by Sequoia Thomson, Year 13 Student, Kaipara College
Kia Ora everyone! I am the new year 13 student in charge of taking over this much beloved section of the local Helensville Community News!
Though I am not yet sure what or how exactly to write, as this is very new, I thought I would start off with a little recap of the holidays, and the school’s first few upcoming events.
I personally spent my holidays attempting to cram in as many fun activities as possible, while working a part-time job and attempting and struggling, to prepare for the coming year. In fact, as I imagine many of my fellow year 13’s are, I am finding it challenging to grasp the idea that this is my last year of college. I still feel like a little year nine, excited and scared to take on high school, yet now I am a year away from taking on real life - ugh, bills.
However, in the short term, the adjustment back to a school schedule and 7:00am wake up might be the toughest aspect of term one! But if our recent NCEA results haven’t snapped us back into reality (for better or for worse), I’m sure the chaotic school supplies shopping trip did the trick.
Speaking of the short term, the year nines will already have started an extra two days earlier than the rest of the school for their usual orientation activities. Supported by our new group of fabulous student leaders, including myself, we are in charge of ushering these fledglings safely into their transition from intermediate to high school. This can be a very daunting experience as I am sure many of you recall, and we hope that this will be a fun, light-hearted, and memorable experience for them all!
With this new year, many new changes are also on their way. Last year, we had the retirement of Principal Cindy Sullivan, who put in place both the Whanau classes and WAKA values, which are now integral to our Kaipara school system. This came as a shock to some and brought with it uncertainty about our school’s leadership and our futures as students coming into 2026.
But as many of you will know, our new principle has already been chosen through careful selection by our board. I am very excited to see what she will bring to the table, as her impressive list of achievements highlights the potential for a very positive impact on our school - so a huge warm welcome to Jane Coup.
In the last few words to you all, I wish you luck completing your New Year’s resolutions over the coming year, and to my fellow students, enjoy your last week of the holidays!
