Newsletter - WE 30/07/2021

Tena koutou katoa

Welcome back to term three after a busy term break for some of our senior athletes. Our junior SISS team had an awesome tournament in Christchurch and our five senior boys who were selected for the Top of the South Area Schools tournament had a great week away with three students being chosen for the national Area Schools Barbarian Rugby team and two for the national Ki O Rahi team. We also had two students competing for North Canterbury reps and one for Metro reps in the Rotorua tournament. We do like to share student success in and out of school so please let us know if your child has achieved something special outside of school (preferably with a picture) so we can celebrate their achievement.

On that note a special mention must also be made for our Board Student Trustee Esme Hewitt who recently received recognition as best presenter at the Otago University Avanced Academy School for science. Esme was selected from a competitive field for this programme by submitting an essay and has attended intensive multiday workshops in January and in the recent holidays. Her solo presentation on communicating science through the use of museums impressed the team in Otago and she now has the benefit of ongoing online workshops delivered throughout the year.

Teacher Only Day
On the Tuesday 10th August school is closed for instruction for the mandatory NCEA change days set out by the Ministry of Education. A small group of Year 12 students will be at school with St John completing their first aid certificates and all other students will be at home. We strongly recommend Year 11 and 13 students to take this time to study and catch up on any work they have.

Study Leave for Year 11-13
Last year due to COVID we suspended study leave for senior students and instead used a system where students were dismissed for the year by each teacher once they had completed the work required. This allows for completion of internal standards and revision with the teacher right up to the external exam. In short we thought this was a better way to do things regardless of COVID and will continue this for 2021. Students will NOT therefore be released en-masse for study leave and will need to talk to each teacher about release dates as this approach is individualised to each student’s needs. Please talk to Mr Cate if you have any questions around this.

Timetable Changes
Due to a number of lost Mondays this year, on Wednesday the 4th August we will be running our Year 9-13 students on a MONDAY timetable. This means if your child normally needs PE gear etc on a Monday they will also need to bring this on Wednesday for this one day.

Maths Week
A big feature of this term is Maths week from the 9th August. Students have already started creating their entries for the school competition. Thanks to the Maths teaching team for pulling this together and we look forward to seeing the display on Friday the 13th August in the community room.

Te Kooti Welcome to Natasha Gillard who started this week to create a third classroom in Te Kooti to manage the roll growth in this space. This means we now have 11 classes in Year 0-8 as we endeavour to keep our class sizes to a manageable size. You may have also noticed a relocatable building behind the junior block which we recently purchased to provide a space for Mrs Nicholls and her learning support team to work with small groups of students. Space is an issue but we are managing with what we have! Our negotiations with the Ministry of Education regarding roll growth and redevelopment continue and we are hoping to have some positive news to share soon.

Uniform and Cell phones A reminder please that cell phones and other devices other than laptops stay home or switched off in bags and that we continue to expect full smart uniform each day.

School Values for Term 3This term our focus value is “Pride” with the whakatauki of Tu Mana, Tu Kaha, Kotahi Tanga. Stand proud, stand strong, stand united. We look forward to seeing this evident in all we do.

Have a great weekend. Kia Kitea Toikaka 

James Griggs
Tena Koutou 

>>>>

Senior School News

Welcome back to Term 3. With over half of the year now completed, it is the opportune time when sitting around the dining table having dinner to discuss with your child their progress to date at school. Conversations about NCEA could focus on:

* The progress they are making in different subjects.* What Achievement Standards and credits they have passed to date.* What Achievement Standards and credits they still have to complete.

Term 3 is always an exceptionally busy term with the completion of internal assessments and the focus turning to preparing for external assessments. The Year 10 to 13 students will be sitting our school exams in week seven of this term. This is an excellent time to place an emphasis on study skills and exam tips.

Karen Tui Boyes an educational expert provides these tips when preparing for and sitting exams.

Before the Exam
Take time over the weeks before the exam to:
* Revise and relearn what you don’t know.
* Clarify anything you are not sure about.

