Tolcarne Boarding Residence Report
Our Year 9 girls were the first to arrive for 2020, meeting their Year 13 buddy and being whisked off to start their new journey as a ‘Tolcarne Girl’. It felt like we had only just welcomed everyone and then we were back off home for lockdown! The Head Boarders and Tribe Leaders did a fantastic job of keeping the hostel connected, hosting various Zoom Kahoot sessions and organising the successful photo competition. Once we returned and created the Tolcarne bubble, everyone quickly adapted to our ‘new normal’.
Ziggy introduced our Tribe Cards this year. This system has been a fantastic way to further encourage positive interactions around the hostel and to earn Tribe Points. Signatures are awarded on the cards when any staff member notices even the smallest positive gesture. This is continuing to gain traction with the girls and we look forward to using the cards further in 2021.
The senior girls were lucky enough to still have their formals, narrowly missing the change in Alert Levels. And the girls certainly made their night one to remember - makeup on, tans the perfect shade (not too orange!), hair done and many glamorous outfits. We love seeing the girls prepare for the biggest night on their school social calendars, and helping paint many nails in our very own makeshift salon!
While the seniors posted photos from their formals, the juniors looked on with awe – waiting patiently for their ‘social season’ to begin. While they had to wait until Term 4, it just meant they had longer to plan food, decorations and of course outfits! The Year 9 and 10s looked as if they had stepped straight off the plane from Hawaii – dressed head to toe in Hawaiian skirts, flowers, coconut bras and of course we can’t forget the Hawaiian sun kissed skin!
The junior students have made the most out of our weekend activities offered, heading on new adventures and visiting places in Dunedin they may not have been before. They finished the year with an overnight camp in Waihola, spending time as a group and reflecting on their first year of Koru. We also had another incredible ski trip with amazing weather to top it off! This was a great opportunity for the girls to hit the slopes, no matter their skill level. Our senior students have been busy with assignments, but have also enjoyed various workshops offered and speakers coming to focus on different age relevant topics.
Jodie and her kitchen team have been busy all year, working to provide various options for the girls to enjoy. Some of their new initiatives this year have included more poke bowl ingredients, healthy additions to the smoothie area and our new sushi station! With the extensive amount of options they provide daily, the thought and effort the team put in does not go unnoticed. Steve has also been hard at work, keeping our grounds and facilities at a consistently high standard. As well as upgrading the pool area he is now preparing for our new multipurpose court to go in over the Christmas break.
We would like to thank all of the girls and families for their constant support throughout what has been an unusual year! We hope you have an amazing Christmas break, enjoy time with your special people and recharge the batteries for 2021.
And to our Year 13 girls, your Tolcarne chapter may be coming to a close, but there are so many new and exciting opportunities out there ready for you all. Thank you for supporting your buddies and for the enthusiastic approach you brought to being leaders of the hostel. We will miss your smiling faces and positivity, but we are excited for you all embarking on a new journey. Make sure to come back and visit us!
