women were tired of being told what their role was and that anything outside that role was unwomanly. Sheppard’s life was devoted to making life better for women and children in particular, her strong sense of duty and service was for those in need. Ultimately, she believed that women needed a voice in politics in order to achieve change for themselves in society and it was her service for the community that enabled this change.

The importance of service to our school community can be seen in the inclusion of this in our Year 11 Diploma and the volunteering of time for events such as Open Day and Inauguration Day. Many of our students give their time willingly to umpire and referee sport and to help with social causes. Our Old Girls continue in this tradition, for example Estelle Arundell who graduated as a Doctor last weekend from the University of Otago, spent six month volunteering in Malawi as a teacher, and Geva Innes (Maze) who was awarded a QSM in 2023, for volunteer services to FENZ as a First Responder for 25 years.

The Geary Shield was presented to Zoe Parker, the Captain of the First XV, in Assembly this week. The game that is played for this Shield will become an annual fixture between Craighead and Columba College, and we are hoping in time it will become one of our many traditions. It was fitting that the Shield be named after Mr Mick Geary who has given an inordinate amount of voluntary time to Craighead – he has coached teams in the school, helped with working bees, come in and helped on Open Days to name just a few of the activities he has contribute his time to. It was also fitting that Craighead won the inaugural game of this new competition 35-29, well done girls, and a huge thank you to Mr Geary! We also presented the South Island Secondary Schools’ Athletics Championships awards to a number of our students this week. There were some outstanding results in this and we congratulate all our students who received their certificates today in Assembly.

This week we have also been busy preparing for Open Day which is on Sunday May 19. This is one of our more important school functions as we open up the school to the wider community. I am very grateful for the support of teaching staff and support staff for the work that goes into this day from the organisation, planning and publicity to the displays and activities which have been prepared. We are also grateful for those senior students who are giving us some of their time to guide our visitors on Sunday – our students are our best ambassadors, so their help is invaluable. We are looking forward to welcoming people to visit our beautiful campus.

We were so pleased that the weather stayed pleasant today to allow our students to take part in the School Fun Run. We had to postpone this at the end of the last term due to the weather, so it was lovely to see the girls out taking part in this event.

It was also a day when there was a bit more colour around the school with the annual Pink Shirt day being held. It was wonderful to see both students and staff get in behind this and wear pink, showing their support for raising awareness of bullying and supporting the Mental Health Foundation.

If you are at a bit of a loose end this evening come along to RockQuest and support our very own Craighead band, Ace, who are playing. The event is being held in the Turley Auditorium and starts at 6pm

I hope you have a fabulous weekend

Ngā Manaakitanga

Lara Hearn-Rollo

Principal