:
from June16 2010 Newsletter
Tena koutou e nga
Matua;
Yesterday morning
I went across the road to watch our Primary and Intermediate football teams take
part in an interschool exchange with many of our local schools. It was an
excellent day with students, parents and teachers enjoying the opportunity to
mix and mingle in the sunshine. Our senior sports students were there also,
assisting with the refereeing and it’s been a great opportunity for Taipa
students to be involved at all levels.
Today a boy’s and
a girl’s indoor soccer team travelled to Whangarei to participate in the
Northland College Day – a sports tournament involving schools from across
Northland competing in a variety of codes. The girls won their competition and
the boys were placed 4th overall.
Yesterday an Under
15 boys and Under 15 girl’s rugby team took part in another interschool event
held in Kaitaia and although the girls lost both their games and the boys won
one and lost one, both teams represented the school admirably.
The 1st
XV boys returned home in the weekend from a very successful rugby trip to the
Coromandel with one loss and a win and a great learning experience behind them.
This coming
weekend a number of students will be performing in the Pacific Beats band
competition held in Whangarei. The group that represented the school last year
was placed 1st overall and we are expecting good results again this
year.
Year 12 student,
Jadin Leslie has been seconded onto the Board of Trustees as the student
representative after a student selection process that saw a number of senior
students put themselves forward for the position. Jadin attended his first
meeting last night and fulfilled his role well.
Next week is
School Spirit Week and the week after that – the final week of this term, is the
Matariki Festival which will involve a number of schools from around Northland
participating in the activities and celebration.
Congratulations to
Deputy Principal Louise Anaru. Louise has been appointed to a Principal’s
position in the Hawkes Bay and will be leaving us in term 3 along with her
husband Matua Tangira, HOD of the Bilingual Unit. Louise has been instrumental
in leading the professional development of staff over the past 5 years which in
turn has seen a dramatic increase in student achievement over this period of
time. Both she and Matua have led the development of the Bilingual Unit over the
same period of time which has resulted in outstanding achievement results for
Maori students. They are both outstanding educational leaders whose legacy of
excellence and aroha will remain.
Naku noa
Pateriki Toi
Principal’s Piece
6:
from May 28 2010 Newsletter
Tena koutou e nga
Matua;
Winter has well
and truly arrived but it is not nearly as cold as Invercargil where I was last
week at the annual National Area Schools Conference. This is an opportunity for
principals and BOT members from all over the country to come together, share
ideas and catch up on the latest issues that affect Area Schools. It is quite
striking the similarities that exist between Area Schools in the far South and
Area Schools in the Far North. The distances that students have to travel to
school everyday, the relative isolation and the challenge of providing a
curriculum that meets the needs of today’s diverse array of students are all
ongoing issues that are being addressed by Area Schools around the country with
tremendous passion and commitment. It would not be a bad thing as one Principal
from the deep south suggested, that some senior students swap schools for a week
or two to experience another part of the country and Kiwi culture. It is quite a
doable proposal really - especially with available technology such as Video
Conferencing which keeps our schools and students connected throughout the
country.
Our students have
been involved in a number of interschool events over the last couple of weeks
including the Area Schools Northland Tournament and the Manu Korero Regional’s
speech competitions both held in Whangarei. I spent some time at both these
fixtures and was proud of the way our students conducted themselves either on
stage or on the field and received positive feedback from spectators outside our
school about their behaviour. The 1st XV will be travelling away next
week to play games against Coromandel and Mercury Bay Area Schools and I wish
them all the best. I want to acknowledge also the support all school initiatives
have received from parents over the past year. These events would not be
possible otherwise.
I want to impress
with parents and students the importance that extra curricular activities play
in providing a well rounded learning experience. The opportunities students have
to interact with other schools and their students in different situations are
invaluable for social growth and development. At the same time I expect that
students are aware of the work and commitment that is required to ensure a
successful academic year. A balance is required and good management of time is
essential to achieve this.
Principal’s Piece
5:
from April 27 2010 Newsletter
Tena koutou e nga Matua;
We are already
into the second week of term 2 and after a holiday of good weather, the rain is
starting to fall and students and teachers are getting back into the swing of
things.
Following a visit
from ERO last term who reiterated that the school has a clear vision and is on
the right track, it will be nice to focus on the key strategic goals, all of
which are geared toward raising the achievement and engagement of all our
students. Once the confirmed ERO report has been published, the school will
schedule a community meeting to look at the key points of the report and how our
strategic planning is aligned with them.
School Goals:
- Teachers will implement
effective teaching strategies to increase the engagement and achievement of
all students
- The school will actively
develop and promote shared leadership amongst staff and students
- The school will actively
foster respectful relationships between staff, students and community
- The BOT will ensure that
financial administration and property development is aligned with curriculum
development and strategic planning.
