Kia ora tatou The renovations to our Indoor Training Centre (ITC) are almost complete and we are very pleased with how the building has been transformed.  The Board of Trustees have allocated a significant amount of capital funds to the upgrade.  This amount was gratefully boosted by a $50 000 grant from the Otago Community Trust.  The ITC now has a new floor, wall coverings, insulated ceiling, lighting, heating, and sound system.  In summary the building has now become lighter, warmer, and a far more comfortable place for our students, and our community to use. Establishing effective routines is really important as we navigate our way through Term Two.  While we actively encourage and support our students to explore a variety of co-curricular opportunities, we also advise them to make academic endeavour their top priority.  Students will be given plenty of notice as to when their assessments are due.  It is far better practice to complete assignments by doing smaller bits over a few nights, instead of trying to complete a whole assignment on the last night before it is due.  If you are consistently being told your child has no homework, please feel free to e-mail their teacher for a verification of this.  Only doing school work from 9am until 3pm will not suffice in completing the required learning associated with each assessment. On Monday our Year 13 students attended the Otago University and Polytechnic Open Day.  During the day they investigated further educational opportunities for 2018.  It is important in today’s tertiary environment that students are clear and definite about what they want to go on to study.  It can be a very expensive exercise to start studying something you are not totally committed to.  It is our hope that the day provided a motivational tool for our Year 13s to obtain the NCEA qualification relevant to what their plans are for next year. Next Tuesday the Students Council are holding their annual work day.  The significant funds raised from this go back to the Students Council who democratically decide the best way of spending.  My thanks to our community for continually supporting this initiative. Noho ora mai Dave Hunter Principal