Principal's Panui - 16 August 2024

Kia ora te whanau ō te Kōtuku

1. GIVE UP
2. GIVE IN
3. GIVE IT ALL YOU'VE GOT

Ever since I was a teenager I have loved and lived by inspirational quotes and motivational messages like the one above. I’ve come to realise recently that there's more than one way of looking at these messages.

I realised that the message that one person perceives from a quote, may be completely different to the message someone else receives.

You've got 3 choices in life: give up, give in, or give it all you've got. This message always seemed black & white. Previously, the first two choices.

- GIVE UP

- GIVE IN

to me, basically meant: FAILURE.

I had a fixed mindset towards the message, based on the belief that giving up or giving in were equivalent to failing. The only legitimate choice in my view was: give it all you've got! All 3 options are legitimate choices. Broadening our view of any of the messages we receive in life shifts us from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. sometimes giving up doesn't mean giving up on our goal or dream altogether, it could mean giving up on our current approach. 

It could mean, pivoting, or finding a different way around them. If the give it all you've got approach, is not getting you where you want to go, perhaps it's time to consider the legitimacy of all 3 options. Maybe giving up or giving in could help serve you  in a better and more productive way. Perhaps stepping back or stepping sideways could take you where you want to go faster, and help you enjoy the journey more fully, or enable you to utilise your strengths. 

GIVE UP, GIVE IN, OR GIVE IT ALL YOU'VE GOT.
Each one is a legitimate choice when it improves what you do or where you focus your attention. 

Thank you to Nadine Hickman for sharing this with me. These words certainly resonate with me and how I have often seen giving up or giving in. 

Rutherford Week and Rutherford Day - early finish Friday 23 August

Next week is a special week in the life of Rutherford College.  Our prefects get together and organise some great activities for students, starting off with a Rutherford cake on Monday for everyone to share. On Friday we celebrate Rutherford Memorial Day. School is business as usual for the first 2 periods, before the ceremony begins at 11.00am. Students in Years 11-13 will attend the ceremony along with invited guests. Students in Years 9 and 10 will be in tutor classes doing alternative activities and watching the ceremony from their classrooms. All students will be released for the day at 12.30pm. Rutherford Day is a day to acknowledge the supporters of the school who contribute in one way or another through volunteering or offering services that are essential to the running of the school. It is also a great occasion to shine the spotlight on our talented students and listen to an inspirational speaker. This year our guest speaker is Karen O'Leary and it should be an interesting occasion for everyone.

What's coming up?

12-16 Option Week - students will have time to investigate and make some choices about what subjects they want to take next year.
02-06 Winter Tournament Week - lots of teams out competing.

Friday 06 September is Mid Term Break and the school is closed for instruction.
17-24 September - Derived Grade Exams
18-20 September - Year 9 Hearing Tests.

Have a good weekend.

Kia Kaha

Gary Moore