Opening of the Cashmere Alumni Art Collection

On the 16th August we were delighted to open our Cashmere Alumni Art Collection. This collection includes artworks from past Cashmere students and has been created through the generosity of Foundation Pupil, Mr John Blunt.

Mr Blunt has donated these artworks with the vision of inspiring the next generation of Cashmere artists. Artists include Euan Macleod, Asher Newbery, Jacob Yikes and Tyne Gordon. A big thank you to the Cashmere Foundation for their support in making this a reality.

Examinations

This week our seniors have been sitting their school examinations. These examinations are important. Firstly, they provide our students with a good indication of how they are currently tracking in their external standards, secondly they provide students with an experience for what to expect at the end of year, and thirdly they provide the school with derived grades in case they are not able to sit their end of year examinations. I wish our students all the best.

Learning Recognition Credits

Last week the Associate Minister of Education announced changes to NCEA that recognise the impact student and teacher absences due to COVID-19 and other winter illnesses have had on teaching, learning and assessment this year.

Students will be entitled to 1 Learning Recognition Credit (LRC) for every 5 credits earned through assessment, up to a maximum of:

• NCEA Level 1 - 10
• NCEA Level 2 - 8
• NCEA Level 3 - 8

To receive a Certificate Endorsement, students will need 46 credits at Merit or Excellence level, instead of the usual 50.

To be awarded University Entrance, students will need 14 credits in each of two UE Approved Subjects, and 12 credits in a third UE Approved Subject (they will also need to attain NCEA Level 3 and meet the regular literacy and numeracy requirements).

COVE Award Recipient - Zoe Clarke

Congratulations to Zoe Clarke in Year 9 who received a COVE Award at our Principal’s Assembly. She has made an excellent start to her time at Cashmere! She has been involved in Choir, Volleyball, Mountain Biking, Swimming, Adventure Racing, Basketball, and the 9A Netball team. She has also been an active member of Ngata House, competing in numerous events. Zoe has worked hard academically. She gained a Top in Year 9 Biology for her Science Fair Project, was a member of the Cantamath team, and gained a perfect 100 for her Term 2 graduation score. She is a valued member of both the year level and school council, and she is the student year level leader alongside Max. Well done, Zoe.

Artist of the Month - July

Duke of Edinburgh

We were very proud to see Caelen Kinley (Class of 2019) receive his Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award at a ceremony held at Government House.

Formal 2022

We held our annual Formal on Friday 5th August at the Wigram Airforce Museum. This event was a special occasion and was attended in large numbers by our Year 12 and Year 13 students. The theme of the Formal was The Great Gatsby. The students were exceptionally well behaved throughout the Formal. Special thanks to Mrs Aysha Beer and the Formal Committee for their superb organisation.

Board Elections

Thank you to the nine candidates who have put their names forward for election to our Board of Trustees in September. The Board plays an important role in the school and I have always appreciated their support in governance matters. Hopefully you will have received a link to make your vote. Voting closes Wednesday 7th September, 4pm.

The nine candidates:

• James O’Connell
• Jeremy Crang
• Rachel Eadie
• Catherine Pratten
• Paul Hornell
• Laura Dugan
• Josie Ogden Schroder
• Mairin Taylor
• Jordana Clarke

Winter Sports end of season…

As we wrap up the winter sports season it is great to see a number of teams playing in the knockout stages of their competitions. I am also delighted to see such a high number of students participating in sports throughout this year. 

Sports is an awesome opportunity for our students to learn some of the most important skills in life such as learning how to be part of a team, learning how to win and lose with grace, learning the importance of commitment, hard work and perseverance. Thank you to all the coaches, managers and support staff who have stepped up to provide these opportunities for our students, we are incredibly grateful.

From the Archives

School Prefects 1958

Who’s Who at Cashmere? Jodie McKinley

My name is Jodie McKinley, and you’ll find me at the student payments desk. I’m thrilled to be part of the Cashmere High Administration team.

My husband, Nathan, and our two children, Andrew and Reese, moved to Christchurch from America just over six years ago. We love New Zealand and take every opportunity to explore this beautiful country. My hobbies include travelling, photography, cooking, and boogie boarding with my kids - when it’s warm enough.

I enjoy being involved in our community and am currently on the governance boards at Huntsbury Preschool and the Christchurch Astros Baseball Club. I love sports and kids and staying involved in these organisations has been rewarding for me.

Before becoming an administrator, I was a flight attendant in the states for ten years. I had a lot of fun flying but found after moving to New Zealand I had an interest in numbers and decided to take courses in accounting. I plan to continue studying accounting in pursuit of personal growth. 

The Fortnight Ahead