Principal's Message

I find that, at this time of the year, I spend considerable time thinking about beginnings and endings. In a school sense, it is a time of farewelling treasured colleagues at the same time as we are welcoming new colleagues in for induction and meet and greets as they prepare to join us in the coming year. 

For principals and boards, it is a time of looking back on the challenges and achievements of the year and looking firmly towards what next year will look like in our educational space. It is certainly a time when it feels like we are straddling two years! Over the last few weeks, as a staff, we have been reviewing what is going well, what we know we need to do differently, and what we would like to move towards in 2020 and beyond. Our annual goals are getting drafted for 2020 and I am excited by some of the conversations we have been having. 2020 will be a year when we have a ‘reset’ and we will definitely be involving you, as our extended community, in the direction we will move in from 2021.

This is also the time of year when we look to say goodbye to the year that has been in our personal lives and look towards the fresh start that another new year often gives us. Similarly, in the Church, it often feels like the Feast of Christ the King this Sunday, marks a ‘closure’ of the liturgical year and the beginning of a whole new adventure through Advent and Christmas and the celebrations they bring. As the marketing of a commercial Christmas starts to overwhelm us, it is definitely time to remember the reason for the season!

Our Year 10s are away to camp next week, and I am sure for some of them they will be having similar feelings of ‘closure’ on their junior education. The transition between year 10 and senior NCEA subjects can be somewhat daunting for some while others are well ready for this leap. I know they will make the most of their camp and time spent together as they look towards moving into the senior school. Thank you to those staff who will be accompanying them, and we hope the weather is kind to you.

We dressed a willing group of models up in our new uniform last week and they looked really smart. There is a significant change in the look of some items but I know that you will be impressed once you see our students looking fresh and tidy in the new look. We will soon have some photos up on the website to give you the overall picture.

Congratulations to those students who took part in the Otago Secondary Schools’ Sports Junior Tournament this week. We have had some great wins – particularly on Monday when both our girls’ and boys’ handball teams won their tournaments in finals against Logan Park High School and John McGlashan College respectively. Well done on this great work!

Let us keep all those members of our extended Kavanagh College community who need our support and prayers in mind as we enjoy our time with family this weekend. And let’s hope the weather lets us enjoy some outside time!

Warmest regards,

Kate Nicholson