Note from the Principal

A note from the Principal Tēnā tātou katoa. Koutou kua ikapahi mai, tēnā koutou. Nau mai ki tēnei hui.

Principal Dr Sandra Hastie, shares her AGM report with us. For the full report including all the school’s success, please follow the below link or find a copy on the Rangi website Alumnae Page.

FULL REPORT

The Senior Leaders came up with the theme “Flourish” and this proved to resonate strongly with our girls. They encouraged each of them to try something new - “plant a seed” - and then commit to it and see it through to completion - the idea being that, like a plant coping with the setbacks but still being able to reflect back and acknowledge the growth, they too will be able to look back, acknowledge their growth and celebrate.

Enrolments: • 2019 January first day Roll: 657 with 138 Boarders • End of year Roll: 662 with 135 Boarders

2019 New Staff: Melissa Brooks – Assistant Director of Sport Richard Collins – Fixed term 1-year English (relief for Mark Cotham) Lucile Fontaine-Berger – Fixed Term 1-year French Brinley McIntosh – School Psychologist (PT – job share) Isabel Milward – PT Library Manager Melanie Patterson – School Psychologist (PT – job share) Julia Newman – PE/Health

Returning: Maaka Kahukuranui – Kapa Haka

Appointments during 2019: Carl Hogan – Head of IT Olivia Ling – Rowing Manager Reverend Charissa Nicol – PT Maths Allan Pahl – Building and Site Manager Academically: NCEA Results 2019: We were very proud of our girls’ outstanding 2019 NCEA results, some of our strongest ever results. • NCEA (Level 1): 100% (93.7% Merit or Excellence) • NCEA (Level 2): 99.1% (85.2% Merit or Excellence) • NCEA (Level 3): 100% (80.7% Merit or Excellence) • University Entrance: 100% (National school average in 2019 - 46.8%)

Scholarship Results 2019 • Scholarship acknowledges high level critical and analytical thinking and we were delighted with our results. • These are awarded at two levels, the subject with Scholarship and with Outstanding Performance. • Outstanding Performance is for the very top performers (around 3% of the Level 3 cohort in that subject).

• Overall results: 21 Scholarships including five at Outstanding Performance. • Rosetta Brown was named ‘Top Subject Scholar’ in Printmaking and Sarah Lawrence was ‘Top Subject Scholar’ in Music. • Topping New Zealand in these subjects is a tremendous tribute to the commitment and dedication of the girls and their teachers. • Sarah, with Outstanding Performance Scholarships in Music and English, and Scholarships in Drama and Geography, has seen her named as a 2019 ‘Outstanding Scholar’ (one of 58 in New Zealand). • Rosetta was awarded an overall ‘Scholarship Award’. • These awards carry a value of $2000 for three years and Sarah’s ‘Outstanding Scholar’ awards her $5000 for three years.

The highlights of 2019 include: • Thirty-two students volunteered on 3rd March to help at Children’s Day which was held in the Red Zone, New Brighton. This continues to be a popular event with our students who really enjoy helping families to have a fun day. We continue to send the largest contingent of volunteers of all schools in Christchurch that help out on Children’s Day. • As in previous years, a large number of Years 12 and 13 students also helped out at the YMCA holiday camps during term breaks. • Many of our students took part in a variety of fundraising events organised by Ronald McDonald House and contributed in other ways such as taking home baking on a weekly basis to the House. • Staff cooked on eight Sunday afternoons from February to November at the Night Shelter for homeless men at the City Mission. Tania Morgan, Head of Community and Global Connections, continues to be very grateful for the tremendous support from our staff. • Twelve senior students volunteered at the Nurse Maude Hospital in Merivale. We have established a very good relationship with Linda Mace, the Volunteer Coordinator, who is very pleased to have our girls help on the wards and in the Second-Hand Shops. • After the February Mosque attack, one of our chefs, Philippa McIntyre, was part of a collective of local chefs who helped the local Christchurch Muslim community to provide a children’s festival to celebrate Eid, to mark the end of Ramadan. The event was hosted at the Air Force Museum on the 9th of June. 22 of our students helped Philippa with preparing and running this event. • 30 Years 12 and Year 13 students helped out at a biannual fundraiser for Cholmondeley Home – this was the ‘Sculpture on the Peninsula’ event which is held every two years in November at Loudon Farm, Teddington, Banks Peninsula. Our students were great ambassadors for the school during this weekend. • We have continued to provide collectors for annual appeals: Child Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Women’s Refuge and the Dementia Appeal. These collections are very popular with our girls. • A Year 12 student, Sophie Pye, coordinated a large contingent of Rangi students to help with the very successful Avon River ‘Mother of all Cleanups’ on May 11. • In recognition of Rangi’s excellent 40 Hour Famine campaign last year, we were awarded the ‘World Vision Whanaungatanga Award’ celebrating new partnerships in the World Vision Whānau. In addition, two students, Emily Irvine and Holly O'Loughlin, were awarded the ‘Greatest Individual Impact’ awards for outstanding fundraising efforts. We were also awarded a Senior Leadership Scholarship for 2020, which we presented to Phoebe Sugrue. Phoebe organised a “Service Conference’ earlier in the year for a large number of Canterbury High School students. • The Years 12 and 13 students were encouraged to seek their own opportunities for doing Community Service and we were very pleased to see the breadth of activities (both in and out of school) that they were involved in. Many students got

