Newsletter April 2015 - Rangiora High School
Transcription
Newsletter April 2015 - Rangiora High School
Rangiora High School Te Kura Tuarua o Rangiora Newsletter - April 2015 Rowing South Island Secondary Schools Regatta – Twizel This was the final regatta for most of the 25 RHS rowers and their last chance to shine after a very busy season. Saturday’s racing schedule was full, with so many schools attending, competition was tough. Unfortunately the weather forecast was not good so some finals were scheduled into the evening. Rose McEwan and Alice Pallister again showed their talent by winning GOLD in the U18 Doubles, an outstanding effort against bigger girls. As predicted, the conditions on Sunday were very windy so the regatta was abandoned. This then meant medals were awarded on heat times. RHS therefore collected several more medals which was satisfying: Rose McEwan & Alice Pallister - Silver in U18 Pair, Rose McEwan - Silver U18 Single, George Howat - Silver U18 Single, George Howat & Josh Sim - Bronze U18 Double Maadi Cup This year’s Maadi Cup team best described as a lean mean green machine, headed to Lake Karapiro on 21 March. With only 4 rowers selected the team did not disappoint. After a tense week of heats, quarter and semi-finals we made it to four A Finals and two B Finals. Rose McEwan and Alice Pallister had a big task ahead of them to reach medal contention against often bigger and stronger girls. They rowed extremely well and won a Bronze Medal in the U18 Double event, in two other A Finals the girls came 6th in the pair and Rose gained 5th place in the single – a fine effort. George Howat made an A Final in the U18 Singles and went on to come 6th a huge achievement. George and Josh Sim were placed 3rd in the Double and 4th in the Pair B Finals. At the conclusion of the regatta the NZ Trialists were named and George made selection for these trials to be held in the second week of the holidays. If he is successful and makes NZ Juniors they will head to Rio de Janeiro for the Junior World Champs in August. Rangiora High School East Belt Rangiora 7400 New Zealand Telephone 03 3118888 Facsimile 03 3138005 Email admin@rangiorahigh.school.nz Website www.rangiorahigh.school.nz From the Principal He Pitopito Kōrero E mihi ana ki te whānau o te kura tuarua Rangiora. Term 1 has been exciting, action packed and rewarding, and has seen great students doing remarkable things. Our newsletter reflects the often frenetic lives our students lead as they balance all the marvellous activities available to them at Rangiora High School with their important academic commitments. I would like to congratulate our athletes, coaches, managers and supporters for their significant contribution to Tournament Week. I am always so proud of the many talented students who represent us all over the country, in a myriad of sporting activities. While they compete on that national stage I would also like to pay tribute to the “business as usual,” approach back here at school, and share with you “a day in the life of the principal,” on Friday 27 March 2015. Our students enjoyed the annual “Crashbash” simulation exercise organised by the New Zealand police. This was an activity that built on the 2015 Crash Bash performance “Hot Seat,” enjoyed by students in March. Then Head Girl Elizabeth Mullan and I met with Jamie McNae, to congratulate him on raising $500.00, when he shaved his head to raise funds for teen cancer. A stunning effort! Well done! And then it was off to the Mainpower Oval, the home of cricket in Canterbury Country, with a group of enthusiastic supporters, to support our 1stXI in their game against Christ’s College. A great game, played as cricket should be. And finally a quick walk around our new temporary village on East Belt, which is near completion. The dream of our 26 classroom MLE is closer than ever and demolition of the old Science Block is only weeks away. These are indeed exciting times for the school. To ensure staff are fully supported to work in this exciting new modern learning environment there has been a significant focus on professional learning in Term 1. Staff were funded by the Board of Trustees to attend conferences both locally, nationally and internationally to assist them to meet the pedagogical challenges such a paradigm shift requires. I was humbled to be invited to present to the 36th Annual Ethnography in Education Research Forum at the University of Pennsylvania, in February 2015. This paper explored my practitioner-based research into Maori achievement here at Rangiora High School. University of Waikato’s Associate Professor Mere Berryman was a keynote speaker, and the only other New Zealander to be invited. Mere’s work underpins mine, the government’s Māori education strategy: Ka Hikitia - Accelerating Success 2013 - 2017, our current Kia Eke Panuku project and is internationally recognised as ground breaking research into indigenous education. With Easter and the school holidays upon us, it is important, after such a hectic term, that all students do build in an all-important break. Thank you for a great term everybody! I wish you well and hope you enjoy some quality family time. Kia kaha, kia toa, kia manawanui. Peggy Burrows Principal An Update from Bev Moore, Commissioner Dear parents, As the end of term quickly arrives, I thought it would be useful to give you a brief update. Since my arrival at the school I have had several productive meetings with the Ministry of Education regarding the exciting Modern Learning Environment (MLE) facilities that the Ministry is developing at Rangiora High School to help manage the school’s growing roll. While these projects take time, I am confident that the planning is in hand and the students and staff are going to benefit significantly from this new Ministry-funded state-of-the art building. I expect to have further information to share about progress next term. I have also recently received the first of many Building Condition Assessment reports on some of the school’s facilities to feed into the process of developing the school’s 10 Year Property Plan that is due for completion this year. This report will provide a stocktake of all of the school’s buildings and documents all potential and current building issues, from cyclical maintenance to larger issues, so that these can be appropriately addressed either in the short term or across the next 5-10 years. As a result of this report and after talking to students and staff, I have made the decision to move the Learning Support Centre as soon as possible due to the buildings being very old and not providing a suitable learning or working environment. We are looking at some options for relocating this important area of the school and I should have an update on this early next term. I have also had a couple of meetings with Mike Rondell from BDO about the school’s financial management. As you may know Mike was a specialist adviser on finance to the previous board. He has provided me with a copy of his report and we are working through the recommendations, which generally relate to developing robust policies and strategic