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Principal's Blog: Term 3 Week 2
Friday, 28 July 2023
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Kia ora whānau I write on the anniversary of Kate Sheppard's 1893 petition demanding women suffrage, signed by more than 25,000 women, being presented at New Zealand parliament. Here at Marsden, we stand on the foundation of other trailblazing wāhine toa, such as Mary Anne Swainson who founded our original school for girls in 1878, which was a radical act of feminism given the context of time and place. Our forebears fought for equal rights, education, and a voice at the table for women, and although times have changed, we embrace that legacy and continue to challenge norms and hold limitless aspirations. Increasingly, boys' schools internationally are welcoming girls. They are welcoming girls because they know that the achievement of boys will improve as a result of the girls' influence. At Marsden, in our all-girls environment, girls have the freedom to be themselves, to carve out their own inspiring destinies in a world of limitless possibilities, and we tailor our environment and academic offering specifically. I am thrilled to be bringing you the press release for NCEA+, which encapsulates our 2024 Level 1 offering and emphasises the stellar academic opportunities for Marsden wāhine, period. Our revised curriculum holds on to tradition with the preservation of rigorous core learning, balanced with an opportunity to strengthen 21st century skills that we know will serve our learners well as they transition into the world of future education and work. We look forward to working with our current Year 10 cohort in preparing for this exciting opportunity next year, and to sharing this innovation wider, in order that others can learn about Marsden's inspiring progressive curriculum. Please feel free to share widely and be reminded that those who refer new enrolments can become the beneficiaries of our referral scheme. All the best to participants who have entered the Swainson Music Competition, to be held in our Auditorium across Tuesday 1 August, which concludes with a prize winners' concert at 6pm. We look forward to sharing in entrants' individual gifts and talents and know that Mary Anne Swainson would be incredibly proud and astounded at just how far we've come. |