A Tauranga Girls' College Update

International Girls Schools

Recently, Kylie Valentine (DP Learning and Teaching) and I had the opportunity to attend the Australasian Girls’ Schools Conference in Hobart. A conference that attracted forty-three New Zealanders, over 200 delegates from Australia, and a sprinkling from the United States. It was wonderful to be a part of a New Zealand delegation, to learn from the sharing of ideas, to be challenged in our thinking and to understand global trends in girls' education and education in general. Keynote speakers focussed on education (OECD) trends, well-being, student agency and technology use. There were a myriad of other speakers and workshops. The New Zealand State Schools at the conference look forward to getting together in August to support one another with our shared understanding of critical ideas to champion wahine.

Industrial Action

Unfortunately, Industrial Action has ramped up. PPTA members all voted in favour of utilising several tools to attract the Government’s attention regarding pay and conditions of teachers in the Secondary context. Details of this impact will be shared with parents in a separate letter. I hope a settlement can be reached before the new term begins. In light of this, the Napier Girls’ Exchange held each year in Taupō has had to be postponed. Both schools will endeavour to resurrect the exchange in Term 3 if venue availability and industrial action allow. With the swift and changing nature of the industrial action, our social media sites will provide the latest information as it comes to hand.

Impact on Learning

Industrial action will impact learning programs and on students learning. As the ban does not allow for staff to place information in the google classroom on their rostered day home, students will need to ensure that they notice what the expectation is in terms of ‘what to carry on with’ if appropriate, by their teachers in the lessons before they are rostered home. Our Leaders of Learning are meeting on Monday to share ideas and to consider possible changes to learning plans. We are all very aware of this action's impact on staff and students. Please ensure your learner attends school every day, as every day matters!

Our Uniform blitz

Thank you for your support of the correct wearing of our school uniform. Trousers, shorts and skirts are all options available to students, as is our lava lava. These items, along with our shirt, jersey and jacket, ensure that students have a uniform choice, are warm and wear the uniform with pride. Students that have joined us from non-uniform-wearing schools do comment on not having to ‘compete with other girls’, to ‘feel like they have to have brands’, or to ‘have to worry about what I need to wear’ as the uniform allows for everyone to have a choice, look similar and it ‘reduces costs’ over the year.

Need to contact us?

Who to contact if you have any questions. If your young person comes home and voices a concern, take the time to speak with them to ascertain the context and to triangulate the story. If you wish to talk to a staff member about the matter, then raise that with the learner's coach, subject teacher, dean etc., depending on the context. Please make the time to do this. Email (addresses or on our website) or phone to make an appointment. All of our staff have classes they need to attend, and with the current industrial action, the time to complete all of their mahi falls between 8.15 am - 4.15 pm. Our staff will always do their best to support you as soon as possible.

Cameras at school

I remind you again of the cameras in use at school. A sign that reads ‘camera operating’ indicates where they are positioned. You will see this at reception too. Recently, the cameras provided evidence of a 3 am theft that took place. The information we captured could then be passed on to the police. We are not a ‘gated school’, so occasionally, people take shortcuts through our school despite our signage reminding members of the public not to do so. Our cameras are also helpful in capturing vandalism. Cameras are not located in changing rooms or abolition blocks for privacy reasons.

Kahui Ako Day Success

Congratulations to all the 760 kāhui ako (community of learning) kaiako (teachers) that attended on Friday, 2 June. It was a very successful day of learning and sharing of practice. Workshops were well-received, engaging and enjoyable. Thank you to everyone, especially those behind the scenes, with their organisation and smooth running of this event hosted by Tauranga Girls’ College and Gate Pa Primary.

Te Ara Ako (Learning conversations)

A reminder that links to our learning conversations or Te Ara Ako are taking place next week. There are Google Meet or face-to-face options. Our staff have agreed to continue with these despite the industrial action, so please make the time to meet with your learners’ teachers.

Tara Kanji