Kia ora everyone!

Alert Level 1

As gathering sizes are unlimited, the opportunity to engage in community wide events such as sports exchanges and drama productions all becomes a possibility again. Under Alert Level 1, good hygiene practices remain at the forefront of all we do with good hand washing and sanitizer available in all locations throughout the school. As always, if your daughter is not feeling well, please keep her at home and if she has any covid like symptoms, please seek advice from your GP, or call the healthline. A swab should be taken and where that occurs, your daughter will be required to stay home until the results are known. Access to learning during this time can occur through the remote learning platform, google classroom.

Supporting students with additional learning needs

Thanks to C3 construction, our full disability bathroom is on track to be completed early next term. This is part of our refurbishment and upgrade of our learning hub which has had exponential growth. Special thanks to our Inclusive Learning Leader Mrs Karen Gilby and her team of colleagues who do an outstanding job of supporting those with additional learning needs.

New Audio visual equipment 

It's been a long time coming but the Sports Hall has a brand new Audio Visual system up and running. With two large screens, crisp clear sound and visual communications, our full school gatherings are made even more exciting. Thanks to our BoT for their investment in this much needed equipment.

Devices and Modems

TGC has issued 400 devices to students over the last 4-6 weeks. These devices are on a long term loan and will be returned at the end of the year. We still encourage the support of chromebooks as the preferred device for learning at Yr 9 and 10. TGC has also supported 24 families with internet connections. We are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to learning. All 55 MoE allocated devices have also been delivered and MoE modems are also being issued over the next month.

Matariki Celebrations

Matariki is being celebrated at TGC this week (as much of it falls during the school holidays). It signals the start of the Maori New Year and my Kaupapa Maori prefects along with their committee have been collaborating with others to ensure there is a great week of events. There is a kahoot, game of ki-o-rahi and craft fun to name a few of the surprises this week. I do hope your daughter has given something new a go by getting involved. 

The new TGC shirts are back in stock 

After selling out of the new TGC shirt, NZ Uniforms has now received a large shipment of stock. Lenco, makers of our TGC shorts will also be selling other uniform items and will open a store on 22nd Ave later this year. Lenco supplies TBC, TGC and TiS Uniforms.

Community Minded

Thanks to our Social Committee for organising #shorts4hospice last week. This was a great fundraiser with SHORTbread for morning tea and SHORTS being worn on the SHORTest day (we did this on Friday as the actual day was a weekend day). Waipuna Hospice, you do a fabulous job for our community, so this was a big shoutout to you. Our fundraising effort is heading your way!

Paint and more

There are further toilet block upgrades taking place in the July break, new signage for the International Dept and other property maintenance work to ensure that TGC continues to look and feel vibrant and exciting. Our new Acting Property Manager, John along with his team are certainly doing their part in looking after our surroundings.

Korero Mai (tell us)

Our light bulb shaped portable ‘student voice’ box is finally in action with students being asked for their ideas into the spending of $30k. Thanks to all those students who took the time to put forward their suggestions. Our student rep on the BoT, Teia Kahura will update us all once the data has been collated.

Learning from Remote Learning!

Once again, a student team and staff team are going through the data to make sense of your responses to our questions about remote learning. There are some key themes that are appearing across all groups. Flexibility is one that comes to mind. Once the data is grouped into themes, the next step is to consider how this is shared and then actioned. So, what does flexibility mean, what could this look like from home, at school, in different subject areas etc What we do know, is there is an opportunity to create a new norm and we are excited about the possibilities.

If you are away, learning can continue 

Google is the platform most teachers use to engage with students when they are away from school. In particular, Google Classroom and google meets (ex hangout). Should there be a lock down again or for any known reason your daughter is away from school for a long period of time, she can remain connected to her learning using this platform. 

Kia kaha, arohanui and remember, we are only to pleased to help, so keep in touch.

Tara Kanji

Tumuaki/Principal