financial planning. I’m very pleased that we are able to access Mike’s skills as he knows school systems well and can help ensure there are good policies and practices in place to manage Rangiora High School’s healthy financial reserves. On a personal note, it continues to be my pleasure to have met many Rangiora High School students and parents during my month as Commissioner, as well as having met the staff on many occasions. As always, I would like to reinforce that I am happy to meet with anyone who wishes to provide any feedback, discuss any concerns, or simply introduce themselves – I can be contacted through the office or by email bev.moore@ xtra.co.nz I hope that everyone has an enjoyable Easter and term break. I look forward to updating you further next term. Kind regards, Bev Moore Commissioner Important Information Regarding Zone and Bus Travel If you are thinking of moving house now or in the future, and you find yourself living outside the Rangiora High School Zone, for example in Woodend, Pegasus, Ravenswood or Waikuku, please be aware that even if your address meets the distance qualification of 4.8km away from the school, your student will not be entitled to travel to or from school by school bus. Whilst your student will be welcome to continue at Rangiora High School, you will become responsible for getting them to and from school. They will not be able to use the school bus service, even if they travel to an “in zone” bus stop. This will also affect any younger siblings who may enrol in the future as an out of zone sibling of a currently attending student. Should you wish us to check an address for your prospective move, please do not hesitate to contact us by telephoning (03) 3118888. HILLARY HOUSE HEAD OF HOUSE Mr K Sullivan DEAN OF HOUSE Ms E Gibson Term 1 seems to have flown by and it is has been so pleasing to see Hillary students making such progress at school, both in the classroom and in the various extra-curricular pursuits and interests that our students pursue. Luke Gold 12 HHT exemplifies this as an individual who excels in the classroom and in sport, and now represents Hillary House as our Sports’ Council Representative. We would like to congratulate Ms Emma Gibson, who was recently appointed Dean of Hillary House for the next five years. Ms Gibson has taught at Rangiora High School for the last fifteen years as a member of the English Faculty and is a former member of Sheppard House. She has been Acting Dean for Term 1 so a number of you will have already met her. Amongst her interests Ms Gibson enjoys horse riding and eventing and has been regularly involved with our School Ski Team. Also joining Hillary House for 2015 are our International Students. This year we welcome Dean Lairanakern from Thailand, Mai Watanabe and Miku Watanabe, who are both from Japan. We hope you enjoy your experience with us and look forward to sharing some of your thoughts on New Zealand in our next newsletter. Over the Easter period five students form Rangiora High School will compete and represent New Zealand at the Under-19 Korfball team to the world championships in the Netherlands. The Dutch sport is a mixture of basketball and netball, the hoop is 12-feet high (3.65 metres) and it is the world’s only mixed sport. James Bolton and Jayden Pearce, both in 12HHT will compete alongside Kendall Morratti, Story Dealy Cottrell, Jared Hardie and Lara Woolston, who attended Rangiora High School last year. The Year 10 camps have commenced, but for Hillary students they will not head up to the Boyle River Outdoor Education Centre until the last week of May. For students unsure about the whole camp experience I would encourage them to think about what Ed Hillary said, “You don’t have to be a hero to accomplish great things---to compete. You can just be an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals.” As the cooler weather sets in it is important to start thinking about winter uniform requirements, for Term 2 and beyond. There can be significant temperature fluctuations between classrooms so it is essential that students are dressed for a range of temperatures with multiple layers offering the best opportunity to maintain a comfortable temperature. Students who are unable to wear their correct uniform should present a note to their Form Teacher so a temporary uniform pass can be issued. Term 2 will also see a number of the hotly contested House Competition events, starting with Senior Debating, Junior WinterFest (Girls’ Netball, Boys’ Football) and the Junior Public Speaking. I would encourage all students to have a think about any of the events that they wish to participate in, as they are always great fun. Finally I hope all Hillary students, staff and parents have a restful and happy Easter break and April school holidays. LYDIARD HOUSE HEAD OF HOUSE Mr A Drayton DEAN OF HOUSE Mr G Scott It has been a short and very quick term. I imagine that you will receive this about the time the annual Lydiard Fun run is being held. I hope it has been a success and am sure that it will have been. This year our Senior leaders have arranged the event and full credit to them for arranging the day. We have a superb bunch and they show great leadership skills. So apart from that, what has been happening since the last newsletter? Quite a bit. We have had the Senior SummerFest where we finished fourth and the Year 9 and 10 quizzes where we placed 2nd and 6th respectively. Well done guys. Slowly moving up the leader board. There has been a myriad of camps for seniors with Mountain Biking, Kayaking and Biology camps all taking students out of school. Last week saw the start of the Year 10 camps and Lydiard was first away to the Boyle River Outdoor Education Centre. The camp is very well run by Mrs McGrath and the instructors at the Boyle are superb. They have a great range of activities and have a great rapport with the students, along with ensuring that all students are safe when taking part. The weather was ideal and apart from a few sandflies a great time. As always it puts students outside their comfort zone and challenges them to do things they haven’t done before. As you may know there is going to be quite a significant change in Lydiard House next term. Mr Scott, the Dean, is leaving to join the BCITO as a supervisor of 100 building apprentices throughout Christchurch. Mr Scott has been at Rangiora High School since 2006 and been Dean for the last three years. During that time he has worked tirelessly with students who have needed guidance and support in so many ways. He is looking forward to the new challenge and will be missed greatly. I am going to be leaving Rangiora High School at the end of week three in Term 2. In the nearly ten years at Rangiora I have been privileged enough to lead Lydiard House for nearly five years. I have loved being a Tiger and the memories created with the students and staff. I will miss the camaraderie and friendships that develop and watching students grow in their time at Rangiora High School. There are so many thank you’s I wish to make and the first would be to Mrs Burrows who has supported me throughout