Kia ora tatou Thank you to everybody who contributed to our Senior Prize Giving on Friday evening.  My congratulations to Theo Christensen who was named Dux of the Taieri College for 2017 and Kymberlee Choie who was named Proxime Accessit.  Theo and Kymberlee have achieved outstanding levels of attainment throughout their time at Taieri College.  As Mrs Mortimer read through their impressive resume’s, it also became obvious that both students have not just achieved inside the classroom but contributed significantly in a variety of service and co-curricular activities.  We are very proud of them. Another highlight of the evening was a wonderful valediction speech by our Head Students, Tim and Kymberlee.  Their address was humorous, insightful and provided an amusing summary of their time at Taieri College.  It also involved a bit of marketing for some local takeaway shops! NCEA examinations are now underway.  This can be a very stressful time for students.  It also can be a very rewarding time for those who have worked and studied consistently during the year.  Parents and caregivers can greatly assist in examination preparation by providing an environment at home that is conducive to quality study.  This includes a room or space that is quiet, private and comfortable.  It also might mean negotiating the turning off of cell phones or tablets during revision time. Our Year 9 and 10 examinations have also begun.  Students have been advised of their importance.  These exams not only provide us with information on what has been learnt during the year, but also offer us achievement data that may affect the subject selection for classes in 2018. This is particularly relevant for Year 10 students heading into NCEA next year. Parents can be of assistance by making sure their children are putting in some quality revision time at home. Finally, thanks to 8BT, 8WO and 8GA students, teachers and parents for their company in their Queenstown camp this week.  Students were thoroughly enjoying themselves in typical spring conditions, with a combination of sun, wind and snow during the week. Noho ora mai Dave Hunter Principal