Upper Clutha school students are now on their summer holidays.

Wanaka’s only high school, Mount Aspiring College (MAC), finished for the year last week, on December 8.

Acting principal Dean Sheppard signed off in the college’s last newsletter, as new principal Nicola Jacobsen will start in term one, 2021.

MAC hosted all the 2021 Year 7s in an orientation session (‘a taster of MAC’) in early December - a new initiative this year which Dean said was a great success. 

MAC students finished school for the year last week. PHOTO: Wanaka App

Dean acknowledged the efforts of all the MAC students and staff this year, describing 2020 as “a rather tumultuous year”. 

He said everyone had taken it in their stride, helped and supported each other throughout and can now “look forward to a well deserved holiday with friends and whanau”. 

Wanaka Primary School had its last day for the year on Tuesday (December 15), but staff were still at work yesterday.

“We have had a very strong year academically as well as with wellbeing of both students and staff despite COVID, and have a calm happy feel around the school all through COVID and after,” principal Wendy Bamford said.

Upper Clutha primary school principals Jodie Howard (Take Kārara), Rachelle Haslegrave (Tarras), Jo MacKay (Holy Family), Wendy Bamford (Wanaka Primary), and Tania Pringle (Hāwea Flat). PHOTO: Ruth Heath

“Next year we have a number of property jobs happening - the building of Maker Spaces which will involve community consultation early in term one, solar installation, completion of Pod 8 hill PLAYSCAPE development, the recladding of pods, interior painting of admin block to name a few of the bigger ones.”

Wendy said the school is continuing its successful work with New Pedagogies for Deep Learning and Positive Behaviour for Learning. 

“We have trialled an online Mandarin language programme this year and as this was so successful in 2021 we will be introducing all of our Year 5 and 6 students to a new language - either Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin, French, German, or Te Reo. We are excited about this,” she said.

“We also hope to have our music festival and pantomime productions in 2021 as COVID meant we missed out this year. As of course it will be great to get back to our cluster and regional sporting events.”

Holy Family Catholic School principal Jo McKay said 2020 has been “another wonderful year at Holy Family Catholic School with so much to celebrate considering the challenges of global pandemic”.

Students had their last day of school on Monday and there was a teacher only day on Tuesday.

“We have the Craigs Aspiring Art Prize and Exhibition happening in the school January 8-12 2021 and this is our major school fundraiser for the year,” Jo said.

Hāwea Flat School has had “a fantastic year”, principal Tania Pringle said.

“We continue to experience significant roll growth, which along with COVID, has presented us with plenty of challenges and changes,” she said.

“One of the highlights was the opening of the Sue Heath Administration building. A space that was very much needed. 

In these uncertain times it has been awesome to see our students continue to grow and develop. In 2021 we look forward to four new classrooms being built, welcoming even more new families to our community and supporting our students to ‘be the best they can be’.”

Take Kārara principal Jodie Howard was approached for comment.