my time at Rangiora High School and if it hadn’t been for her I wouldn’t be off to the next chapter in my life. The staff at RHS are an amazing group of dedicated and caring people and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with them all. As a teacher the support from Ms McDonald as Head of Faculty has been outstanding. I know that I will see many Lydiard and RHS students over the coming years and look forward to catching up with the news and how they are travelling. Warm regards, Alastair Drayton MANSFIELD HOUSE HEAD OF HOUSE Mr A Gebbie DEAN OF HOUSE Mr J Harrison The first term has really flown by. It has been a pleasure to see Mansfield students giving their best across all aspects of the school. The juniors are working hard towards achieving the best Junior Graduation results that they are capable of and challenging themselves to raise the bar in terms of effort and application. Seniors are busy credit collecting and I encourage them to continue to set goals around raising the bar for their individual achievement and always aim to receive the highest level of grades that they can. NCEA is a confidence game and we encourage our students to gain confidence through knowing in their heart that they have given their best and nothing less. Mansfield House finishes Term 1 at the top of the House leaderboard and I am very proud of the consistent efforts from the students who have put themselves forward to represent the House. The junior quizzes gave our five junior classes the opportunity to compete against the other classes in their cohort. We thank the four students from each of our form classes who took part in this competition. The results had us overall in the middle of the pack with the Year 9 team coming last in their competition and 10MLD coming through a very credible second in the Year 10 competition. The team from 10MLD only lost to the eventual champion Ngata form class in a sudden death extra round after being tied for first at the end of the normal competition rounds. With Term 2 on the horizon we look forward to the Senior Debating competition, Junior WinterFest and Junior Public Speaking. These are competitions that we have the potential to do well in and as such we all look forward to these opportunities to give our best efforts for the yellow cause. This month we profile a Year 12 Mansfield student Deaven Clarkson who is achieving some excellent results on the Touch field for both school and Canterbury. What teams have you played for this year? This year I have played for 3 competitive teams, Rangiora mixed super touch team, the Under 17 Canterbury boys and the Wildboyz. How long have you played touch and how did you get into it? This is now my 9th year of playing touch, I got into it because Mum played a social competition in Halswell Park, and she put me in a team to start my first season of touch. What have been the highlights of your time playing touch? My highlights so far have been winning Canterbury Champs and the Friday competition for Rangiora High School, winning South Islands for the Canterbury U15 Boys in 2011/2012 season and also just representing Canterbury has been a major highlight. What are your goals for playing touch? My goals for playing touch are to achieve the best I can in every minute of a 30 minute game that I play whether we lose or win. (although I would prefer a win) My current goal is to come top 4 at South Islands to get Rangiora High to Nationals. NGATA HOUSE HEAD OF HOUSE Mrs V Wilkins DEAN OF HOUSE Mr T Berg Well, here we are the end of Term 1, and I’m sure that you’ll agree when I say that it has passed so very quickly. Ngata House has settled into a gentle rhythm and it has been a real privilege to watch our students strive to make every moment of Term 1 count. Term 1 is a time of change for Year 9 students in particular, and most students have settled into school life seamlessly; making good relationship with both staff and students and getting involved in all aspects of Rangiora High School’s endless avenues of opportunity. Our wonderful Junior and Senior Executive and Peer Support Leaders have been involved in ‘drumming up’ interest in House competitions and events, and this has been met with great enthusiasm. Week 5 saw us come 4th overall in the Senior Summerfest Competition and most recently our junior school fared convincingly in last week’s Junior Quiz, scooping 4th in the Year 9 quiz with 9NWN and 1st in the Year 10 Quiz, with 10NLa… overall we succeeded and won the Junior Quiz competition gaining 60 points… whilst not changing the leader board, second and third place is most definitely in our grasp for Senior Debating in Term 2 and we are really looking forward to participating for this hotly coveted title. At the time of writing this newsletter, students have undertaken Junior Graduation Key Task assessments and teachers are loading them onto the system; furthermore, NCEA Assessments are being assessed and processed. I have no doubt that all Ngata students have all found week 7 and 8 to be one of fraught busyness and will be looking forward to a well earned break. Despite this, it is important to note that students can often find the academic demands of courses difficult and often stressful. Mr Berg and I are always available to discuss any problems, difficulties or questions with you in regards to your child’s progress, here in the Ngata Office and do extend a warm invitation for you to make school contact with us at any time. One of the best and most important aspects of being a Head of House is the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the success of our students, and this term has been no exception. We celebrate Matt Jones for his 2nd placing in the Junior Long Jump and 4th in the Junior Boys’ High Jump. Denzel Lai Kong for 2nd in the Under 14 Boys’ Triple Jump and 4th Under 14 Boys’ Long Jump (he also received a Person Best of 5.24 in Dunedin at the weekend!). Ruby Sparks was 3rd in the Open Girls’ Steeplechase and 4th in the Intermediate Girls’ 800m, achieving a photo finish in Dunedin. And lastly the amazing Jasmine Koehler-Tibbots, who has achieved 8th overall in the South Island for Intermediate Girls’ 100m. Olivia James received an honorary Rangiora High School sports tie for her achievement in Super Touch and Canterbury Champs. It goes without saying that our pride and thanks is immeasurable for these fabulous students and I congratulate each and every one. With this, I wish you all a safe, happy and peaceful Easter and look forward to working with you in Term 2. RUTHERFORD HOUSE HEAD OF HOUSE Mr J Sim DEAN OF HOUSE Mrs G Koster Kia ora and welcome to the last update for Term 1. Term 1 has flown by with many milestones along the way. With the ICC Cricket World Cup having come to a close, I’d like to start by talking Cricket and the life lessons that young people can gain from sport. The Black Caps have, through their actions on and off the field, demonstrated a number of key attributes that align themselves well with our own school “Lighthouse Values” of Contribute, Respect, and Aspire. The Black Caps as individuals have all contributed well