From the Deputy Rector
Kia ora, Tēnā koutou katoa, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Tālofa lava kia orana, Mālō e lelei, Mālō nī, Ni sa bula vinaka, Tālofa,
Te mahi tahi | Industry
It is fitting that our focus value for the second half of term two has been Te mahi tahi | Industry. With Junior Examinations and mid-year university examinations having been recently completed and students studying at NCEA level nearing the conclusion of a busy period of internal assessment, alongside the significant involvement of young men in co-curricular and community service activities, it has been a challenging period of time that has relied on hard work and determined effort for it to be successfully navigated. Our school motto - Nihil Boni Sine Labore ǀ Nothing Achieved Without Hard Work - is often repeated by current students, Old Boys and staff and this message remains as pertinent today as it did when our school was established in 1902.
In any endeavour we will face challenges and it is our response to these situations that says the most about us. For young men, these challenges often come when they have busy periods of academic assessment. It is those who respond with hard work who put themselves in a position where they are most likely to achieve to their potential.
Whakanuia te tangata ringa raupā ǀ Respect a person with calloused hands
Hard work is a virtue we should celebrate as important and we should rightly respect those who do make a determined effort. As we navigate the ever-changing world around us, it is crucial to reinforce the value of hard work and its transformative impact on our lives.
Embracing a Growth Mindset
Developing a growth mindset means reframing challenges as opportunities for growth. Hard work is not merely a requirement; it is the driving force behind personal development and achieving one's full potential. By adopting a growth mindset, young men come to understand that their abilities are developed through dedication and perseverance. By cultivating a strong work ethic, students develop resilience, perseverance, and the ability to overcome obstacles. Parents play a vital role in supporting their sons to develop a growth mindset and embrace the power of hard work:
Encourage goal setting:
Help your son set realistic goals and guide him in breaking down larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps. This approach fosters a sense of accomplishment and reinforces the notion that hard work leads to tangible results.
Provide opportunities for reflection:
Engage your son in reflective conversations that allow him to assess his progress, identify areas for improvement, and celebrate his achievements. This cultivates self-awareness and helps young men recognise the correlation between effort and success.
Foster a growth mindset:
Emphasise the belief that intelligence and abilities can be developed through hard work, practice, and perseverance. Encourage your son to view challenges as learning opportunities and embrace the process of continuous improvement.
Lead by example:
As parents, we play a vital role in demonstrating the value of hard work. By showcasing our own dedication, passion, and commitment, we inspire our young men to follow suit.
Over recent weeks we have seen many examples of the importance of Te mahi tahi | Industry. Young men will have been able to link their effort with their academic studies and revision to their level of achievement in the recent examinations or NCEA internal assessments. We frequently see the Te mahi tahi | Industry required to compete at the highest level in sports teams and other cultural groups and the many student achievements reported in this newsletter are a reflection of this.
Junior Examinations and NCEA Provisional Record of Achievement
For many young men, particularly those in Year 9, the recent Junior Examinations will have been a challenging experience. While examinations are in some respects an ‘end point’, there are always many lessons that can be learned from them that will assist your son as he transitions through his secondary schooling. Parents can play an essential role in helping their sons to make the most of these examinations. Rather than simply fixating on results – was it a ‘pass’ or a ‘fail’ – engage with your son in discussions about his examination preparation – which strategies did he find most helpful? What will he do differently in the future? How will he attempt to accelerate his learning and progress in the second half of the year? Working with him to set goals will assist his academic progress and reinforce the high expectations you have for his academic progress.
Likewise, for the parents of young men studying NCEA subjects, your son's Provisional Record of Achievement, which will be emailed to parents/guardians at the end of the term, should be a discussion point with a focus on the future. Do the grades that your son has achieved to date this year represent a level of effort that he is prod of? If they do then this is a good opportunity to reinforce the positive progress that he has made. If not, then this is a good opportunity to 'reset' over the school holidays so that a more determined approach might be enacted henceforth.
Parent-Teacher Interviews
Term three Parent-Teacher interviews (Monday 5 August -in person - and Thursday 8 August - online) are an opportunity for you to gain further information about your son's junior examination or NCEA performance to date this year and the next steps in his academic progress. Information about bookings for the term three Parent-Teacher Interviews will be emailed to parents early next term. We do encourage you to make attendance at these interviews a priority as this sends a very strong message to your son about the value you place on his education.
Attendance
Encouraging regular attendance at school continues to be a focus for us. Young men need to attend regularly if they are to achieve their potential - a message that applies to all aspects of school life. The push on attendance by the government and Ministry of Education has garnered significant media coverage and each time it does there is a flurry of excuses made for New Zealand's declining attendance statistics. Excuses are not going to help. Yes, there are circumstances under which it is not appropriate for young people to be at school - if they are genuinely unwell, have a medical or dental appointment or following a family bereavement. However, outside of such circumstances, regular school attendance must be the norm. Parents play a fundamental role in establishing and maintaining habits of regular attendance.
In term one this year 73% of students at Palmerston North Boys' High School regularly attended school i.e. at least 90%. While this figure will no doubt compare favourably to national statistics when they become available, it is considerably below the 86% of students who regularly attended school in term one of 2016. Simply put, this decline in regular attendance is significant and will be negatively impacting student's academic progress and achievement.
2025 Subject Selections
We are in the first stages of our planning for 2025. An essential component of this are young men's subject selections for next year. Early next term we will be asking them to start making their choices in this regard. These decisions are important as they will influence future pathways. We encourage parents and young men to begin their discussions about next year and beyond. We realise that many young men will not have a firm plan for the future, and that's fine.
The most important thing is that young men are starting to have conversations about possible pathways and careers beyond school. Talking about your career and those of the people you work with can be a good starting point. The careers.govt.nz website contains a wealth of information and useful tools, such as:
To assist with this decision making a Subject Information Evening is being held on Tuesday, August 20th, 6.00pm - 7.00pm. On this night you will have the opportunity to speak to teachers, Year Level Deans, the Careers Advisor and Heads of Departments. Further information will be provided next term.
Scholarship Examinations
We encourage all young men studying NCEA Level Three subjects to consider sitting scholarship assessments. NZQA explains that “New Zealand Scholarship provides recognition and monetary reward for the highest achieving secondary school students. Scholarship is assessed against demanding standards to challenge the most capable students in each subject area. Scholarship candidates are expected to demonstrate high-level critical thinking, and to integrate, synthesise and apply knowledge, skills, understanding and ideas to complex situations.”
Scholarship requires a significant extra commitment in terms of revision and examination preparation. Many departments will run additional tutorials to assist with this. However, for some young men, the extra time required may be an impediment to their success at NCEA Level 3 and in gaining University Entrance. For this reason, we encourage all young men contemplating enrolling in Scholarship to discuss this with their parents and teachers so that an informed decision is made. If your son wishes to enrol for Scholarship examinations he needs to register his name with his class teacher as soon as possible. There is no cost for domestic students to sit Scholarship assessments. However, any International students interested in Scholarship examinations must see Mrs Young-Wilson as soon as possible.