In the Exam
* Find your seat, prepare your gear, take a few slow deep breathes before you start.
* Quickly read through the entire exam paper, scanning for what is required to pass the paper (gaining an overview).
* Start with the easy questions first to calm you and build confidence.
* Allowing your subconscious to work on the harder questions while doing the easier ones, allows it to come up with ideas and answers, and trigger information from the easier questions.
* When writing answers, make it easy for the examiner to understand your thought process.
* Examiners look for concise, readable, well-presented work that answers the question.

Dealing with Exam Stress
Stress comes from seeing a negative or bad result inside your head. Make sure you do the following:
* Use positive self-talk and affirmations.
* Visualise yourself going into the exam calm and relaxed
.* Feel yourself calmly writing the answers and information following out of your pen.
* See yourself successfully completing the exam with time to check your answers.
* Imagine yourself walking out of the exam feeling confident, that you have done your best.

For study tips, please see next weeks school newsletter under the heading ‘Study tips for students’.

Whakapau kaha, kia pai te mahi.
Gavin Cate
Acting Deputy Principal

>>>>

Dates for Your diary

August 

2nd Year 9/10 Football Tour meeting
3rd Tactix Visit - TBC
4th BOT Meeting @ 6:00pm
4th Timetable change - Repeat Monday
5th Year 7-10 Ski Trip to Mt Lyford
6th Mitchell Assembly @ 9.15am
9th - 13th Maths Week
10th MOE Accord Day - SCHOOL CLOSED
10th - 11th Year 12 First Aid Course
11th Year 6-8 Cantamath - Ohoka
11th Football Tour trials for Year 9/10
12th Year 7-10 Ski Trip Postponement
13th Year 1-6 Jump Jam for Star Jam
27th Amuri WOW at 5:30pm
29th - 2nd SISS Netball in Timaru
31st HPSSA 7Aside @ Hurunui College

September
1st Hamilton Assembly @ 12:15pm
2nd HPSSA 7Aside Postponement
6th - 10th Year 10-13 Exams
8th BOT meeting @ 6:00pm
17th CCHS Tournament - Christchurch
21st Year 1-3 Cricket Lessons
22nd - 23rd Young Writers school visit
23rd Caverhill Assembly @ 10:00am
25th - 2nd Year 12 Geography South Island Trip

October
1st End of Term 3

>>>>

Cancer Society - Oncology BagsThese decorated bags were created by students and will be given to cancer patients to put their belongings in when they are having a treatment (such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy) at the hospital.

>>>>

Stationery Room

It's that time of year when schoolbooks may be running short on pages or pens need replacing. Be aware that the Stationery Room has MOVED. It is now located at the Te Kooti end of the TeKoa Block. It is open from 8:30am to 8:45am Monday through Friday. A price list will be put up on our website sometime over the following week.

>>>>

Surviving Calving
Fuel your bodies and your family well going into calving season. It’s a tough gig for a few months and we all know how hard it is with early starts and late finishes, both in the cold and dark, while the farm keeps on ticking and you are also trying to keep good health and fuel a busy family.

Don’t settle for quick and easy, it won’t give you the best health benefits, and some long slow meals are often the most delightful and belly warming. Plus they are so much better for us all long term.

Nobody will mind a crockpot meal every night for three months and there are so many options online for great recipes. And you don’t need packets of seasonings or pre made meal cans. Nude Food is good food. No Crockpot? Just make into a deep casserole dish with a lid and put in your oven at 140’C at midday for a meal ready when you return.

