| Thursday 8th December 2022 | Term 4 Week 8  |
Kia ora e te whānau!
In this, our last newsletter of 2022, we approach the end of another school year. 2022 has been accompanied by successes and challenges. Of course, covid unwellness and attendance have been our most significant barriers to producing our best learning outcomes and opportunities at school. I hope that 2023 brings a fresh year with fewer (or no) government-led shifts and changes in the opportunities we can provide to our learners. Our successes are too many to list, but here are a few that relate to our overall Strategic Plan - connecting our digital learning portfolios with our whānau, elaborating on our school values and commencing our WAKA acknowledgement system and badges, keeping the vast majority of our NCEA learners on track for good news when results are released in 2023, working through the design process for our new school, celebrating success and improvement with DMIC in the Mathematics Curriculum area, welcoming new learners to our school with a smoother enrolment process and, most recently enjoying more frequent sporting and community events! Thank you to everyone who has shared kind words, supported the school, or made an impact on the school and our learners across 2022. We intend to continue our progress in 2023.
We have a number of exciting announcements to make:- Daisy Morrow (Year 7) is our third WAKA badge recipient. She received a Whānaukataka badge at an impromptu assembly during Outdoor Ed Week. Congratulations Daisy!
- We have been lucky enough to receive enough funding to support a 4th middle school class. This means we will continue to have M1, M2, M3 and M4 in 2023. This is due to the number of new enrolments expected in early 2023. The confirmation of the 4 classes has led to the advertisement of a permanent teaching position. The successful applicant was Taylor McGifford, who is now confirmed in a permanent role. Her maternity leave cover has been advertised.
- Our Head Students and Deputies for 2023 have been appointed. Congratulations to Monique van der Westhuizen and Billy Garbutt, who are our 2023 Head Students, and to Fred Grant and Emily Schaar, our Deputy Head Students. Billy and Monique have already been put to work, Billy in interviewing our prospective DPs and Monique in giving feedback to our MoE-appointed architects for the new school.
- Our new Leadership Team is confirmed as Assistant Principal - Melissa McLellan and Deputy Principal - Charlotte Saunders. You can read more about Melissa and Charlotte later in this newsletter. Congratulations on your new roles; exciting times are ahead!
Throughout the week, our Middle School have been challenged by the daily events of Outdoor Ed Week. Learn more about this later in our newsletter. Well done to those of you who have stepped up to the challenge, and thank you to our teachers for supporting such a massive event at the end of the school year. Special thanks to Mark Frost and Neil Potter for making this happen. In Junior School, swimming has taken off beautifully in the warmer pool, and opportunities to develop sports skills, such as tennis, abound!
Earlier this week, the MoE Design Team made their third visit to the school to develop the plans for the new school. We are making progress, but I am not able to share the outcomes with the community. Unfortunately, the Board continue to await support from the Ministry of Education for either a gymnasium building or funding to allow us equitable access to the Community Centre. Without confirmation of either funding or building, the Board cannot be assured that the full breadth of the NZ Curriculum can be delivered in our new school. As such, there will be no acceptance of the Master Plan. This, in turn, means I cannot share the designs with the community. On a more positive note, we are promised that a resolution is being discussed, and a tentative date has been set for a community meeting to meet the design team. The intention of the meeting is for the team to present the Design Phase Plan to the community. The New-School Design Community Meeting will be held on February 22nd 2023, at 3.15 pm.
A couple of ‘Heads Up’ comments:- End-of-Year Reports for students in Years 1-10 will be sent via the parent portal next week - these reports show an indication of class placement for 2023.
- Join us for our Prizegiving on Wednesday, 14th December at 10 am in the Community Centre.
- I will be on leave on December 12th and 13th to attend my daughter’s graduation ceremony, urgent enquiries should be directed to the main office.
Best wishes for a fabulous summer break - enjoy the time with your young people - they grow so fast! Meri Kirihmete!
He waka eke noa,
Kate Staniford
Tumuaki | Principal
Ākonga in Year 7-10 have enjoyed their Outdoor Education Week activities so far this week. With water and tramping activities completed, it will be onto the Challenge and Expedition Days to finish the week. 👍 🥾 🛶 What an awesome end to the year once again!
M4 ākonga have completed their Goldfield Projects this week, after visiting Cromwell earlier this term to deepen their understanding of the consequences of the 1860’s gold discoveries in Otago. ⛏️ 🌟 Students shared their projects with Juniors who were very interested in a fascinating period of New Zealand…
Twizel Area School Prizegiving Assembly will take place on Wednesday, 14th December 2022 at the Twizel Events Centre, beginning at 10 am. 🏆 It is an opportunity for parents, caregivers and whānau members to join us and celebrate the students' achievements.
School stationery lists for 2023 are available now! You can find all the details here including where and how to purchase it. 📝📐🎒 If you are unsure which class your child will be in, that information will be available in the end-of-year reports.
Junior classes have, this week, enjoyed some tennis skills and coaching with thanks going to South Canterbury Tennis coach Steve Dries. 🎾 👟 Watch out for the next Roger Federer and Venus Williams in the making!
As part of Room 13 students' term 4 topic on Antarctica, the whole class has been involved in making a fantastic 3D papier-mâché Antarctic map. 🐧 🧊 In the final, full week of school for the year, it has been completed. Ka pai to everyone for their hard work!
We are pleased to announce the appointment of a Deputy and Assistant Principal, commencing in January 2023. Our Deputy Principal is Charlotte Saunders, our Assistant Principal is Melissa McLellan. Both have written a short introduction, and I'm sure the community will make them feel very welcome.
Students' end-of-year reports will be available to read via the SchoolBridge app and web portal from Wednesday 14th December. Parents and caregivers will receive a reminder of their username/password before then, for instructions on how to access and download your child's report, click here!
A reminder that Technology company Cyclone have an online ordering portal to make it easier for parents and caregivers to purchase BYOD devices for rangatahi heading into 2023.
There's never a bad time to brush up on your Te Reo Māori, and Te Rā Kirihimete | Christmas Day is as good a time as any! 🎄 🎅 Here are some Christmas phrases that everyone can use when you are surrounded by whānau and friends during the festive season.
Some very excitable students, along with Mr White and Mr van M were having way too much fun building rockets this morning! 🚀 The aim...to fire them at the (Outdoor Ed Week) enemy invaders! 👾
With only a handful of school days left in 2022, now is the time to return your library books. 📚 Look under your bed, down the back of your couch and in your school bag. There is a return point at the library door, opposite the main office.
As we approach the end of 2022, our eyes and thoughts turn to the new school year. Here are some important dates to start 2023, we will obviously advise you of other dates such as Teacher Only Days once the final details have been ironed out!
The Community Dental Service will be providing dental care for children enrolled with the service during the upcoming school holidays. The clinics will offer treatment and relief of pain sessions by appointment only. 🦷🪥
Here are some common responses to school reports and ideas for 'A for effort' conversations with your child about their progress. 🏫 📋
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