Kia ora e te whānau and woohoo, here is the second pānui from TGC!! So, here's the Tui’s message #2.

Supporting others in need

Firstly, our support of Napier Girls’ College. Tauranga Girls’ College and Napier Girls have had a long-standing sporting relationship. At this week’s fundraiser, it is our opportunity to support this school with a financial donation to support their equity needs post Cyclone Gabrielle. The recent cyclone has impacted many schools in the Hawkes Bay. NGHS is the school that we will make a direct contribution. The WBOPPA (Western BoP Principals Association) has donated $5k to their Hawkes Bay equivalent Principals association. Thank you for supporting us to support others in need. We ask you to contribute a gold coin donation on the 7 March.

Firewood for sale

We have a firewood fundraiser from our cyclone fallen trees. Follow our SM pages if you want some quality firewood to store for future use. Details of costs, delivery or pick-up will be posted on our social media channels soon! You will also be pleased to know that that tree that fell on one of our classrooms only resulted in minor damage, and the classroom was back in action for students one day later. All safety checks were met.

Te Matatini results

Te Matatini has named Mātaatua representatives Te Whānau a Apanui as this year’s winners of the Ngāpō Pimia Wehi Duncan McIntyre trophy and the championship title of Te Matatini 2023. Tauranga Girls’ College sends their congratulations too!

Whanaungatanga BBQ at the pool

Thank you to all our friends and family of Year 9 students (and other students new to our school) who attended this event last week. The weather finally allowed us to have this postponed event. We hope you met your young person’s kaiako/teachers.

Te Ara Ako - learning conversations are soon

We have our learning conversations with you on Wednesday, 15 March (Week 7). It’s an opportunity to share our collective thoughts on how your young person has settled into the school year. Face to face are from 11-1.30 and then again from 4-6 pm.

PB4L

Positive Behaviour for Learning is a framework that sets the tone of our school. It is based on our school’s values of Manaakitanga, Mana Motuhake and Mahi Tahi. We have high expectations of behaviour and of learning for all students. We appreciate the support of whānau and parents to ensure that everyone can be the best version of themselves in their chosen school of, Tauranga Girls’ College.

Pastoral Support

All students belong to a vertical whānau group, a house and have a cohort Dean and Deputy Principal to support them. Along with the Careers advisor, Guidance Staff, Learning Hub and the Director of International Students, our students are certainly well cared for. You can email staff directly if you have any questions or concerns. Email details can be found on our website.

Congratulations

Our congratulations to Toni Heke-Ririnui on her appointment to the Education Review Office. Toni has been the Manukura o Te Whare Mātauranga o Ngāti Ranginui and a wonderful support of our kura and all in the area. Toni has made and will continue to be a wonderful and staunch advocate for both her iwi and hapu and all things Māori. We wish her every success as part of a new team in the ERO.

Strike Action

16 March has been determined as a Strike Day by the PPTA (Post Primary Teachers Association), the Union representing our teachers. School cannot operate normally on this day, but if your young person is under 14 and requires supervision for the day, some teachers will be available to supervise. Please note: normal teaching cannot take place on this day. A letter outlining this day will follow this week. We apologize for any disruption that this may cause.

Teacher Only Day

On the 22 March, Tauranga Girls’ College will be holding the first of its Teacher Only Days. This is to remind parents that professional learning days like these are factored into our legal requirements of half days that we must be open… in other words, we are open for the correct number of days and in line with MoE requirements.

Phones and our device of choice

Phones are not permitted during class time. These should be in bags or in the drop zones located in the classroom. Our learning device of choice is the Chromebook. Please do not contact your young person during class time. In the case of an emergency, phone the school office. There are consequences for students not following our phone rules. Please support our school in this endeavour as we want to minimize distractions that we know phones can be and ensure that learning is at the fore whilst in class.

Use of Social Media

Whānau/parents, ensure you keep a healthy eye on your young person’s social media presence. Reminding them to take social responsibility for their digital footprint is something we alone cannot do. What may seem like fun today could come back and impact negatively tomorrow. Your enrolment pack included a copy of our social media and digital citizenship guidelines.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Keep in touch by following us on our Facebook and Instagram.

The second half of Term 1.

Lastly, it’s wonderful to feel pockets of warmer weather again and to have been able to hold some of our first house spirit events to get the school and all within it humming for a wonderful second half of Term 1. Thanks to our Director of School Spirit, Mrs Talbot, and our Deputy Head Prefect of School Spirit, Sara Esterman (and their respective teacher and prefect teams), for their enthusiasm.

Board of Trustees 2023

Whilst details of our Tauranga Girls’ College Board of Trustees are on our website, we congratulate Mrs Mariana Tapsell, the new Presiding Member for the Tauranga Girls’ College Board of Trustees. Thank you to Yvonne Handley for her dedication and commitment to the school as the former Presiding Member and who ended her term with our Board earlier this year.

Let’s make the most of the last 5 weeks of Term 1. Make every day count by attending, engaging, learning and enjoying all that Tauranga Girls’ College offers in and out of the classroom.