Tumuaki/Principal Pānui

Principal —

Vertical Whānau Groups
As mentioned in the previous two newsletters, TGC will move to vertical whānau or tutor groups in 2021. This does NOT impact on how subject/teaching classes (like Maths, Science etc) are constructed.

The purpose is to support academic, pastoral and whakawhanaungatanga (relationships), needs of students in a whānau context, a whānau/family within a house (Mansfield, Batten etc), which sits within the wider TGC family. The Whānau teacher has an overview of the wellbeing of your daughter. “It's a time to connect us together so we can support each other.” This could be mentoring, coaching and or in leadership. This is about caring for people in a learning/school context, not high stakes assessment or about NCEA credits but those very important ‘soft and transferable skills’ like empathy, listening, kindness, being helpful, understanding learning happens differently for different people, valuing differences. Of course there will be attendance checks, issuing of notices, and reminders about expectations but this will be a shared role with all students helping the teacher to support the vision of the College.

Full details of what this will look like and how it will take shape will be shared once the final student body conversations have been had. This will be in the next week or so. All students were informed a few weeks ago at year level assemblies but there have been several meetings at break times to share more ideas and answer questions. I understand doing something different can be unsettling at first and we will ensure that there is an opportunity for students to give us feedback. All students/parents will still be supported by a Whānau teacher, House Dean, Deputy Principal and wider pastoral team.

Prize Givings and celebrations this year
With so many sporting, cultural and arts events postponed, cancelled or scaled back this year, our annual TGC Prize Givings and celebrations are being re-evaluated. Under Alert Level 2 we cannot hold them if the visitor size is over 100 and every year we exceed this number. More importantly as events have been cancelled due to the pandemic, we have very few results that would allow us to have a meaningful celebration. This is proving to be quite a headache for all concerned! We are in the process of working through the logistics of this and will update you later this term.

Behaviour expectation at TGC
Our College prides itself on its three values - Respect, Pride and Participation. It is unfortunate then that some girls have made deliberate choices not to model these values. TGC does not accept bystander behaviour, using social media to make unfriendly comments or judgements and certainly does not condone truancy and other such actions that do not reflect its values. It is disappointing when this College provides so many opportunities for students both in and out of the classroom that a small few spoil it for others. I, along with the BoT continue to ensure that TGC is a safe and valued space for everyone and where students do not do their part in supporting this, disciplinary consequences have followed. It is up to all of us to support our friends and those around us to be positive role models and to take pride in all that we do.

Vigilance under Alert Level 2
Under Alert Level 2 we must remain vigilant so that we track downwards and not upwards. We have been fortunate that the impact for our region has, in terms of schooling, been far less than our Auckland counterparts. Gathering sizes remains one of the impacts (when we can have no more than 100 external visitors). Whilst in school with TGC students we are exempt from the same gathering size rules, we will no longer be having full school assemblies to ensure we can have some social distancing. This means our next full school assembly will be virtual one and led by the Student Leaders.

What remains important at all times is for everyone to:

  • Stay home if unwell
  • Take a COVID test if you have COVID like symptoms
  • Wash hands/sanitize regularly
  • Cough/sneeze into your elbow
  • When not at school, keep up with your contact tracing by scanning using the COVID QR code
  • Be kind and be remote ready should alert levels change

House 21 Competition winners announced
Annabel Robinson and Mahnoor Qadri. Congratulations!! Your entry gained the most votes by our student and staff body and therefore you are the winners of the House 21 Competition and recipients of $500. All entries received a box of chocolates and a letter of congratulations. Further details of the winning house entry will be published once we have completed final checks and protocols.

Māori Achievement Inquiry and NZCER Well Being Survey
The BoT has supported an Inquiry into Māori Achievement. All of our Māori students and parents have been asked for their input into this process. Please check your email inbox. All staff and students were also invited to complete the NZCER Well Being survey. All schools in our Community of Learning or Kahui Ako have participated in this process. I look forward to sharing some insights with you next term.

Winter Tournament like no others
Winter tournament has been and gone and quite unlike any other! Many codes could not proceed and had to cancel but a small number managed to pull off a local competition. Netball was played at RGHS with our girls coming a close second, our footballers won their tournament which was here in Tauranga and hockey is to be played in Hamilton this weekend. Congratulations to all our sportswomen.

Yr 13 School Ball
Under a COVID Alert Level 2 we cannot have school ball due to gathering size restrictions and social distancing requirements when off site. A final decision will be made next week as we cannot afford to lose deposits and pay for decorations etc if the event is unlikely to go ahead. If this occurs, our head students and their Dean have a Plan B up their sleeve!

Mid Term Break this weekend
Don’t forget our usual mid term break takes place this weekend. There will be no school on Monday 7 September so enjoy the long weekend.

Tara Kanji
Tumuaki/Principal