Bluelight Bootcamp

WELLBEING WEDNESDAY UPDATE

We are super impressed at how much students are enjoying Bluelight Bootcamp first thing Wednesday mornings. They are learning how to look after themselves by training at a pace suited to their needs, taking better care of their nutrition and hydration during the break after Bootcamp, and attendance is excellent. We love having the Police supporting us, they train hard with big smiles, and students are really responsive to having them with us. Terri Middleton is doing a wonderful job helping us coordinate everything.

We have a number of people from health and wellbeing organisations in the community interested in working with us and our students, which we are really looking forward to.

If you’d like to join us for Bootcamp to train alongside and encourage the students, we’d love you to come along, generally 9.15am to 10.30am every Wednesday.

Please get in touch if you are involved with a health and wellbeing organisation and you’d like to contribute somehow - office@johnpaul.ac.nz

NEXT WEDNESDAY

Josh Komen

We have a fantastic guest speaker lined up to speak with our senior students next Wednesday and we are feeling really fortunate to have him come along to inspire and motivate us all in fitness, wellbeing and life generally. Josh Komen is a local most of us are familiar with.

Josh says - “My life was turned upside down. I was fit, fast, strong and healthy, then out of nowhere I was diagnosed with cancer. Not once but twice. It became a battle for me to find the courage to continue. Through my journey I not only survived but started to feel like I was thriving amidst the challenges of my struggle. Now I’m ready to share what I’ve learned openly and honestly. I’m here to spark hope, inspiration and gratitude in you. You are not a product of what life throws at you. Through embracing challenge, we can take control of life’s ups and downs.”

Find out more about Josh on his website: https://www.joshkomen.com/

Senior Assessment Calendars and Resources

The second part of Wednesday’s senior time will focus on NCEA assessment. Seniors will receive the assessment calendar and will be provided with tools including a handy gift to help them plan their time and manage their assessment schedule throughout the year.

Junior STEAMM Learning

The Junior STEAMM programme began last week with an introduction to their theme ‘The Human Body’ and their first rotation exploring that theme through the lens of specialist teaching. This programme continues next week, with opportunities for students to learn deeply about the theme through Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, and Matauranga Māori.

Why STEAMM Learning?

  • It’s fun!

  • Skill shortages in STEAMM-related fields

  • STEAMM learning gives skills and knowledge to thrive in the future

  • STEAMM learning produces designers and engineers, develops innovative mindsets and the ability to problem-solve

  • Students become creators of technology

The benefits for students:

  • think outside the box

  • feel safe to express innovative and creative ideas

  • feel comfortable doing hands-on learning

  • take ownership over their learning

  • work collaboratively with others

  • understand the ways that science, maths, the arts, and technology work together

  • become increasingly curious about the world around them and feel empowered to change it for the better.

WEDNESDAY CLUBS SPOTLIGHT: Business Builders

Students can discover their potential in business and in life and extend themselves with authentic learning.

The purpose of the club is to give students an opportunity to learn to think innovatively, explore real world problems, develop an idea for a business, and make money. We want students to know they have the power and agency to make the world a better place now, while they are still at school. The programme is designed by business leaders to guide students through a simple process to plan and implement a real business. In 2022, two Year 13 students set up the business ‘Bounce Hire’ through this programme.

We use resources from the Young Enterprise Scheme programme. This way of learning combines subjects and skills across the curriculum to develop future-focused entrepreneurial thinkers with financial capability. There are NCEA credits available to students who are ready to start learning how to build a business. Young Enterprise, Development West Coast and Tai Poutini Polytechnic help to support the programme and work alongside our students to help them.

This week, we had a visit from Regan Powell, the South Island region support person for Youth Enterprise Scheme New Zealand. He challenged students to change their mindsets to identify problems in the world around them they could turn into business ideas.