Principal's Piece

Taipa  Area School State Highway 10 Mangonui, Northland, New Zealand

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Principals Piece 8: from 28 June 2010 Newsletter

Tena koutou e nga Matua;

Mid year break is upon us and it is a good time for all students to reflect with their parents on their progress so far this year. To this end, mid year reports have been posted home and a parent/teacher interview date scheduled for the evening of the first Thursday back next term. I look forward to seeing all parents there.

There have been some concerns raised about the behaviour of some of the Year 9s this term and I have spoken to at least two parents about this so far. The challenges that the Year 9 and 10 cohorts bring to all schools is a recognised phenomenon both nationally and internationally. The school has implemented a number of strategies as a response, including regrouping the Year 9s into separate form classes so that they receive consistent messages, and follow up with parents is more direct. It has been suggested that parents meet with teachers to clarify what the issues are and what strategies have been put in place from the school’s part and what parents can do at home to support. To this end, a meeting has been scheduled next term on Tuesday 27 July, 6.00pm in the Library.

We say farewell to a well respected teacher aide Sue Young at the end of this week. Sue has been working in the intermediate and secondary school area since 2005 and has devoted much of her time supporting teachers in those particular areas to raise the achievement levels of all students. Over the last two years and through a computer reading programme called Lexia, Sue has provided ongoing, extra support for students with reading difficulties. She has decided to make the big move across the ditch to Australia to spend more time with her family and we wish her all the best and thank her for her and her family’s contribution to the school.  Sue’s husband Murray was a Board of Trustees member for many years.

The last week is still a busy week with a number of activities scheduled around the Matariki Celebrations including a Careers Expo for senior students taking place today. Our students along with students from other schools will be involved in Kite Making, Kapa Haka and Ki o Rahi to name but a few of the activities over the course of the week.  Within this context the play ‘Ruapekapeka’ is being performed by senior drama students and is showing this Wednesday 6.30 in the hall.

I attended an excellent fundraiser at the Whare last Friday evening for the Ki o Rahi trip to Barcelona in September. Well done to the organising group.

Lastly, for your information, a letter to the community from ERO following their visit last term has been attached to this newsletter for your information and is also on our website. The report is positive and indicates that much progress has been made over the last 3 years.

Naku noa

Pateriki Toi

Principal’s Piece 7:  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:

  1. Teachers will implement effective teaching strategies to increase the engagement and achievement of all students
  2. The school will actively develop and promote shared leadership amongst staff and students
  3. The school will actively foster respectful relationships between staff, students and community
  4. The BOT will ensure that financial administration and property development is aligned with curriculum development and strategic planning.
  5. 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

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