19 March 2010; Week 8-9, Term 1

The Kuranui College Board of Trustees recently set the college’s strategic goals for the next three years. After consultation with you, the staff and students and after reviewing the college’s achievement data for the last few years the board decided that the top priority was to focus on raising the achievement levels of all students.

I spend a great deal of time thinking about why some students engage in learning, apply themselves and achieve and some do not. Unfortunately there is no one answer and certainly no one solution. I am convinced however, that success has a lot to do with self belief and perseverance. When we believe that we can do something we are half way there and this same self belief can keep us going when the going gets tough.

The staff and I have been talking about how we can help students to believe in themselves, how they can encourage them to “have a go” when the work looks hard and encourage them to stick at the task and get it finished.

Parents, I know that you all want the best for your children but I am concerned that too many of our students settle for mediocrity. Settling for less leads to poor qualifications and this reduces career and life options.

Throughout this year I will be focusing on and talking about raising achievement in every forum I can find.

Every student at Kuranui College should be achieving at or above the national average benchmarks. Together let's settle for nothing less.


Family Learning Conferences
Thank you to everyone who came and participated in the Family Learning Conferences. The feedback I have received from both parents and teachers has been very positive. The goal of the conferences was to establish a close relationship between the college and families so I hope that the lines of communication are now open so that together we can work toward maximising your children’s’ learning and achievement.
If you could not make the time scheduled for your conference form teachers can still be contacted to arrange alternative times.
If you have thoughts you would like to share about the Family Learning Conferences please email me.


Classic Hits Around New Zealand Air Safari
The Classic Hits Air Safari begins at the Hood Aerodrome in Masterton on 27th March 2 – 5pm. Sixty four aircraft of all types will be there. There will be plane rides, food, tours of the vintage aircraft museum as well as a chance to meet the pilots and t=view the planes involved in the Around NZ Air Safari.


“PDA’S!”
We have nearly five hundred female and male teenagers interacting in the same place every day and it is natural that relationships will develop between students. The college does however have a clear rule regarding the way students conduct their relationships during the day. We do not allow any form of “public displays of affection – PDAs.”


Harassment
With over five hundred people co existing at the college every day there is bound to be occasional instances of bullying and harassment. I want to remind everyone that the college takes a zero tolerance stance on all forms of harassment.
Inappropriate sexual advances, touching or comments, racial taunts and all forms of bullying will be dealt with seriously but this can only happen when we are told about the behaviour.
If you are being harassed you do not need to put up with it – tell someone! If you see someone being bullied – tell someone! It doesn’t have to be a teacher, it could well be a senior student, a sports coach or the office staff – find someone you trust and tell them.


Board of Trustees Election
There is still time to nominate someone or to be nominated to stand for a place on the college’s Board of Trustees. It is essential that the college has a committed, enthusiastic board to lead it into its next fifty years. The current board and I welcome any enquiries about the function and responsibilities of the board. Alternatively you could log on to the NZSTA web site to get a detailed picture of the role.


Uniform
Parents/Caregivers, by the beginning of term two all Year 12 and 13 students should be wearing a blazer and tie to college everyday. Blazers can be ordered from Ms Lennox. There is a very limited supply of second hand blazers in the uniform shop. Enquire at the college office.


Uniform Shop
I am seeking someone to operate our second hand uniform shop for three hours every week. This has always been an unpaid position but the college will pay the successful applicant for three hours at a negotiated hourly rate.
Contact me at the college if you would like to know more about the position.


50th Jubilee
Our plans are coming together and we are excited and full of anticipation.
We have received many registrations from around New Zealand and overseas and now finally we are getting more from local people. Please, if you are planning to attend our 50th celebration please get your registrations in!
We are pleased too with the response from current students who have indicated that they will help out in some way. Some sports teams and other groups will be holding stalls at the food fair on Easter Saturday. This will help them with their sports expenses.
If you have any queries please do not hesitate to call me at the College office.
Trish Heming - 304 9116


Adolescent Self Harm Behaviour
A reminder that this is on in the auditorium on Tuesday night at 7:30pm – NOT 7pm as stated in the last Korero. Free admission.


Overdue Books
There are a significant number of books overdue from the library. Parents - it would be appreciated if you could discuss this issue with your child and if necessary, do a quick check under beds, in schoolbags, etc for overdue items. We appreciate your assistance.


