Dear Parents,

It has been a marathon of a semester and no doubt students and teachers alike are ready for a break. As a school and a nation, we are extremely blessed right now, however, the last several weeks have also involved a series of adjustments and readjustments to our way of life. Our prayer is that all students and families would enjoy time together over the next two weeks and come back at the start of Term 3 refreshed and ready to finish the year strong.

Dance Festival

Please CLICK HERE for the full article.

Outdoor Education Trip

Last week both the Level 2 Outdoor Education and Level 3 Adventure Based Leadership classes ventured out to Bethell’s beach and Tawharanui for their long-awaited tramping expedition. Due to poor weather forecasts, the trip involved a one-day hike in the Bethell’s beach area, along the beautiful Te Henga walkway, surrounded by coastline, and sand dunes instead of our planned itinerary. The L2 OED class focused on compass navigation and map skills, while the 13ABL group considered safety and risks in the outdoors. We were blessed with a fine day to explore the area and enjoy the walk.

After a sleepover at school on Thursday evening, students and staff headed to Tawharanui Regional Park for a day and night in the park, involving a day tramp. We were fortunate to come across a group of seals which was a highlight for many students who stopped for photos along the coastline. Students completed their navigation amid some stormy weather at times. Although it was very wet throughout the night, students were all able to complete all assessments planned. The students were a joy to take away and there were many friendships strengthened and experiences shared.

Practical Subject Catch-ups

Over the past week, some senior students have followed a modified timetable to give additional time to those with practical subjects. Many of these curriculum areas were severely impacted by the lockdown and we, therefore, hope that this catch-up week enabled students to get back on schedule.

We appreciate the grace and flexibility shown by all teachers over this time.

Below are some quotes from students on how they found the week.

Pieter: “It was awesome to catch up and take away some of the stress and pressure I have felt to get up to date with my DGT projects”

Ben: “I found it really valuable to spend time preparing my devising skills for an upcoming Drama assessment”

Cairo: “I got heaps done in Hard Tech and was able to finish projects”

Danielle: “It was great to concentrate fully on one subject for the whole day.  I could finish all my practical Hospitality assessments”

Keeley: “For Painting, it allowed me to get heaps done.  Normally in a single period, it takes too long to set up and we get nothing done.  A whole day was appreciated as I got so much done”

Uniform

A reminder that all students need to come to school in full uniform. This term there has been an increasing number of students coming to school with mixed uniform and non-uniform items. This creates extra work for teachers to follow up. Thank you in advance for your support.

Year 13 Ball

Due to changes in Alert Levels, we are pleased to be able to host a Year 13 Ball on September 25th at Gulf Harbour Country Club. More details will follow in Term 3.

Term 3 Parent/Teacher Conferences

Tuesday, 28 July for Years 7 – 13

All conferences will be online video conferences. Information about the conferences and login details for the online booking system (PTO) will be emailed home on Monday, 20 July.

The PTO website will open for bookings at 3:30pm on Monday, 20 July - bookings will close at 9.00am on the day of conferences.

On the day of the Parent/Teacher Conferences (Tuesday, 28 July):

• School will officially close at 2pm for Year 7-13 students, with lunch from 1pm to 2pm. Students are allowed to leave from 1pm onwards.
• Students waiting at school for buses need to go to the library after lunch.
• Buses will run at normal times.
• PARENTS - Log back into PTO and at the booked time click on the teacher’s link to connect to the online video conference call.

There are two options for conferences in Senior School this year for students in Year 10-13:

• Subject Interviews: For students in Year 10-13, parents can book 5-minute interviews with each of their child’s subject teachers using the PTO link (provided they are available).

• Pathways Interviews: For students in Year 11 and 12, parents and students will have the opportunity to book a Pathways Interview. This interview will run for 15 minutes with designated staff members and will help your child explore and refine their learning goals and future career pathways. We have limited spaces available, so please only book this if your child is uncertain about their options for next year. This is just a check-in, not an in-depth careers session. If you require more in-depth career advice and guidance, please book an appointment with Mrs Perrow.

Year 13 students wanting Pathways related advice should continue to book meetings with Mrs Perrow through the Careers Centre. Click here to book, or please email Mrs Price for bookings during study periods.

Each student is required to prepare for their Pathways Interview by completing the below aspects of Career Central. Prior to your appointment, you will be emailed a Career Central report (which includes information the students have completed) which will guide the discussion at these interviews.

Please CLICK HERE for instructions for Pathways Interview Preparation.