to the team’s overall performance. This team has aspired to perform at their best. They have aimed high, and they have sought to deliver results. In their recent semi-final win over South Africa they also demonstrated the respect that they have for their opposition. This was best seen after Grant Elliot had hit the winning six. After his initial celebration, he was then seen checking with a disconsolate South African player, who was cramping on the ground that he was alright and helped him to his feet. Such is the respect they have for the opposition. Such is the humility that “our boys” have shown with their success. Sport does provide some great life lessons. Next, the House Competition. In these wonderful House activities, our students are taught along the way to respect the opposition and their performances, to aspire to do well and to contribute to the success of the House. Recently the Year 9/10 Quiz was held. Rutherford won the Year 9 Quiz and put in a solid effort in the Year 10 Quiz. We came second overall to Ngata who performed really well on the day. Congratulations Ngata. Rutherford have maintained second placing in the House competition and we’re now looking forward to the Senior Debating that takes place early in Term 2. On a different note, it was great to see so many parents attending the recent SAID interviews. These interviews provide an opportunity for a progress check and also an opportunity for some further goal setting. Please feel free to contact Mrs Koster or myself if you would like to discuss further any issues relating to the progress of your child. Our Junior Exec was recently appointed and I’d like to congratulate Una Skerten [10RFA]; Tom Linsday [10RMM] and Elizabeth Wagtendonk [10RFA]. We look forward to having you contribute to the Student Executive throughout the remainder of the year. Finally, it is with mixed feelings that we announce that Mrs Reed, a long time Rutherford staff member, has secured the position of Head of Lydiard House once Mr Drayton leaves Rangiora High School. We are obviously delighted for Mrs Reed to have secured this role; yet sad to lose such a hard working person from the Rutherford House team. Thank you for your hard work Mrs Reed and all the best in your new role as Head of Lydiard House. SHEPPARD HOUSE HEAD OF HOUSE Mr K Anderson DEAN OF HOUSE Mrs P Howard Term 1 has gone by in what seems like record time and it’s been business as usual for Sheppard House. Our juniors are currently working with focus and commitment and I am sure that you will be seeing your children getting stuck into their homework and various key tasks as they aspire for success in the Junior Certificate Programme. We have already seen some outstanding results from our senior students and I would like to acknowledge the academic success of the following Sheppard students who have recently gained Excellence in the following areas: Geraldine Cook: Chemistry 3.7, Katrina Douglas Withers: Chemistry 3.7, Timothy Gulland: Accounting 3.2, Rose Mc Ewan: Accounting 3.2, Allanah Bos: Mathematics and Statistics 2.4, Charlotte Forrester: Mathematics and Statistics 2.3, Oliver Sharplin: Mathematics and Statistics 2.4, Thomas Warming-Smith: Mathematics and Statistics 2.4 and Physics 2.5, Harlem Brown: Mathematics and Statistics 1.7, Max Chick: Mathematics and Statistics 1.5. In terms of the House Competition, we remain in 5th place but are well placed to make a jump up the ladder. Our Junior Quiz teams showed some real fight and were unlucky not to gain top two positions in the recently held Year 9 and 10 Quiz Competition. Our best performing Form classes in this event were 9SFN and 10SAE (pictured at right). I extend my thanks and congratulations to all of the students who made such a valuable contribution. Outside of school, Sheppard students are making an impact in national sporting events. I am proud to report that three Sheppard students competed at the prestigious Horse of the Year event held in Hastings 17 – 22 March. Katrina Douglas-Withers finished in 5th place in the 1.2 metre event. Brodie Roberts qualified for the junior rider of the year and Grace O’Sullivan gained 4th place in the hotly contested Pony of the Year. At the Maadi Cup, New Zealand’s premier rowing event for secondary schools, Sheppard students George Howat and Rose McEwan performed exceptionally well. George achieved outstanding results including a 6th place in the Boys’ Under 18 double sculls A final. George has also been selected to trial for the NZ Rowing Squad. Rose also had a hugely successful time with the highlight being a bronze medal in the Girls’ Under 18 double sculls A final. I am sure that you will all recognise the magnitude of these events and will join with me in congratulating these high achievers. Let’s not forget the contributions and commitments made by the parents and families. Kia kaha. There are many events for our students to contribute to next term, such as the Senior Debating and the Ronald Mc Donald House street appeal. We will also be well represented in the Rangiora High School production of “Into the Woods” which opens on 24 June in the Rangiora Town Hall. I look forward to recognising and rewarding the aspirational and respectful contributions of all Sheppard students throughout the following term. NCEA Fees Senior Touch The 2015 academic year has begun for senior students and all students are entered for NCEA by the school. Please check our NCEA Student Handbook at www.rangiorahigh.school.nz/curriculum/NCEA for the rules around assessments. The Senior Mixed Touch team has completed in two competitions and one tournament so far this term. NCEA fees in 2015 are $76.70 or $20 ($30 for a family) for those who qualify for Financial Assistance. The due date is Friday, 28 August, but they can be paid earlier. The fees cover all internal and external (exams in November) assessments done throughout the year. Scholarship fees are no longer included in NCEA fees. Each Scholarship entry costs $30.00. International students pay $383.30 for NCEA and $102.20 for Scholarship. NCEA fees are included in the invoice that is emailed home, along with instructions for accessing the Financial Assistance Form. Payments can be made on-line or at the Student office. Completed Financial Assistance forms must come in with your payment. Warning: Fees paid after 1 September must be paid directly to NZQA and, if not paid before 1 December, incur a Late Fee of $50. After two years NZQA removes all results not paid for. Adrienne McGowan, NZQA Principal’s Nominee For the first time in Rangiora High School history the Mixed team qualified for the Boys’ Super Touch competition, which involved the eight best boys or mixed teams in Canterbury. This was a great experience to play against some top Touch Rugby Boys’ schools like Christchurch Boys’ High and compete well, only losing to them 5-2. Although we did our best each week we finished eighth. Over the summer we have been also completing in the local Belfast open Mixed competition where teams we played against were mainly adults. The Team won the A grade final a couple of weeks ago 7-5 against