Exciting Challenges and Growth for Junior College Students

Welcome to Term 1, 2025.  We hope you have had lovely Christmas and New Year celebrations with your whanau over the holidays. We have an exciting term ahead and are very much looking forward to working with your tamariki to enrich their learning over the year. 

This week in class we had varied activities to get to know each other and to allow for students to get used to the expectations of the Intermediate department for 2025. To build an inclusive and engaging learning culture we have had 3 main focuses. There has been learning about Kaitiakitanga, encouraging students to look after our learning space, gardens and our belongings. The students have also been learning to have a ‘growth mindset’ towards learning challenges, keeping a ‘can-do’ attitude. The third focus of the week was answering the question “What does enjoyable team work look like, sound like and feel like. They got to try this out with group relays to create fraction sets.  

As a Middle Syndicate we will be teaching the schoolwide values: love, faith, and hope in all areas of learning. The focus for 2025 is love, with biblical teaching being based around building an understanding of this being practically outworked. 

Our team seeks to equip students with life skills as we get them college ready. We expect students to increase ownership of their learning, and we expect to see improvements in students' self-management skills. 

We have a varied and balanced curriculum prepared for the students to make learning practical and engaging.  For all subjects, including  Reading, Writing, and Mathematics, the students will be catered for at their differentiated levels. The teachers will teach to the appropriate pace and standard for your child's needs within differentiated levels.   

This year, students will be signing an e-learning contract in relation to device use and digital behaviour. This is signed annually, and students will be expected to follow the expectations outlined. Please carefully monitor their digital use at home for their wellbeing and to keep them safe. This will also support our efforts at school. 

 Here are some details of the programs planned for Term 1:

Please note:

• Students are expected to be at class at 8:50am to get ready for the day. Class starts at 8:55am. Students are to be collected from school at 3pm or are to be supervised by a guardian. No student is to stay on the school premises without parental supervision after classroom hours. 

• Home learning: students may receive some home learning (homework) to complete week by week. This is to support in class learning. 

• All students should be in the correct summer uniform. This includes wearing a hat.

• Email and loop will be our key forms of communication for general information from Homeroom teachers. We will respond between 8am-5pm during weekdays.

• Library books may be borrowed from the school library during class library times. These books are to be kept in good condition and returned to school promptly. We encourage students to read at least 20 mins daily; perhaps they might do this before bed. 

• Stationery is to be brought to school promptly as we have begun lessons. 

If you have any questions, please contact your Homeroom teacher. Please ensure that you are active with reading the school newsletters and loop as these will give you key dates and upcoming event information.  

Middle Team Contact

Nicole Bennett
Head of the Middle Team.
Year 7 Homeroom teacher,  Rm 4  nicole@horizon.school.nz

Marla Ferguson
Year 8 Homeroom teacher, Rm 5  marla@horizon.school.nz

Maddie Long
Technology Teacher maddie@horizon.school.nz 

Kelly Walker
PE & Sport teacher  kelly@horizon.school.nz

Rachel Phelps
Year 8 Social science teacher- rachel@horizon.school.nz

Emma Alldridge
Year 7 Social science teacher- emma@horizon.school.nz

Lana Purdon
Enterprise teacher  lana@horizon.school.nz

Important Dates for Term 1

• Try day/ tour for new students, 18th Feb

• Meet the teacher, 26th Feb

• Term 1 outing - Surf Day,  28th Feb

• School photos (class portraits), 27th Feb

• Whanau Hui, Tues 1st April (for Maori/Pasifika students)

We are able to offer great opportunities for students due to the collaboration of the school with our families. We rely on parent volunteers for our outings, so please consider helping for surf day and other activities throughout the year. 

We look forward to an amazing year with your children and we ask for your support and prayers as always.

Kind Regards,

Mrs Bennett and the Middle team

(Enjoy the pics from this week: Year 7’s using their DIY Solar ovens to prepare smores and team wide math relays focused on team collaboration and championing each other on. This was enjoyed by all!)