- The school will be a place
where all students like to be, providing them with a sense of place, purpose
and identity
The most important
event this term is the up and coming Board Elections. 15 nominations have been
posted which is probably the largest pool of candidates that has stood for
election in a long while. It is a positive sign that the community are taking
interest in their school and I strongly encourage all parents to exercise their
vote and be represented.
At the chalk face
teachers will continue working with students to implement the Taipa Way so there
are clear understandings about what teachers can expect from students and what
parents and students can expect from teachers.
The Taipa Way for Students
In every lesson I will be successful
by;
-
Showing respect
-
Using positive language
-
Doing my best
-
Encouraging and working
well with others
-
Being prepared
-
Being determined
-
Thinking before I act
I would like to
welcome two new staff members this term that will be part of our team for the
rest of the year; Mr Phil Gunn who is the new intermediate teacher and Ms Tracey
Harris who has taken over from Mrs Muller in the new entrant class. Both
teachers have made a positive start this term and I wish them all the best.
Our senior leaders
represented our school well at the ANZAC parade in Mangonui on Sunday and
together with our local primary schools contributed to making the day a
memorable one.
Principals Piece 4 : from March
23 2010 Newsletter
Tena koutou e nga
Matua;
It was a busy week
last week and not only because the ERO team was on site, meeting with various
groups including parents, students, Board of Trustees, Senior Management and
staff. To make things interesting, there was also a crane in the middle of the
quad lifting support beams into place for the new library and nationally
renowned local artist Teresa Reihana held an exhibition in the Whare that was
open to students as well as the community. A Small Blacks film crew filmed some
of our senior students playing Ki o Rahi (which will feature on TV3 this weekend
7.30am on Sunday), and the Year 11s went to a defensive driving course in
Kaitaia. The 75 strong kapa haka group also practised at various times for the
up and coming Taitokerau festival.
It was a week that
was typical of what Area Schools are like at the best (and worst) of times and
ERO got a real taste of what Taipa Area School is really about.
ERO 2010 Big Tick Items!
J
School vision and strategic direction
ü
Improving teacher effectiveness
ü
Improving student achievement
ü
Implementing the New Curriculum
ü
Improving outcomes for Maori students
ü
Next Steps 2010 +
Consult widely with the community
Teachers use achievement data to better
inform their practice
Ensure consistent and positive student
behaviour
It is worth noting
that the next steps identified by the ERO team were also consistent with the
next developmental steps the school had identified for itself. The final report
will be available to the public in approximately one month’s time.
I would like to
thank the Board, our staff, students and parents who have contributed to making
the past three years since the last ERO review a positive and productive
experience and I look forward to another 3 years of continued school
development.
Parents will by
now have received nomination forms as part of the process for the upcoming BOT
elections and I strongly encourage you all to play a part in the election of a
new 2010 Board.
Principals Piece 3: from March 5 2010 Newsletter
Tena koutou e nga
Matua;
It’s all about
relationships
There is mounting evidence to
suggest that a teacher’s ability to establish and maintain respectful
relationships with their students is a major factor in ensuring high levels of
engagement in the classroom and subsequently improved academic achievement. As a
school, we have invested time and resourcing to ensure that our teachers know
what this looks like in the classroom and can deliver. It can be as simple as
getting to know the student at a personal level and taking an interest in them
as an individual, or as complex as gathering data on the type of feedback
teachers are giving their students and making improvements accordingly. At Taipa,
we work at both ends of the complexity scale and the recent school camps have
been organised not just as an educational opportunity outside the classroom, but
also as a deliberate strategy to encourage positive parent, teacher and student
relationships.
I paid a brief visit to the Primary
School Camp last night out at Matai Bay and despite the downpour it was awesome
to see the positive things that were happening, especially in regards to
relationship building. There were a large number of parents there supporting in
many different ways, the kids were happy and the teachers determined that,
despite being a bit wet, they were going to make it the best camp possible.
Thank you to parents who already have given of their precious time to support at
the last two camps – it makes a huge difference not just for the success of the
camp but also in helping build those relationships.
This Friday the school continues in
its quest to foster good community relationships with a parent/teacher/student
BBQ beginning straight after school and finishing at about 5.0pm. Our senior
student leaders are responsible for organising the evening and there will be a
few games to keep everyone entertained. The other purpose of the BBQ is to give
parents and teachers an informal catch up opportunity at the beginning of the
year, so please come and make the most of this time. See you there.
Principals Piece 2:
from February 19 2010
Newsletter
Tena koutou e nga Matua;
There has been
a bit said in the media lately about National Standards. Many schools and their
principals have voiced concerns about the way the Government has thrust them
upon schools with little consultation with either parents or indeed the people
at the chalk face. I am sure you have heard the arguments for and against and
are making up your own minds. Regardless of my opinion (which along with many
principals doesn’t seem to count much in the eyes of the government), schools
are required to implement them and report against them in 2010 and at Taipa we
will ensure that this happens in a professional and consultative way with
parents. An important thing in my mind is to ensure that your child’s progress
is not hindered by a possible label of under achieving if they do not reach an
expected standard and that, as a school community, we are able to celebrate the
progress all students make whether they may meet a standard or not. Secondly I
want to ensure that our teachers are not deterred from developing an exciting
and broad curriculum that is unique to Taipa Area School and meets the needs and
aspirations of our community.
