Once again this week we have been reminded of the wonderful young people we have in our Oamaru community. Monday night saw the last competitions from Waitaki Week between our Trap Shooting, Netball and Hockey girls against WGHS teams. All games were well contested and although we ended up on the wrong end of some of the results, I was mightily impressed by the clean play and comradeship expressed between players and between sides. While competition can be fierce between schools and teams in North Otago, we are all part of the same local community and our marriages, friendships and families make us extremely interconnected.
This week I spoke in assembly about students being "Agentic" learners. This means students taking responsibility and control of their own learning so that they are able to make the most of their gifts, talents, interests and ideas. It also means the ability for students to make decisions which give them the greatest number of choices in their world post formal education. We also spoke about 'Capabilities", the ability to make meaning, undertake critical inquiry, look at alternative perspectives and take action. Good education means providing our students with the ability to experience and value all of these things.
While watching the Covid 19 death count creep up in countries where there is neither a sense of community or a respect for education, I am reminded daily about the importance of both of these things, not only to students themselves, but to all of us.
May God bless you.
May God bless you.
Ngā mihi Nui
Paul Olsen