Co-Stars. Our first tournament was Canterbury Champs where we needed to get in the top 4 to qualify for South Islands. We managed to get second in our pool which meant we crossed to play St Andrew’s, with the chance of a spot in the final. We played the best game I have seen since my involvement with the team and won this 8-4. This put us in the final against Kaiapoi who manged to knock over last years champ’s Lincoln. We won the final 6-3, another first for the school being Canterbury Champs. The team is tracking very well and has put in a massive effort over summer to get themselves into this position. Introducing our Support Staff 2015 Yearbooks Megan Woollett – Financial Assistant Due to the rising costs of publishing Yearbooks we will now be charging $15 per copy with payment due by 13 October 2015. Mrs Megan Woollett is situated in the Administration Office. This is a voluntary payment and is only due if a Yearbook is required. Guidance Department Farewell to our counsellor Tina Duff who has been with us for two years. With much regret we say farewell to our colleague Tina who leaves to go to Canada with her partner. Her energy, enthusiasm, and laughter has been much appreciated. We have four copies of John Kirwan’s book “Stand By Me” available for parents to borrow. This book is designed to help your teen through tough times. If you are interested in borrowing a copy of this book, please see Karina at the front desk in the Guidance Department. Next term we welcome a new Head of Guidance, Rob Courtney, and our new full time counsellor, Yurong She. Megan is the school’s Accounts Payable officer and is responsible for ensuring all the school’s creditors are paid in a timely manner. Megan assists at the student payments counter in the mornings and when required, and you may also speak to Megan when phoning the school or being greeted at the school’s reception. Megan has two girls at Rangiora High School and is very involved with Netball. She is a keen traveller. 2014 Year Books If you missed out on purchasing a 2014 Year Book, there are some still available for $15.00 from the Student Office (Payments Counter). Para Athletes Athletic Results This year students from the Mainstream Support Unit have competed at both Canterbury and South Island competitions. Five students attended the Canterbury competitions and competed in five disciplines and two students competed in four disciplines at the South Island competitions. At Canterbury Emma Tull was 1st in 200m and 400m senior girls. Emma Symon was 1st in Shot Put, 2nd in 100m and 200m junior girls. Zachary Edwards was 2nd in Discus, 3rd in 100m and 200m senior boys. Bret Genet-Rentoul was 3rd in Discus, 5th in 200m and 6th in 100m senior boys. Sebastian Tull was 4th in 100m and 200m junior boys. At South Island’s Zachary Edwards was 2nd in Discus, 3rd 100m and 200m and 4th in Long Jump senior boys. Bret Genet-Rentoul was 3rd in Discuss, 5th in Long Jump and 200m, and 6th in 100m senior boys. This was an amazing result for Emma Symon as this was her first experience at Secondary School athletics competitions. Zachary and Bret’s Discus results at Canterbury were both personal bests. Cream of the Crop Japan Club Hanami Party Football Students from the senior Japanese classes and exchange students from Japan celebrated the end of the term with a Hanami (Cherry Blossom) Party. K3 was turned into a picnic area as the students enjoyed getting to know each other better. A mixture of Japanese and English accompanied with a lot of laughter could be heard above the latest J-Pop tunes as students shared a variety of Japanese and Kiwi food, all eaten with chopsticks! Japan Club is held every Monday lunchtime in K3 and all students studying Japanese are very welcome to attend. It is an excellent way of getting to know our exchange students from Japan, finding out about youth culture and what’s trending in Japan and getting help with your homework! We look forward to seeing more new members next term. On 28/29 March an Under 15 Boys’ Football Team travelled to Christchurch to compete in the St Bede’s Invitational Pre Season Tournament. The team won all 3 games in pool play scoring 24 goals and conceding 3. This put them into a semi final against Christchurch Boys’ High School on day 2. They won this game 1 -0 so played Cashmere High School in the final. After a hard fought game the final score was 3-1 to a very good Cashmere side. The boys received silver medals and can be very proud of their tournament and the effort they put in. The teams was: Mackenzie Caughey, Luke Cooper, Ethan Gerrard, Bradley Hawes, Cam Page, Bailey Hodge, Kyle Hodge, Matthew Jones, Kyle Manson, Connor Payne, Ben Rudd, Dylan Smith, Kevin Tabel, Andrew Walmsley, Hadley Duncan, Mitchell Smith and Liam Anderson. Hosting International Students NCEA Fees The 2015 academic year has begun for senior students and all students are entered for NCEA by the school. Please check our NCEA Student Handbook at www.rangiorahigh.school.nz/curriculum/NCEA for the rules around assessments. NCEA fees in 2015 are $76.70 or $20 ($30 for a family) for those who qualify for Financial Assistance. The due date is Friday, 28 August, but they can be paid earlier. The fees cover all internal and external (exams in November) assessments done throughout the year. Scholarship fees are no longer included in NCEA fees. Each Scholarship entry costs $30.00. International students pay $383.30 for NCEA and $102.20 for Scholarship. NCEA fees are included in the invoice that is emailed home, along with instructions for accessing the Financial Assistance Form. Payments can be made on-line or at the Student office. We are always looking for new families to host our international students, either long-term or shortterm. Our Asian students usually prefer to live in Rangiora or very close by, and our European students often come for the equestrian programme, and so need to be able to ride horses at their host family’s home. Hosting students can be a lot of fun, but also needs the kind of parenting that any 15 or 16 year old requires. For more information on hosting an international student, please contact Julia Arden, Homestay Co-ordinator, via email at ar@rangiorahigh.school.nz or by telephone at home on (03) 312 8667. Science is on the move After 53 years the last classes have been taught in the S block laboratories S 1 to S4. These laboratories were built in 1962 in response to a period of rapid roll growth. The previous ten years had seen the school’s roll treble in size and in the preceding years the principal, Mr Moffat, advocated strongly to the Ministry of Education and was finally rewarded for his efforts in 1959 – 1963 with the building of an Admin block, Library, gymnasium and the S block laboratories. The interior of S block was renovated in 1990 – 1991 to address health hazards that had been identified in these rooms including asbestos in the roof, benchtop sinks draining into open drains underneath the benches and tongue and groove flooring that trapped spilt chemicals. The renovated block was opened in 1991 with a Science open evening that included a fire pit and