Central Hawke's Bay College eNewsletter No.24

Message from the Principal - 28 July 2020

Kia Ora

With the increased use of the internet and social media as a means of communication within the community we have also seen an increase in many social issues. Social media when used well, can be informative and keep people up to date with things that may impact individuals, families or the community in general. The College uses social media to keep students and parents informed and is an important part of how we communicate. However, the biggest concern for teenagers and social media is the negative aspects which impact on people. Research tells us the risks of social media include Cyberbullying, invasion of privacy and issues with offensive messages and images. Unfortunately, teenagers are often subjected to these risks when they are on social media, at times they are active participants. The facts suggest that if teenagers use social media this can impact negatively on their mental health with increased anxiety, stress and a reduction in the quality of their sleep. Schools are certainly seeing a rise in health problems associated with social media so it is an issue we all need to acknowledge and work to solve. It does also impact directly on their engagement and success at school. Parents/Caregivers need to ensure they are directly involved in what their children are up to on their social media accounts, if they do have one. It is important that students reduce their use of social media and that it is used in a positive fashion when they do engage in using it. Some easy and important things that people can do to avoid the negative aspects of social media are to use it less and to talk face to face more. Often the written communication via social media does not always reflect the meaning intended to those who see it, this then leads to misunderstandings and can create issues. The ability to talk face to face with someone tends to eliminate those misunderstandings and is a timeless way of getting your message across without confusion. Finally, we do have to remind our teenagers that everything they see on the internet may not be true or an accurate reflection on how people actually live.

Retirement

After 33 years of service to the college Mrs Jill Waru has decided to retire from her position Mrs Waru has been away from school due to illness which she is currently successfully recovering from. Unfortunately at present she is not well enough to continue in her role at the College. As a school we will be recognising her outstanding contribution to the College when she is well enough to join us. We wish her all the best in her recovery and look forward to acknowledging her service in the near future.

EXCELLENCE – RESPECT

“Ahakoa he iti he pounamu“ - Although it is small, it is greenstone

This is a humble way to deliver a small gift. Greenstone (jade) is an extremely useful commodity which is considered very precious, so although you may not be presenting greenstone, the word pounamu stands as a metaphor for something precious or a treasure from the heart.

Open Evening

The annual Open Evening is being held on Tuesday 11th August from 6.30pm. This event is open to the whole community to attend and see what the College has to offer. The evening begins in the Hall with some brief presentations followed by a tour of the school. Those present will get the opportunity to talk to staff and students about each Faculty and see what each area of the school provides for their students. We particularly invite any prospective parents and students to attend and see for yourselves what makes Central Hawke’s Bay College an award winning school.