Kia ora koutou. As we close in on the end of Term 2, it is worth keeping in mind that for senior students (Years 11 to 13), we are now over half way through the academic year. This is because of the shorter Term 4 which allows external examinations to occur. For junior students, the halfway point is at the end of this term - which is not far away either.

Very shortly I will be starting academic interviews with the senior students. This is a short (approximately 15 minutes) one on one discussion, mainly focused around the student’s academic progress towards their NCEA qualifications. I will also be discussing academic goals, attendance, and future pathways (either here at school or beyond that) and career choices. The tone of these interviews is intended to be positive, so even if a student has struggled with their learning so far, I can help them to get back on track and set some goals. It would be great if every student I talked to knows how many credits they currently have, and what upcoming assessments they have, before the interview starts. This is a great opportunity for you, as their whānau, to talk with your child about this. If you would like to know how to see your child’s NCEA results at any time, you can log in to the parent portal on our school website. Feel free to contact me if you aren’t sure how to access this. I will be taking notes during the academic interviews, and you will have access to see these notes as well.

The other big event that occurred this term was the Year 10 camp a few weeks ago. This was actually split into two camps, with 10MA going on the first half of the week, and 10MB on the second half. Although we usually expect some rain and cold weather, unfortunately both halves of the week ended up having much wetter weather than we normally encounter. However, I was impressed by the resilience shown by the vast majority of students. They borrowed rain gear and thermals if they didn’t already have them, and just got stuck in to the activities even with the cold rain coming down. Many also took the opportunity to do extra optional activities in the evening, when they could have just stayed in the warmth of the lodge. Of course it would have been nicer with better weather, but it was great that the students still made the best of what they had. I have attached a few photos below.

If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Ngā mihi nui.

Phil Daines

Years 10 - 13 Mōhua Kāhui Dean