firewalking display. With the school again undergoing a period of substantial roll growth we have obtained funding for a new modern learning environment to be built over the next two years in the space between the Assembly Hall and the Art block. This means that S block will be demolished and from Term 2 this year the S block Science classes will be located in temporary classrooms on the K block lawn. The photographs show students working in the S block laboratories this term. Athletics Canterbury Schools’ Athletics Champs Rangiora High School had a large team of 51 students competing at the Canterbury Schools’ Athletics Champs at Rawhiti Domain on Tuesday 17 March. From this 26 students qualified in the top 8 in Canterbury to go on to compete at the finals on Saturday 21st March. We had some fantastic results from that day by all students involved. Results are as follows: Under 14 Grade Abby Ladd 4th in Discus Denzel Lai Kong 2nd Triple Jump, 4th Long Jump Christian Pomare 8th Triple Jump Tsubasa Webb 7th Javelin Junior Grade Sophie Glover 4th 800m, 4th 1500m Emily Christison 6th Triple Jump Asilika Fungaraka 7th Discus Holly Maxwell 7th Javelin Jack Flannigan 5th 1500m Matt Jones 2nd Long Jump, 4th High Jump Intermediate Grade Lauren Sim 7th 100m, 5th High Jump Jasmine Koehler-Tibbots 3rd 100m Ruby Spark 4th 800m, 3rd Open Girls’ Steeplechase Bella Partington 4th Javelin Immy Eglesfield 4th 3000m, 4th Open Girls’ Steeplechase Rebecca Jelfs 8th Shot Put, 7th Javelin Harry Rattray 4th 1500m, 4th 3000m Senior Grade Chelsea Brown 3rd 400m, 4th 800m Mairi Law 3rd 3000m, 2nd Open Girls’ Steeplechase Louise Johnson 3rd Javelin Fergus Eglesfield 2nd 800m, 2nd 1500m Travel Tuaputa 2nd Discus, 3rd Javelin, 5th Shot Put Overall we had a successful two days at the Canterbury Schools’ Championships and from this event 10 students travelled to Nelson on the 27-29 March to compete in the South Island Secondary Schools’ Athletics Champs. Athletics South Island Secondary Schools’ Athletics Champs On 27-29 March, ten Rangiora High School students travelled to Nelson to compete in the South Island Secondary Schools’ Athletics Champs. Students all came out and competed against the best in the South Island and Rangiora High School left with some fantastic results and personal bests. Results are as follows: Under 14 Grade Denzel Lai Kong 3rd Triple Jump and 6th Long Jump with a personal best jump 5.24m. Abby Ladd 11th Discus Under 15 Grade Sophie Glover 4th 800m with a personal best time of 2.20 minutes taking 8 seconds off her PB and 4th 1500m with a personal best time of 4.57 minutes taking 15 seconds off her PB. Jack Flannigan10th 1500m with a personal best time of 4.42 minutes taking 20 seconds off his PB Under 16 Grade Jasmine Koehler-Tibbots 8th 100m with a personal best time of 13.77 seconds. Immy Eglesfield 6th 3000m Ruby Spark 3rd Open Girls Steeplechase Senior Grade Chelsea Brown 3rd 800m and 7th 400m Fergus Eglesfield 3rd 1500m and 2nd 800m Mairi Law 3rd 3000m and 2nd Open Girls Steeplechase All the students involved should be very proud of their efforts. This was the final event of the season and all students put in their biggest performances and all their hard work in training has paid off. We look forward to next major event New Zealand Secondary School Athletics in December. Cricket Girls’ 1st XI RHS Girls’ 1st XI competed in the NZCT Girls’ Cricket Tournament on the 25-26 March. Having been placed 9th in this tournament last year, we were looking at improving this result. Our first pool game was against the Villa Maria 1st XI. It was a tough match first up, Villa had some very experienced players who dominated us with both bat and ball. We expected a similar result when we went in to play the Rangi Ruru 1st XI. We won the toss and elected to field first. The girls bowled well limiting the Rangi Ruru girls to 112 runs after their 20 overs, so we required 113 to win. An outstanding partnership between Kaylee Tavendale and Lucy Weddell had us in a good position of 80/1 after 11 overs. After some good bowling from Rangi Ruru we were under pressure needing one run off the last two balls, with no wickets to spare. Ashlee Berryman and our batsmen on debut Annie Dufour, snuck a cheeky run in and we won the game. You would have thought the Black Caps had just won the World Cup with the excitement the girls had. We went on to also defeat Marian College, largely helped by Kaylee’s bowling of four wickets for eight runs. RHS Girls 1st XI ended up getting placed 5th overall, an outstanding result given that we are still considered as a developing team. Team members: Emma Alexander, Ashlee Berryman, Eliza Burt-Priddy, Tiegan Cunninghame, Annie Dufour, Riley Harrison, Mikayla Nortman, Mele Peseta, Kaylee Tavendale, Lucy Weddell, Gareth West (Coach) Junior Touch What a fantastic Touch competition for the Junior Girls this Term. This year we had a huge number of girls keen to play in the Junior Division One touch team. As a result we had our first trials, which produced a brand new team for Term 1, one which would ultimately prove to be a force to be reckoned with. The first game we played was against Papanui. As this was the very first game, there were a lot of nerves and combinations and plays had not yet been developed. Therefore the girls went into the game knowing they had to play hard. Playing hard is exactly what happened, and it resulted in a 14-1 win to Rangiora. A fantastic score for the first game. The following games finished up much the same, with some fantastic wins and a happy coach Rangiora Vs Papanui – 14-1 Rangiora vs Burnside A – 7-2 Rangiora Vs St Andrews College – 7-0 Rangiora Vs Kaiapoi – Win by Default. Going into our finals, we were up against Rangi Ruru, who had also won all their games, and was always going to be the hardest competition. We had to work much harder in this game to score and to stop them from scoring against us. The tougher competition was a great match up for our girls, testing their fitness and skill level. The girls managed to keep on top of their game and won the game 3-1. Well done on a fantastic season, looking forward to Term 4. Cricket Boys 1st XI 1st XI v Riccarton High School at Dudley Park March 13th 2015 The Gillette Cup Qualifier versus Riccarton High School was the opportunity for the team to have another game together after the win against Buller High. We won the toss and batted first. After an opening partnership of 115 between Nik Harrison and George Blyth (with 64) the team was well set for a big total. Angus Fletcher with a well compiled 64 not out, Austin Hamilton with 34 and a quick fire 20 from Travel Tuapata led to a final score of 264. A very good effort off 40 overs. In the field we bowled reasonably well and the wickets were shared around. Joel Epps was on a hat trick at one point and finished with 3-14. A determined effort by one of the Riccarton openers kept us at bay and carried his bat through the innings. In the end the 1st XI finished with a victory by 34 runs. This win meant we had to play Christ’s College in the next round. 