Principal's Message.

Kia Ora Koutou

This is not my message at all. It is actually someone else’s , then read by someone else, and now being shared with you by me because it just made sense.

All of this is about being you, and being brave.

Jane Savoie, an internationally accomplished sportswoman and writer told this story that ‘if you put fleas in a jar and screw a lid on it, the fleas will initially hit their tiny flea heads against the lid while attempting to jump out. Some sixth sense then tells them exactly how high the lid is, so that they keep jumping—but not quite high enough to hit the lid.

Now, when you take the lid off the jar, the fleas will keep jumping—and although they could easily do it, they will not jump high enough to jump out. They have it in their tiny flea brains that the height of their jar is their limit. So, I ask you are we not like those fleas? Don’t we all have limits that are only real because we believe them to be real, not because they are real in fact?

Jane commented that ‘You can build yourself a much bigger flea jar. At some point, it will be so high that you will not be able to jump out of it—you are, after all, only mortal—but it might be very high, much higher than it is today.

Now the story about jumping higher and also being brave continues here. I figured that as this has been in the public forum of the Breakfast Show that I can repeat it here (Thanks Paula):

“There was a small snapshot in the middle of the storm yesterday as to what has gone so badly wrong with this country.

A couple of blokes are out paddling in the capital's harbour, next thing you know you have cops, cars, ambulances, helicopters, and calls for bills to be paid.

That entire bit was engineered by feeble handwringers on land who have, for whatever reason, decided that these two blokes should not be doing what they are doing.

The blokes concerned are having the time of their life, they are living their life. They are living their best life. They are the sort of people we need more of. The sort of people who get up early, get into their day, challenge themselves, set themselves goals, stay fit, value their health and most likely went on to work and had a good day at the office.

They are go-getters.

We were once a nation of go-getters. We are the nation that produced a man who went to climb the tallest mountain in the world before anyone one else did. We are the country of adventurers, of explorers, of risk-takers, and boundary breakers. We were the country that took the number eight wire and did so much stuff with it; it became part of the way we speak.

That was until we decided to become wet blankets.

There is a very, very big difference between people who go out and do dumb stuff in nature ill prepared, who get lost through inexperience, who have no appropriate clothing, who have not been there or done that before, and then need our help, and the elite players who revel in extremes.

Revelling in extremes is actually a good thing because it involves understanding risk and testing yourself. Unless you push yourself, you never really know what you are capable of.

If all you are capable of is phoning emergency services from the comfort of your lounge because you have decided all of this is foolish nonsense, then you need to have a good look at yourself.

They did not need help, they did not want help, they did not ask for help, they did not send up a beacon, and they had a good paddle. God bless them for it and may they face many more storms, stormy days and may their attitude to life be enhanced because of it.

Thank God they are still about the place to remind us not everyone fears life.”

Have a fun (and safe) weekend. Why? Because I want you to have fun, and to see you back safe and well next week.

Ngā Mihi

Kiri

Around School This Week

Reader's Cup

On Wednesday we travelled to the Reader's Cup competition in Fielding, where they competed against ten other teams from schools in the region. The team (named Bananas ‘bout Books) were: Evie Leach, Peta McKay, Maddie Stephenson and Charlotte Kirk (and Milo, the team mascot). The girls had to read several books in advance of the competition and then answer questions about them on the night. They did themselves proud by coming third and were only a few points behind the winning team. They also won a prize for the best team chant and were able to choose books to take home. Well done girls!

Lucy Clearwater

Trinity Schools Special Character Hui

On Thursday afternoon a group of St Matthew’s Collegiate students attended the Trinity Schools Special Character hui on the Rathkeale site. The Hui was to enable members of the Trinity School’s Trust Board Special Character Committee to gain an insight into what parts of the Anglican Special Character provisions at our schools students find helpful and uplifting. The hui used a triangle method of enquiry to explore how Chapel, RE and service support the spiritual life and understanding of our students.