Rule of thumb to get a good all round meal, or as I love it, the One-Pot-Wonder:

1. Open the freezer or scan the supermarket shelves for some protein of some sort (chicken, beef, tofu, lentils, beans, fish ).
2. Raid the vege bin, the freezer stash of frozen vege, or whip into a food stall and grab an arm load of various goodies to have on hand for a while.
3. Add in some chunks of carbs...spud, kumara, hard pasta, pumpkin.
4. Chop as they come, always add onion and garlic, its just better.
5. Throw in some liquid....stock, tin tomatoes, broth or a bit of both. 6. A handful of herbs or spices to suit the meat and vege of your choice. Curry paste is great too.
7. Turn on low as you leave the house, stir midday, and everyone can help themselves later, mopping up the juices with some bread or naan. Serve as is or with something on the side.
8. Never aim for gourmet, just aim for a good selection of food groups, some nice flavour that is as low in salt and preservatives as possible, let it cook long and slow.
9. Always make enough for 2 nights! That’s half the battle done.
10. Any leftovers just put in a dish, put a lid of pastry on it, pop in the freezer and call it a pie for next week sometime.

Just keep yourselves well fuelled and full, this will combat illness, fatigue and stress. Even better, share it with others, try have a potluck often with neighbours and friends in the same boat. Food is better shared with others.

Nga Mihi

Mischa

School Nurse Amuri Area School / Waitaha Primary Health Organisation

>>>>

We had a huge amount of sport over the holidays all around the country and everyone represented Amuri with absolute pride and showed their skills off with great passion

SISS South Island Secondary School Junior Tournament
Our team travelled and stayed in Christchurch for the SISS Junior tournament in the first week of the holidays. The team had a great time and performed admirably winning 5 out of 8 games. With 2 of the 3 games lost being against teams with a tall male shooter to contend with. The team enjoyed a lot of support throughout the week with a special thanks to all the parents and staff who were on the side lines. The girls really appreciated it. The tournament was a fantastic opportunity for the girls to play in and they all took a lot of learnings away with them. Also a highlight was going and supporting the Tactix team and seeing them pull off a win.

AREA SCHOOLS

Over the holidays I was fortunate enough to go with five Wonderful young men to the Area Schools tournament down in Dunedin. Despite a bit of drizzle on the first day the lads all stepped up and played with all they had. The sun came out for the next couple of days and the lads continued to give it their all and the results were that all five were picked to represent the South in the North vs South games on the last day. On the final day the South Rugby team came away with a hard-fought victory, while the Basketball and Ki o rahi struggled to overcome the North! Top of the South (that’s us) took out the title for the Rugby, Mens Football and Mens Volleyball, while Central took out all the rest. It wasn’t all hard work though. We managed to find time for a movie and a couple rounds of ten pin bowling. It was also great to see a few familiar faces that had made it down for a day or two to show their support and the new school sports jackets were a grateful addition for those of us standing on the sidelines. Even a sunny day in Dunedin can be very cold! TOSI also came first in the Netball, Division 1. Dorz

U18 Tournament

Grace and I were lucky enough to be selected into the North Canterbury U18 national team and attend the national tournament in Rotorua during the July holidays. We had such an amazing time as we were able to learn so much from the players in our team, the coaches and the competition itself. Our team was outstanding, and it was super exciting to meet and spend time with a variety of different people. Although we didn’t get the result we wanted, we have both learnt so much, gained new skills and grew as players.Hannah Ferguson

SISS CX Cycling

Flynn Pearson competed in the South Island Schools Cyclocross in the holidays and performed very admirably and gained a 6th placing in his U16 grade.  

Rippa Rugby

During the holidays some of our Year 6-10 female students made up a local team that played a fun game of Rippa against a touring Helensville team from Auckland. For most of our girls it was their first time playing under these Rippa rules. Everyone enjoyed the occasion and learnt a lot. Helensville were a strong team but we only lost by one try! It was great to have Tara back with us for the weekend as well.  

Representative Netball 

Celine competed in a Christchurch U18 Representative Netball team at the National U18 Tournament up in Rotorua in the holidays. Here is her account of the week. Congratulations to Celine on her fantastic effort and a great reward for all her training. 

I had the most amazing experience in the Christchurch Black team and met so many new people. Our team ended up second in our pool after day 2 which made us top 16. From here we ended up winning another game to put us 14th in NZ by the end of the tournament. I was unexpectedly a starting player for each game and learnt so much.

Celine Barnes