1st XI Cricket vs Christ’s College at Mainpower Oval March 27th 2015 This was a much anticipated fixture by the lads. They had been excited about the game for a fortnight and were highly keen to test themselves against one of the traditionally strong Christchurch schools. It was a beautiful day and we were put into the field after Christ’s won the toss and elected to bat. Some early nerves were settled when we picked up three early wickets. At 80-4 the team had their tails up. Some tight bowling and regular wickets by the team meant we kept Christ’s to a total of 252 that we were happy with. The pick of the bowlers were Angus Fletcher with 3-34 and Captain this season, Austin Hamilton with 3-65. The batting task was always going to be a challenge and we needed to create partnerships and bat for long period, however this didn’t happen with Christ’s taking regular wickets. The top scorers were Angus Fletcher with 15 and Dylan Smith with 14. Not big scores but both batsmen gritted out long stays and worked hard for their runs. In the end we mustered 83. The day was enjoyed by both teams who thoroughly relished the chance to play on a wonderful wicket and superb playing surface. It was a memorable fixture and many thanks to all who came down on the day to support the lads. Special mention to Mrs Blyth for fulfilling the duty bestowed to her by Mrs Prain of baking the team’s chocolate cake. One of our school traditions. Many thanks go this season to so many people who have made the season such a success. Mr Eder and the ladies in the sports office, Mr Berg for the road trip to the coast, and of course the team. What a great bunch of young men who play the game in the spirit it is intended. From the team a very special thanks and farewell to Mr Drayton. Thank you for all you have done for cricket at Rangiora High School. Your passion and commitment to the sport will be missed. Good Luck Mr Drayton on your new role. Softball From 24-27 March the Rangiora High School Boys’ Softball team competed in the South Island Secondary School softball tournament in Dunedin. 12 players were chosen to represent the school with all of the players having various levels of ability and experience. We were definitely new to this tournament and most of the boys were new to softball in general, however, we were still able to compete for most of the games against other more experienced teams. We played seven games over the four days, picking up one win and finishing 8th out of 10 teams. All of the boys played extremely well with a few of the boys really stepping up to the plate in this tournament. Jakzon Quinn (NZ Age Group representative) and Dylan Gale (club level representative) were our key pitcher and catcher combination, who shared the majority of the load over the seven games we played. Vaughn AtkinsPercasky developed in to our permanent resident in the centre outfield position and in the game against St Thomas, had the accuracy and power to throw out a runner going from third base home, all the way from the outfield. Ihaka Abraham hit a walk-off single in our only win over Otago Boys’ High School which was celebrated with much enthusiasm by the rest of the team. On behalf of the team, special thanks need to go out to Mandy Atkins (Vaughn’s mum) for coming down with us for the duration of the trip. We would not have survived it without her. To Leigh, Wendy and the PTA for all of the support that we have had with local games, transport, costs, uniforms and everything else, thank you so much. To anyone else that has helped out with getting softball on to the diamond, thank you and we look forward to continuing this game next season. 2015 Team to Dunedin: Jakzon Quinn, Dylan Gale, Braxton Taua, Jackson Goldstone, Sam Lamborn, Ihaka Abraham, Zane Carter, Vaughn Atkins-Percasky, Shannon Cassidy, Kieran James, Nathan Green, Josh Tull. Year 10 Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination in Canterbury Schools Year 10 girls at this school are being offered a free vaccine to help protect them against HPV infection. The HPV virus can lead to genital warts, cervical cancer and other cancers later in life. In most cases, three doses of HPV vaccine can prevent infection with the virus. The HPV vaccination programme was first introduced in New Zealand for girls and young women in 2008. This school programme is part of a Canterbury-wide initiative to protect young women from HPV disease. HPV vaccination requires three injections to be given over a six month period. If your daughter has not received HPV vaccination before she can receive the complete course at school this year, or if your daughter has received any HPV vaccinations in the past she can also complete the course at school. If you have a girl in Year 10 she will have received information and a consent form. Please read and complete the form and return it to school as soon as possible. The form is required to be returned regardless of whether the girls is having the vaccine or not, or is having the vaccine at her Doctor’s general practice. For more information about Human Papillomavirus, HPV vaccination or the New Zealand HPV Vaccination Programme you can: • Visit the Ministry of Health website: www.health.govt.nz/hpv • Contact your school’s nurse or public health nurse • Visit www.immune.org.nz or free phone 0800 IMMUNE • Talk to your public health nurse or your doctor or practice nurse Year 13 Physical Education Kayak Trip In weeks 5 and 7 of Term 1 the two Year 13 Physical Education Classes travelled to Murchison for a three and a half day Kayak trip. The trip was run by the NZ Kayak School. The classes stayed at the NZ Kayak School and each day involved a 7:30 am rise in order to get some breakfast into the belly before the 8am rolling session in the pool. With lots of good one on one instruction most students were rolling in no time. Some even got both sides going and a hand roll! The students were filmed and a video analysis session followed. After a second breakfast it was back on the water for a river session, working on skills such as ferrygliding, rolling, breaking in and out of eddies, sweep strokes and rapid negotiation. Lunch was eagerly awaited before the second river session occurred in the afternoon. Most paddling took place on the Buller River on grade 2 rapids but on the final day the students kayaked down the Middle Maitakitaki section with a great playhole and beautiful gorge section. At night after a big tea some of the instructors’ showed movies and photos of the kayaking adventures around the globe. All in all they were fantastic trips and hopefully the students gained a lot from it – both in terms of kayaking development and personal achievement. The attitude and behaviour shown throughout was fantastic. Mr Fahey and Mr Harrison Volleyball The Senior Girls’ Volleyball Team has had a very busy season this year competing in the Canterbury and South Island Volleyball Champs and recently NZ Secondary Schools’ National Champs in Palmerston North late March. The team at Nationals played in a division of 27 and their aim was to make top 8, which they achieved. They then went onto play their quarter final which they lost to Palmerston North Girls’ who became the overall winner of their division. That left them playing off for 5-8 position. The team went on to win both of their next two games to finish 5th out 27 teams which was a fantastic effort. A huge thank you to Mr Shaw who gave up his time having been with most of the team since Year 9. 