Please read the following newsletter for all news pertaining to Senior School students.

“Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion”.  Simon Sinek

This Tuesday we had a scheduled Teacher Only Day and one of the Professional Development sessions touched on the issue of stress. How do we manage it? How do we avoid it? How can we reframe our thinking to help us live well? The quote above speaks to this I think because as educators, I believe none of us would have remained in this profession unless we truly loved learning. The Teacher Only Day was a valuable opportunity to reflect on this and bounce ideas back and forth that can spur us on to be more effective and efficient as ‘lead learners’.

Another session highlighted for us again the incredible rate of change that is occurring in the world around us. Industries are being revolutionised as robotics, 3D printing, increasing automation and artificial intelligence (AI) developments rapidly expand. While on the one hand, this could appear overwhelming, it provides many exciting opportunities as we work together to prepare ourselves for the challenges that lie ahead. 

Pathways

At this time of the year, we encourage you to check in again with your students about what their future aspirations may be. While some no doubt already have a few options in mind, others will still be working through what can often be a daunting process. When it all seems too broad, reflect back at them who they are, what you see as specific gifts and talents God has placed in their lives, because who they are as unique people made in His image is a really important step in this process.

World Vision - 40 Hour Famine

Events:

• The annual World Vision Quiz Night TOMORROW, Friday, 7 June at 7.30pm.
  We are looking for teams of approximately 8 people and parent participation is very much a key part of this event. There will also be a silent auction and opportunities to purchase gifts. All proceeds from the evening will be going towards our 2019 World Vision fundraising effort. CLICK HERE for the Facebook Event.
• The World Vision Walk for Year 12 and Year 13 students will be held on Saturday, 8 June at 2pm. This is a 20km walk (twice around the Orewa estuary loop + some). Students and teachers can choose to do 10km, or 20km.
• Normal Famine Fundraising: This year we are strongly encouraging Senior School students to participate ONLINE. They can sign up to be a part of the Kingsway page here: https://my.worldvision.org.nz/ss/4V7MCD/kingsway-school

12OED Surf Camp

14 students travelled to Raglan recently to complete a surfing unit standard. They experienced three glorious days of good weather and excellent surf. By the end of the three-day camp most students were able to stand and catch some decent waves. Students stayed in tents to complete the first part of another NZQA assessment. Thanks to Mr Thomson for organising this camp – it was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended.

Media Studies trip to Docs4Schools

The Year 12 and 13 Media Studies students recently attended two screening sessions at the Docs4Schools’ film festival hosted by Doc Edge at the Q Theatre in Auckland. It was a day of being immersed in watching a variety of documentaries from around the world with topics ranging from the struggles of a female Japanese sumo wrestler to a young Canadian woman’s unrealized dream of becoming an astronaut. The afternoon session featured The Serengeti Rules, an in-depth consideration of how biodiversity in nature collapses when a predator is removed. This spectacular documentary was told through the stories and pioneering adventures of five unsung heroes of modern ecology. Click here to see the trailer: http://docedge.nz/film/schools-the-serengeti-rules-2/

We would like to acknowledge and thank the Rei Foundation for their generous support of this programme and for the bus subsidy that made attending this year’s screenings more affordable for students. Hopefully, we now have a whole group of really inspired young doco filmmakers at school!

Year 13 Adventure Based Leadership

Next week, students from the Year 13 Adventure Based Leadership class will be heading down to Karangahake Gorge for 3 days in the bush. They will be exploring the area rich in gold mining history and demonstrating leadership skills and safe practices. The following week they will be heading to Woodhill Forrest to complete Mountain Biking assessments.

Student Achievement

Congratulations to Lauren O’Malley who was recently awarded the Northern Tennis Sports Person of the Year award. This was for the player in either the premier men’s or women’s league who exemplified both ability and sportsmanship. This is an outstanding achievement Lauren.

Talent Quest

Thank you to the Arts Council who ran the recent student talent quest, along with those who helped behind the scenes. Please CLICK HERE for the full article which includes a list of the winners and participants.

Upcoming Events

Key Dates

• 6 June L2/3 MST Trip
• 12 June L3 ABL Tramp
• 12 June Year 10-13 Class Photos
• 12 June Year 13 Formal Photographs
• 13 June L1 GEO Trip
• 14-15 June Vanuatu Boot Camp
• 19-20 June Arts Showcase
• 21 June 13 ABL Woodhill Trip
• 21 June Missions Mufti Day