On Tuesday, our Year 12 students recently took part in the Ryda Drive Safely workshops, a valuable programme designed to help young people become safer and more responsible road users. Ryda is a one-day road safety education experience that gives students practical tools and strategies to manage risk, make good decisions, and understand the responsibilities that come with being both drivers and passengers. The workshops were highly engaging and provided our students with important lessons that will stay with them well beyond the school gates.

Next week, most of our Year 10 students and several senior students will sit the NCEA co-requisite assessments in literacy and numeracy. These online assessments are an important step in their learning journey and give students the chance to show the reading, writing, and mathematics skills that will support them throughout school and beyond. Achieving the co-requisites is an important foundation for future NCEA success. Once students have met this literacy and numeracy requirement, they can focus more fully on working towards credits and success in their senior subjects. Building confidence in these essential skills is crucial in setting students up for a strong start to NCEA and supports achievement across all areas of learning in the years ahead.

Today Taieri College is celebrating Pink Shirt Day. Pink Shirt Day began in Canada in 2007 after two students stood up for a younger student who had been bullied for wearing a pink shirt. In response, they encouraged classmates to wear pink as a show of solidarity and support. What started as one simple act of kindness quickly grew into an international movement against bullying. In Aotearoa New Zealand, Pink Shirt Day has been celebrated since 2009, encouraging schools and communities to speak up, stand together and stop bullying.

Last weekend, our prefects and Year 13 students took part in the ‘Relay for Life’ at Forsyth Barr Stadium. ‘Relay for Life’ is a 12-hour community fundraising event where teams continuously walk or run around the track. It was so encouraging to see our young people focused on helping others and committed to making a positive difference in our community. Our students raised approximately $3,500 for this very worthy cause. Funds raised will go towards cancer research, counselling, and transport or accommodation for patients in Otago. Well done to all who got involved.

On Tuesday this week our kapa haka rōpū represented Taieri College with distinction at the opening of the upgraded Dunedin Airport terminal at Momona. Performing on such a significant occasion was both an honour and a privilege, and our students rose to the moment with a polished performance that was well received by those present. Well done to the students and staff involved.

Welcome back to Term 2!

 This week, in conjunction with New Zealand Police and the Sophie Elliott Trust, our Year 12 students took part in the “Loves-Me-Not” programme. This whole day programme supports students to build respectful, healthy relationships by understanding consent, recognising early warning signs of relationship abuse, and learning how to be an effective bystander and how to seek help when something isn’t right

I had the pleasure of joining this week’s Year 12 Geography field trip to Mount Cook, and my thanks to the staff and students for making it such a success. It would be difficult to find a more picturesque classroom setting than the Mount Cook National Park, especially given the fine weather we encountered during our visit.

This week at Taieri College, students have been out and about making the most of a huge range of opportunities - on the water, in the outdoors, on the sports field, and behind the scenes in the creative industries. From building confidence in new environments to representing the school with pride, it has been fantastic to see students challenging themselves, supporting one another, and giving things a go.

Academic Blues are awarded to students who have achieved exceptional academic outcomes across the year. This week, we had the pleasure of awarding Academic Blues to those students who excelled in NCEA in 2025. Our blues recipients have shown persistence and self-management, which are important traits that will make a real difference when life continues to get busy and challenging. Strong results can also help open doors to future options like scholarships and university courses. Congratulations to the large number of students who deservedly earned their 2025 Academic Blues.

At this week’s Year 9 and 10 assembly we talked about the prevalence of online gaming in the students’ lives. Regulating gaming time is a real challenge parents constantly face. Online gaming is a normal part of many young people’s social lives, and for lots of students it’s a fun way to relax, problem-solve, and connect with friends. The challenge comes when gaming time grows so large that sleep, learning, sport, family time, helping at home, and overall wellbeing begin to slide. I’d like to outline some common pitfalls, and practical strategies parents and caregivers can put in place to regulate game time.

This week, we presented our 2026 Year 9 Scholarships. These scholarships recognise students who have demonstrated strong achievement and show potential in academic excellence, the arts or sport.

Undoubtedly, the highlight of the past week was our Athletics Sports Day at Memorial Park. The weather was perfect, and it was pleasing to see the large numbers of students who made the most of the day and took part in their chosen events. My thanks go to our Sports Department, ably led by Shane Carvell, who did a wonderful job organising the event, and my congratulations to those athletes who won their events. I would also like to acknowledge everyone who did their best when it came to running, jumping, and throwing, even if they did not win. Everyone’s willingness to give things a go made the event a very special day in the school calendar.

Thanks to those who are contacting the school about the new attendance criteria and our required response plan. We appreciate that there have been significant changes in response to non-attendance, including an automated response email from our KAMAR student management system once a student has missed five full days of school in a term. Whilst we are hopeful to improve the attendance rates of some students, we don’t want parents and whānau to feel that they have to send sick children to school. This may also apply to students who may have had an operation, a longer-term injury or illness. If students are feeling well, they should be at school; if they are unwell, they are best to recover at home. Please keep contacting the college if you have further queries.

It’s been great to see how well students have settled into their routines so early in the year. Most timetables are now locked in, and students are getting to know their teachers, course descriptions and classmates. Now is the time to engage in learning, to be organised, and to manage time wisely.

Nau mai, haere mai and welcome to the 2026 school year.

We are delighted to welcome both new and returning students and their whānau into the Taieri College community. It is a pleasure to have you with us, and we look forward to partnering with you as your young people continue their learning journey. Your support and connection are deeply valued by the college, and we are excited for all that the year ahead holds.

Welcome to the last newsletter of 2025!

A massive thank you to our Ako Centre staff and students for designing and constructing a Christmas-themed Alice in Wonderland fun zone! The costumes, food, and props were magnificent, and it was a great privilege to share in their celebration.

We certainly got a taste of summer this week with the thermometer tipping 30 degrees for a couple of days!

NCEA examinations finished this week, and now the wait starts for our seniors while they are being marked. I sincerely hope students obtain the results they intended.

A huge congratulations to our Year 9 and 10 students for the excellent attitude displayed during the recent end-of-year English and Mathematics exams. Staff have commented on the focus, determination, and positive approach shown by the vast majority of our students throughout the assessment period. I wish all students the very best for their results. The results of these exams help us form judgments in making sure students are in the right subjects in 2026.

NCEA exams continue to run smoothly, and we are well through the timetable. Students are showing up well prepared, and it is important they keep maintaining good study habits right up until their last exam.

Our senior students are now well underway with their NCEA external examinations. We are pleased to report that everything is progressing smoothly, with students showing up on time and ready to go! Thorough preparation and a balanced routine are key to success. Make sure to review your notes, get plenty of rest, and reach out to your teachers if you need any support.