From the Newsletter

22 February 2012

Dear Parents and Caregivers

At Craighead we have great belief in people’s capabilities, latent or emerging.  Education research confirms the importance of having belief in students.  With belief comes encouragement, patience and the desire to give the students that rich diet of new skills and discoveries that makes learning so rewarding.  Academically, we help to make a difference. Years 7 to 10 are vital foundation years preparing girls for senior study and beyond. We tell the girls not to compare themselves with others, but to aim constantly to improve their personal best.  All credit must go to our staff for their professionalism and the care they take of every girl. 

Scholar’s Colours are awarded to girls who gain NCEA Certificate Endorsed with Excellence. Congratulations to those girls who were awarded Scholars Colours in our first assembly for the year.

At Craighead we value our students’ diverse cultural backgrounds and acknowledge New Zealand’s cultural heritage, in particular our unique Maori culture.  We look forward to The Waiata Group flourishing this year and in March we have Simone Tanoa, the Kaihautu Matauranga Maori ki Arowhenua, coming to meet with our students on the Maori Roll, to provide inspiration as she shares her journey in education.

You may have received forms inviting your daughter to be registered on our school Maori Roll. If you choose to do so, this involvement can create opportunities for your daughters now and in the future. The contact person at school is Mrs Kathryn McRobie.

We have just had an interesting Boarding Forum, the purpose of which is to provide an opportunity for Boarding parents to have a voice and express their views and for management to listen. I wish to thank the parents who participated.

There was a good turnout for the Year 9 Parents’ Buffet where Head of PE/Sport, Mr Allan Faith, was able to brief parents about the Year 9 camp.  It was encouraging to see so many new parents taking the opportunity to mingle and get to know each other.

When St Mary’s Church was closed at short notice for earthquake strengthening, we were very pleased to offer them the use of our Chapel.  

Parents’ and Friends’ have been very generous to Craighead.  At their first meeting of 2012, they voted to use funds raised last year to provide a new sound system in the Auditorium, a gazebo to shade and shelter students, parents, visitors or sports teams, and funding towards new hymn books.  I wish to thank Jo Simpson, Rosemary Chandler and Cushla Murdoch for the superb support they have given Parents’ and Friends’.

Francesca Black

Principal