2015 Head Students LIZZIE MULLAN – HEAD GIRL My name is Elizabeth but I am known as Lizzie, You only have to look at the subjects I take, English, Drama, Classics, Media Studies and Theatre Arts, to know that I am very passionate about the arts. This year I am very excited to be a part of the school production “Into the Woods” as Little Red Riding Hood. This will be my third major production with school and it is slightly unnerving to be one of those “big kids” that I used to look up to. This year I hope to achieve my A.T.C.L which I will work towards with Dale Hartley School of Speech and Drama. Near the end of this year I hope to audition for performing arts schools in New Zealand and Australia. This year I am aiming to get Level 3 endorsed with excellence and take scholarship papers for Drama. I feel really privileged to be part of such an awesome supportive team. I have enjoyed this term with all its ups and downs. I am so excited for what the rest of the year will bring with these three other lovely people by my side. TIM GULLAND – HEAD BOY My name is Tim Gulland and I feel very privileged to be representing Rangiora High School as Head Boy for 2015. I grew up in Broomfield where I attended a small country school called Broomfield Primary. I have a wide range of interests and passions which include swimming competitively for North Canterbury Swim Club, mountain biking, playing my guitar and performing well academically. I enjoy taking on new challenges and extending myself wherever possible, especially in leadership roles. A goal I would like to pursue this year as head student is to help instil a sense of belonging and to be involved in activities that help students feel as excited about coming to RHS each day as I do. My future goal is to gain a degree in commerce from the University of Canterbury and then do some travelling overseas to extend my experiences. Year 13 is normally a very exciting year for students, and for me it is even more so, working with the other amazing head students – Elizabeth, Louise and Liam. LOUISE JOHNSON – DEPUTY HEAD GIRL My name is Louise Johnson and I am immensely proud and honoured to be the Deputy Head Girl for Rangiora High School in 2015. For those of you who don’t know me I am a very enthusiastic person, with a get up and go positive attitude. Sport is a big passion of mine that is very close to my heart. I am currently a member of the Senior A Netball and Volleyball teams and in addition to this I also throw javelin. This year I have a few goals; firstly I hope to make it back to Nationals for javelin hopefully breaking the 30 metre mark. In addition to this I hope to get University entrance into Canterbury University studying a Bachelor of Physical Education with an aspiration to one day become a secondary school PE teacher. I also cannot wait to get amongst the rest of the year giving Rangiora High School everything I have to offer and more, making 2015 a year to remember! BRING IT ON! LIAM RENNIE – DEPUTY HEAD BOY I am Liam Rennie and I am extremely excited to be representing Rangiora High School as Deputy Head Boy for 2015. I grew up in Loburn and attended Loburn Primary School. This year I am playing rugby for Ashley and Hockey for the Rangiora High First XI. My sporting goals for this year are to help both my sports’ teams win their finals in our competitions. I am acting in Rangiora High’s production of ‘Into the Woods’ this year as the Narrator which I am extremely excited about. Also this year I have acted in the Crash Bash car crash simulation, am a part of the senior theatre sports team and I am taking scholarship Drama. I am a part of the student driven Sound and Lighting team at the school and I have a job at Sky Sport as a cabler. This year I am studying History, Biology, Drama, English and Media Studies and I hope to gain a scholarship in Drama and an overall excellence endorsement in NCEA. I plan to study Bachelor of Broadcasting Communications at CPIT once I leave school which will help me pursue my dream job in television media. 2015 is going to be a great year and Louise, Elizabeth, Tim and I have some awesome things planned. Nāku i runga i aku mihi ki a koe. Review of Junior Graduation You may be aware that we are reviewing our processes and procedures around the current Junior Graduation Certificate. There will be a slight change this year to the name - Rangiora High School Junior Certificate. We are looking to align the aims of this more closely with the school’s ‘Lighthouse Values’. We will be seeking your thoughts around this during Term 2. If you have any questions, please contact : Lesley Elms - Junior Academic Dean el@rangiorahigh.school.nz Alison Cleary - Deputy Principal cl@rangiorahigh.school.nz Top Scholars 2014 The achievement of our top scholars in 2014 was recognised in Principal’s Assemblies recently with the awarding of “Academic Excellence” badges. Forty One Year 11 students achieved an excellence endorsement on their Level 1 NCEA. They were; Bryn Atkin, Maximilian Ridout, Nick Van Royen, Daisy Cath, Olivia Janes, Harry Rattray, Connor Cleary, Kurt Shipley, Kerridwen Russ, Dylan Cameron, Luke Gold, Sarah Gunn, Kayla Drummy, Callum Vartha, Saskia Lane, Ella Marshall, Hannah Cammock, Momoka Kobori, Mikaela Laity, Grace Lange, Madeleine Ashwin, Charlotte Prager, Oliver Sharplin, Jakob Eder, Rhiannon Spary, Thomas Warming-Smith, Charlotte Western, Kaylee Tavendale, Jack Mackay-Neal, James Rigter, Holly Machill, Olivia Reynolds, Cameron Court, Rebecca Lord, Anca Belu, Annie Dufour, Kate Woollett, Chloe Smith, Sam Sinclair, Kate Antrobus, Benjamin Hall. Thirty One Year 12 students achieved an excellence endorsement on their Level 2 NCEA. They were; Hannah Brotheridge, Nic Steyn, Laura Kevern, Felicity Rudd, Jack Rattray, Mary Hurley, Laura McQuillan-Reese, Samuel Preston, Sean Weaver, Sarah Illingworth, Briar Fowler, Elizabeth Mullan, Grace Russell, Danielle Bucknall, Samuel Pell, Fergus Eglesfield, Tyler Courtney, Robert Rankin, Patrick McCallum, Sigourney Patterson, Alex Johnston, Suzannah Smith, Jaime Bagrie, Jenna Heap, Dylan Benny, Mead Robertson, Riley Aitken, Tayla Boocock, Molly Elliott, Jeremy Snelling, Ollie Chick. Eleven Year 13 students achieved an excellence endorsement on their Level 3 NCEA. They were; Rhiannon Mertens, Kiri Atkin, Nohah Forde, Erica Arthur, Mary Goulding, Samuel Rillstone, Henry Fraser, Maddie Wilkins, Olivia Adamson, Georgia Ayers, Ivan Prigarin. Six students achieved Scholarships. Kiri Atkin in Accounting and Statistics, Henry Fraser in Sculpture, Michael Heron in Accounting, Rhiannon Mertens an Outstanding Scholarship in English, Thomas Steadman in Calculus and Natacha Wisstt in English. Congratulations to all of our students who achieved their NCEA in 2014. Steve Kersey - Academic Dean
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