Principals Piece 13 Feb 2012

Tena koutou;

It’s great to be back and into full swing again after a long and restful holiday.  The focus for both teachers and students this term is to establish a learning focussed relationship where learning is kept at the forefront of all student and teacher interactions. Conversations for example, between the teacher and student will be focussed more on learning rather than behaviour.  Teachers will be making an effort to be clear with students about what is being learnt, how they should go about their learning and how they can demonstrate what they have learnt. We expect also that students will be able to articulate more clearly what they are learning and are better able to ask questions and seek clarification to further their understanding.

A major event happening this term on Tuesday 6 March is the Academic Support Day. Parents with their child will meet together with their child’s form or home room teacher to discuss where they are in their learning and establish specific learning goals for the year. This initiative was well received last year by parents and helped form a strong learning based relationship between home and school early in the year.   

A Junior Triathlon/Gala is being held on Saturday 10 March. The day will be about enjoyment and connecting with whanau and the wider community. I hope to see you all there to support and connect with your school.

Regards

Pateriki Toi

Principals Last Piece 2010

It truly has been an eventful year this year, full of different challenges for us as a school and community, and within the school, there have been a number of significant challenges faced by different groups and individuals. It has been a year also of change in key areas – a change of people and a change in the way that we do things. We have a new Board this year with 5 new members, we have a new Deputy Principal, we have a new library and a number of new property projects underway, including a new staffroom. We are almost ready to launch a new school website which will allow direct access for parents and students into different areas of the school at any time and this this is a project that has been led by two of our senior students. I have been proud of the way the school has managed these events and changes and through it all I believe we have kept true to our vision of creating a learning environment that demands excellence in all that we do. 

The year began with a visit from the Education Review Office and after a week long process; the end result was a report that was both positive and affirming about the progress the school had made over the past 3 years and the strategic direction in which we are heading.

Around the same time of the ERO visit a crazy idea was proposed to take a group of students to Spain and France to play Ki o Rahi. I thought at the time that it seemed like wishful thinking, but that dream became a reality and those students have climbed the Eiffel Tower and have been part of a crowd of a million people watching fireworks over Barcelona. I can only credit that achievement to the vision of the teachers involved, the determination of students and the absolute support they received from parents.

Towards the end of term 3 there was a small group of intermediate boys who tried their hand at playing chess and ended up winning the Northland Chess tournament. They went on to represent the school at the national tournament in Christchurch (just after the big earthquake) and although they didn’t get a placing they proved to themselves and others what can be achieved if as a school we have faith in them and give them the opportunity to succeed.

To me those are the two big things we must be able to do as teachers and as a school – we must have faith in all our students that they can achieve and we must give them a range of different opportunities in order for them to do that.

Things haven’t always gone smoothly or to plan but overall I am proud of the things that have been accomplished this year. We have achieved good things and this has been because of the way the school and community have been able to work together for the benefit of our students.

I look forward to the opportunities, challenges and changes that the New Year will bring. In the meantime I wish you all a safe and restful Christmas period.

Thank you all very much.

Pateriki Toi

Principal

Tena koutou e nga Matua;

Last week, together with a group of senior students I took former Deputy Principal, Louise Anaru down to Flaxmere High School in Hastings for her first day as Principal at that school. A large portion of the community and a number of secondary school Principals from around the area came to the powhiri which proved to be a memorable occasion and well worth the 10 hour drive. I am sure that Louise will do more than fulfil the expectations that her new school and community have of her and that she will help them fulfil the aspirations they have for their school.

Last Wednesday we hosted Opononi Area School’s 1^st XV and netball team and a large number of supporters who came with high hopes of lifting the Ling Cup. Despite delay tactics which saw our whole school waiting in the hall for an hour before they finally arrived, both our teams responded admirably to win both games. I was very pleased with way the whole school conducted themselves both as players and as hosts.

Well done to our champion chess team from the year 7 and 8 bilingual class who won the Northland schools chess competition held in Kerikeri recently. As regional finalists, the team now go to Christchurch for the national competition during the holidays.

The third term is when consistency counts for NCEA students both in regards to attendance and work in class. Next week is assessment week and most students will be involved in mock exams. It is essential that from now on all students persevere and do their very best. Form teachers will be keeping senior students up to date as to where they are with their credits overall so please take time to talk to your child about how well they are achieving. Monitoring and supporting student progress from both home and school helps immensely to improve overall achievement.

Naku Noa