Congratulations to Dame Cindy Kiro on her announcement as the 22^nd Governor-General of New Zealand. Cindy was educated at Rutherford College. She has been a wonderful advocate to improve life outcomes for children and young people. One of her former roles was as New Zealand’s child commissioner. She returned to her alma mater in 2004 to speak at the 42nd Annual Rutherford Day. We wish her every success in her role as Governor-General and look forward to inviting her back to Rutherford in the not too distant future and honouring her achievement.

As I reflected on how this great New Zealander was able to achieve what she has, I think that some of the following may have underpinned her journey. A recognition that despite the myriad of changes that take place in and across the world the important things stay the same. The guiding principles, values, and things that really make a substantive difference in people’s lives have not and will not change.  These include the pursuit of excellence, honesty, manners, integrity, respect, responsibility, the importance of family. These things are a constant. These will have blossomed into a positive can-do, resilient attitude that does not buckle at the first hurdle or failure, these are qualities that make a difference.

What makes people, companies, schools move from good to great?  It’s the x-factor. We can talk about the x-factor as some utopian difficult-to-achieve goal. it is often difficult to put a finger on the reason that an individual or team will find success. It’s a collision of circumstances, and many would say it is based on luck or good fortune. I believe it is not that. The x-factor is about people, and the qualities they have, it’s never luck, it is people who live by a personal adage of ‘good, better, best, never rest until your good is better and your better is best’. They strive for personal excellence on a daily basis. They recognise that the first step from here is the next step.  They start from where their feet are now.

Cindy Kiro will have worked hard and been kind all her life, seeking to place her foot on the next rung of the ladder to make the world a better place. She will have learned from the vast range of experiences and opportunities that she took on. A truly great New Zealander that started her journey right here as part of the Kotuku flock.

Assessment Calendar: Term 2, Week 5
Monday 31 May
12 EL2 US27999 – all week
12 Geography AS 91241 – all week
12 Physics AS 91168 – all week
12 Travel UA24730
13 Calculus AS 91575

Tuesday 1 June
11 Physical Science AS 90935
12 EL2 US27999 – all week
12 Geography AS 91241 – all week
12 Physics AS 91168 – all week
13 Calculus AS 91575 

Wednesday 2 June
12 EL2 US27999 – all week
12 Geography AS 91241 – all week
12 Physics AS 91168 – all week
11 Computer Programing AS 91883
12 Computer Programing AS 91893
13 Computing Programing AS 91903

Thursday 3 June
12 EL2 US27999 – all week
12 Geography AS 91241 – all week
12 Physics AS 91168 – all week
13 Media Studies AS 91497

Friday 4 June
12 EL2 US27999 – all week
12 Geography AS 91241 – all week
12 Physics AS 91168 – all week
11 History AS 91001, 91002
11 Maths Combined US 26626
11 Science Applied AS 90925
12 History AS 91230
12 Maths Combined AS 91032
12 Science AS 91189
13 EAP US 22751
13 Early Childhood US 10019
13 History AS 91434