Hero photograph
Building Academy
 
Photo by Anna North

ACADEMIES AT MASSEY HIGH SCHOOL

Anna North —

Off to a Flying Start in 2019...

2019 Promises to be a very exciting year for the academies. We have introduced two new courses to supplement our Level 2 Carpentry and Multi Skill courses, Level 1 & 3 Building, to go along with the fourteen other academy options. Plus this year at MHS we welcome students from, Kelston Deaf Education centre and Rutherford College and in the tradition of AWVA, Auckland West Vocational Academy, continue to share our students. MHS students will be attending the Rutherford College Mahi ā Toi course and other course share arrangements are in place. In addition to the five school involved in AWVA in 2018, we also have another six schools associated with us and are looking at initiatives involving East Coast and Northland schools.

The academies are now full steam ahead and in 2019 Yr 11 students at MHS have the opportunity to join our Fashion and Early Childhood Academies at Level 2.

All our academy students have the opportunity to get four free driving lessons at MHS, with our own professional driving instructor. Students need to bring in their Learners Licence and show it to Ms Revell. They can then book driving lessons which take place in school time.

Here is a brief account of some of the activities going on in our academies.

The Early Childhood Academy.

The Early Childhood classes have hit the ground running and are working hard to seek the heights this year. The Level 3 have started Unitec and are studying Psychology papers. They have also been learning about non-typical pregnancies and children. They are preparing to construct an item for a premature baby so have done research in this area and making decisions about what to create. Level 3 are also working on another unit about the development and learning of children as well as getting ready to work at an Early Childhood Centre one afternoon a week over three Terms.

The Level 2 students will also attend Early Childhood Centres for work experience. Both the Level 3 and Level 2 students have made their personal profile sheet to place at the centre. The Level 2 students have been looking at the developing child and meeting the child’s basic needs. They are excitedly constructing a “baby” of their own to look after. This will be in the coming weeks, so keep a look out for them around school and home. The Level 2 students will start their Unitec course mid-year. It’s great that they have this opportunity to do tertiary study while still at school and some of them are only 15 years old when they start. Some of the students have taken advantage of the free driving lessons that are available to Academy students. Overall, it’s a productive, supportive and happy group of students who seem determined to make the most of the opportunities on offer in the Early Childhood Academy! Watch this space J Ms Noble

The Tourism Academy.

The Year 13 Tourism Academy have started the year with a brand new unit of work. This is taken from the Maori Tourism Standards. The Unit Standard has also been undertaken by the Level 3 Te Reo Maori Students and the classes have ben blended together for mutual support and benefit. The standard looks at the importance of Maori Tourism to New Zealand, the Importance of Māori Place names and use of Māori greetings and farewells in Tourism. Students have been hearing the stories behind some of our Auckland place names and learning how these are correctly pronounced. We have also visited the Auckland War Memorial Museum to see the Cultural Performance.

The Year 12 Tourism Academy have just finished their assessment for the first unit standard looking at the Business of Tourism. This largely focusses on the different components such as transportation and accommodation as well as the “journey” of a tourist – the Origin, the Transit and the Destination. Both Miss Jeong and Mrs van der Kraaij have been really impressed with the effort of both academy classes. Attendance is excellent and the majority of students are exceeding expectations. We are looking forward to the first visits to the Tertiary Provider, International Travel College, ITC, at the beginning of April.

The Carpentry Academy.

The students have been setting up the scaffolding to learn how it goes together and at the same time clean some gutters. This year has started well with some clean-up of the site and also the removal of the old caretaker’s garage which is going to be relocated for a storage area. Students are going really well enjoying the good weather and the new students from Kelston deaf Education and Rutherford College have fitted in very well.

The Fashion Academy.

In the Fashion Academy we have had a fun start to the year. The year 13 students have chosen the fabrics for their Traditional Kimono’s and have begun pattern making their own adaptations to match their Kimono designs. The Year 12 students have been working on sewing their own cosmetic cases while also learning about Fashion Illustration and designing super hero costumes.

Last week we went on a whole day trip to three different fabric shops in town where the students collected at least nine fabric swatches for the garments they will be making this year. We also got to visit two designers on Ponsonby Road whose garments are made in New Zealand, to learn about them and their products. We got to visit the Miss Crabb Store, and Deadly Ponies. When we got back to class the students chose the fabric they will be using for their Kimonos and our first bundle of fabrics arrived today. Watch this space for some finished super hero costume designs and completed traditional Kimonos made out of special fabrics like Lace, Wool and Organza.