involved in the Sustainability Council’s tree-planting events. • In 2019, 17 Year 12 girls completed over 100 hours of Community Service. During the year, a total of 2,827 hours of voluntary work were completed by Year 13 girls and Year 12 completed 4,525 hours. This is a total of 7,352 hours. We are delighted that our girls were involved in so many Community Service opportunities and gave their time so willingly to the service of others. • Fundraising: A total of $18,703.20 was raised during 2019.

Farewells: During 2019 we had the following resignations: • Tim Jones – Head of IT • Lisa Johnson – Mathematics Teacher • Richard Houghton – Building and Site Manager • Dan Dennehy – Gardener • Connor Matthews – Te Reo Maori • Ella Vink – Rowing Manager • Emma Taurua – Director of Community Relationships • Reverend Kirstie McDonald – Chaplain • Carrie Hartel – Science Teacher • Allan Hawes – Learning Resource Developer

Thanks: I offer my thanks to the organising committee of Steph Withells, Ali McQueen, Mandy Brazier, Helen Joblin and Victoria Tait for the Annual Combined Old Girls’ Golf Tournament. Unfortunately, I was unable to play but it was lovely to have the opportunity to join you all for afternoon tea and present prizes. Thanks also to Gill Dallison and Diana Carey for their superb organisation of the annual Bridge Day which was also enjoyed by a large number with close competition between the groups of ladies. These are important events for us and the time and energy that goes into the organisation is greatly appreciated. The Reunion Weekend again proved highly popular with numbers at capacity for the events. It was lovely to join the 70 Years On luncheon and then the rest of the Reunion groups prior to their lunch, and to have the opportunity to speak about the school. Seeing the buzz of excitement, from the reconnecting of friendships and also the reminiscing of memories, warms my heart and reminds me of just how special Rangi Ruru is to so many. Again, I offer my thanks to Victoria Tait, the Committee members and the Rangi Ruru Staff team who made this event run smoothly and successfully.

Once again, we enjoyed a fabulous Year 13 Leavers’ Ball. For the second year in a row the Old Girls decided to look at hiring a silk-lined marquee and having the event on site at Rangi Ruru. Holding the presentation in the Church allowed for all families to attend this part of the evening without cost and be part of this special occasion. The Church was full, and every girl was given the opportunity to walk the aisle and to be welcomed into the Old Girls’ Association. Once this was over the families moved outside Te Koraha for drinks on the lawn and then into the marquee for a lovely catered sit-down dinner. It was indeed a special evening for all and a night that I am sure will be remembered in the lives of our girls for

many years to come. I offer my thanks to the committee, involving the girls in the decision-making process and working hard to keep costs down for families while still ensuring that it was a quality event was indeed a challenge, but you should feel so proud of your efforts and results.

Through the generosity of RROGA we have been able to purchase the Rameau Grand Piano and also employ Johnann Williams as our Archivist. This ensures that the history of our school is preserved, celebrated and stored and we are so grateful that you support her in this way.

I acknowledge the work of Mrs Felicity Williams as President. Felicity has spent many hours at Rangi Ruru and is certainly regarded as a valued part of our staff team. I thank her for her tireless commitment to her role and for her willingness to give up her time to ensure that events were run smoothly and that RROGA continued to support the work of the School. Felicity goes over and above in her role and has been instrumental in bringing change and new direction to the Alumnae. I also acknowledge the work of Victoria Tait as your administrator. Victoria is also an important part of this organisation; her warm, welcoming and friendly manner ensure that our groups, especially our Gibson Girls' continue to feel connected, remembered and cared for which is greatly appreciated. We enjoy having Victoria as part of our staff team; her love for Rangi is evident in all that she does. My thanks also to the RROGA committee who are all volunteers. You put in hours and hours of work to ensure the connections we have are maintained and events can happen. Your willingness to give back to your school is to be admired and says a lot about how special Rangi was and still is in your lives.

RROGA maintains a large outreach with alumnae, which gives a huge depth of community worldwide, honouring the history and vision of the Gibson sisters. This is maintained by how RROGA and the school work together sharing the responsibility of communicating and engaging with this important group. It is indeed a partnership that we treasure. As I conclude my fourth year at Rangi Ruru I can report that the school is in good heart. I thank RROGA for their ongoing commitment and interest in our School and their families and wish you all the best as a committee going forward.

“Whaia to te Rangi” Seek the Heavenly things

Dr Sandra K Hastie Principal 10 June 2020

The school is in good heart. We have strong enrolments, a full boarding house and wonderful girls and families.