Over the next
few days all year 4 – 10 students will be sitting PAT tests in Reading,
Listening and Mathematics, the results of which will be shared with parents at
the up and coming parent/teacher BBQ. These tests will allow the school to
identify the strengths and weaknesses of groups and individuals and implement
appropriate strategies to address learning needs.
The year 13s
returned from a very successful camp at the end of last week and the experience
will assist them in developing as group and individual leaders this year.
Next week,
students of the Bilingual Unit head off to Waiari Marae on the Karikari
Peninsular for 3 days and over the next few weeks many students will enjoy
similar experiences of learning outside the classroom. It is important that all
students take part in the upcoming camps as they are an early opportunity to
build good relationships with teachers as well as with other students.
Work is now
underway on the new library adjacent to the primary school and when completed
will make a huge difference to the look and feel of the school. Closely
following this project will be a new staff room (at long last) and covered
seating areas for students around the quad.
We are looking
forward to another positive and successful year with your support.
Principals Piece 1:
from February
2010 Newsletter
Tena koutou
katoa;
Welcome back
to school to all students and staff and especially the new faces. We welcomed
all our new students and staff by way of powhiri on Wednesday morning and it was
pleasing to see the large number of students who have arrived from our local
contributing primary schools ready and eager to begin the next phase of their
education.
New Staff 2010
A big welcome
to four new teachers who were appointed at the end of last year; Liz Shulze who
is beginning this year as an intermediate teacher covering Dianne Vette Welsh
who is on study leave this term, Natalie Nicholls who also joins the
Intermediate department, Margret Timmer-Arends as HOD Mathematics and Jessica
Williams who will be the immersion class teacher this year.
Teacher Only days
Next Monday 8
February and Tuesday 9 February is Teachers Only Day. Teachers will be involved
in an intensive 2 day training programme on Restorative Justice. The RJ process
has become very much a part of our schools culture when dealing with student
issues as they arise. Over the past few years we have had a number of staff
trained as facilitators and now aim to have all staff trained and further
enhance the Taipa Way of doing things. The training will be facilitated by
Margret Thorsborne from Australia who is recognised around the world as the
‘guru’ on Restorative Justice.
ERO
On 15 March a
team from ERO will be reviewing ‘how effectively this school’s curriculum
promotes student learning: engagement, progress and achievement’. We look
forward to some productive feedback to help us improve what we are doing.
Year 13 Camp
This camp
takes place next week, Wednesday 10 Feb – Friday 12 Feb. It is part of an
important process that helps us determine who our student leaders will be for
this year. Aside from that, it is an opportunity for all Year 13s to come
together and focus on the ‘what’ and ‘how’ they are going to achieve this year
so it is important that all students take part.
Immersion Class
Whanau Hui
There will be
a whanau hui for all parents and caregivers of students in the immersion class
next Wednesday 10 February, 6.00pm in the immersion classroom itself. The
purpose will be to introduce Whaea Jessica and to discuss and negotiate the
kaupapa of the class as a whanau.
Bilingual Class
Whanau Hui
There will be
a whanau hui for all parents and caregivers of students in the Bilingual Unit
next Thursday 11 February, 6.00pm in the unit itself.
NCEA Results
Once again our
senior students have achieved excellent NCEA results for 2009;
|
|
Taipa Area School |
National Norm |
|
Level 1 (Year 11s) |
86.2 |
70.1 |
|
Level 2 (Year 12s) |
84.4 |
75.3 |
|
Level 3 (Year 13s) |
51.9 |
68.9 |
These results
are participation based, meaning they include all students who attempted NCEA at
our school last year. Well done to all students, teachers and parents who have
helped continue the trend toward improvement in our academic results.
The Taipa Way
Feedback from
students and teachers was used to create The Taipa Way for both students and
teachers as from the start of this year. They are based on values which we hold
as important and outline clearly the ways both students and teachers can show
how they can be successful in the classroom.
The Taipa Way for
students
In every
lesson I shall be successful by;
-
Showing respect
-
Using positive language
-
Doing my best
-
Encouraging and working well
with others
-
Being prepared
-
Being determined
-
Thinking before I act
The Taipa
Way for teachers
In every
lesson I shall be successful by;
-
Incorporating at least 1
cooperative activity
-
Incorporating at least 1
literacy strategy
-
Negotiating and displaying
learning intentions and success criteria
-
Implementing Ka Hikitia desired
learning outcomes for Maori
-
Implementing the new curriculum
We are looking forward to
another successful year.
Naku noa
Pateriki Toi
