At Rutherford Ko te korero te kai a te rangatira. We understand that words are the food of chiefs or leaders. People who display respect, whakaute and take personal responsibility manaakitanga choose their words and their actions carefully and by default choose to be positive. This creates energy, at Rutherford we value energy creators, we don’t value energy vampires.

What does an energy creator or someone who displays respect sound like? At Rutherford we say please, thank you, excuse me and sorry. Common courtesy is a key ingredient in the development of a strong character and helps establish and retain respect with people. Manners cost nothing but add value.

Choose your friends wisely and most of you can clearly distinguish the difference between right and wrong. The difficulty can sometimes be when peer pressure is exerted that you still make the right choice and are not weakened by pressures exerted by those who are really only going to bring you down.

Being a teenager and trying to build a successful foundation takes a lot of energy. Channel that energy into positive directions by looking to maximise your potential. Dividing that energy by getting connected with disruptive behaviour is wasteful. Those who look to be disruptive or negatively affect the learning opportunities of others at Rutherford are considered to be thieves. They are thieves, thieves of learning time and that behaviour is not valued at Rutherford.

It is important though that everyone knows the rules so they cannot offer the excuse of “I didn’t know”. In reality, the truth of this excuse is “I didn’t listen” and nearly all excuses are wasted energy. Forgetfulness is a symptom of not understanding something’s importance. We will remind you when necessary and this may be the solution to selective memory of what is deemed to be important.

Please remember that if you do make a mistake, the word sorry is a doing word and requires action, saying sorry in the first instance is but a first step, a promise not to repeat the action. Mistakes occur, learn from them, making the same mistakes creates bad habits.

Make good choices. Make good friends, be a good friend, be a good son or daughter, do the dishes, help out at home without being asked and do it because that’s what you should do.

At Rutherford as part of the integrity value we strive to be honest in our dealings with other people but more importantly honest with yourself. You want to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and like and respect the reflection you see staring back. Integrity is ‘would I do, what I am just about to do, if someone I respect was watching?’

Happiness and therefore success in life can be as simple as this, work hard, be kind, good things happen.