Junior Activity Week
A preliminary letter regarding the Junior Activity Week at the end of the year was given out on Friday at the Family Learning Conferences. If you did not receive one of these letters, please ask your child today if they received one in form time. Spare letters are available at the office for those who do not have them.


Year 10 Ski Trip
Information about this ski trip in September was given out last week, along with consent forms and payment options. Once again, if you did not receive this information, please collect one from your form teacher or the office.


From the Sports Desk:
Hockey - Congratulations to the following players who have made the Hockey Wairarapa Under 15 Representative teams: Braden Smith, Jordan Yee, Laura Pitt, Emily Jane, Kim Cryer, Mikaela Bird, Shannon Burgess and Chelsea Brunton.
Croquet - Our team of Finn Harman, Matiu Te Maari, Keith Finlayson, Taylor Hilston, Sean Spooner, Rowan Pemberton, Arjun Pathmanathan and Thomas McAvoy retained the Croquet Shield played for against Rathkeale College.
Uniforms - If you still have Kuranui sports uniforms still to be returned, please return them urgently to the Sports Office. If you have netball uniforms to sell, please get them to Mr Yee ASAP and he will sell them on your behalf.
Winter Sports Coaches/Managers - Required for Netball and Basketball. If you can help in any way please contact Mr Yee on (06) 3049116, Extension 728.

Donald Yee
Sports Coordinator

Congratulations to…

• Samuel Pepper who qualified for 15 events at the recent Division II National Swimming Competition held in Wellington. Samuel gained a 1st placing in the 200 m freestyle and 2nds in both the 50m and 100m freestyle events. Samuel also recorded ten personal best times at the competition. Well done Samuel…. what an impressive set of results!
• Bridget Kershaw who represented New Zealand in the Trans-Tasman High School Rodeo Team recently. Bridget was also the captain of the Barrel Racing Team. The overall competition finished in a draw after three tightly contested rodeos.
• Bridget Kershaw and Louis Gray who were selected to represent the Wellington Region at the North Island Secondary Schools Athletics competition.


Good luck to…

• Callum Moore, Joubert Botha and Nathan Pitt who are competing in the New Zealand Intercollegiate Moto-Cross Championships to be held in Rotorua later this week.
• Wade Lovett, Thomas Uatuku, Tristan Williams and Dylan Duffy who will represent Kuranui in the NZ Secondary Schools Wrestling Champs at Tawa on Saturday. The team is coached by Bevan Thurston.


G Shepherd

PRINCIPAL

5 Mar 2010; Wk 6-7, Term 1

“Your Community, Your College – learning for life”

To koutou iwi whanui, to koutou kareti – Akona mo ake tonu atu

Tena tatou katoa

We are already over half way through term one!

On March 1, the Ministry of Education’s date to count schools’ rolls for funding purposes, we had 476 students although since then we have continued to enrol new students.

I have been in classes regularly this week and I am very pleased to see that most students have settled in well and are focussed on their learning.

Most Senior College students will have had an opportunity to earn NCEA credits by now. Form teachers will be monitoring their progress closely and by the time of the Family Learning Conferences on Thursday 18 and Friday 19 March they will be able to report to you on these results.

Thank you for allowing the college to finish early on Tuesday to allow us to host the Wairarapa Intercollegiate Athletic Sports. It was a great afternoon of top athletic performances and the Kuranui athletes represented the college admirably. I was very proud of all of them.

Term one is the most disrupted term of the year with athletics, swimming and the first of the Family Learning Conferences. I am afraid that I have to inform you of yet another disruption on 23 March when teaching staff who are members of the Post Primary Teachers’ Association will be attending a paid union meeting to discuss progress on their latest contract negotiations.

The majority of the college’s teachers are members of the PPTA so the school day will be shortened. Classes will end at 12:15pm and buses will depart by 12:30pm. I will write a letter giving full details of bus arrangements early next week.

“Parents be Aware” an information evening with Barry Taylor
Living with a teenager can be like an emotional roller coaster. Most of the time young people get through the ups and downs of life but there can be some events that knock them down hard. How, as a parent, can you be there in a supportive way that isn’t seen as nagging or suffocating them?

When are the normal teenage emotions no longer normal?

These are some of the issues to be covered in this information evening for parents.

In a lively, entertaining presentation, Barry Taylor from the Wairarapa DHB will provide parents with a better understanding of what is going on in a young person’s mind when they are feeling sad or overwhelmed by life events. He offers practical and easy to apply hints on how to be there for your teenagers in a supportive way.

This free information evening will be on Tuesday March 23 in the college auditorium starting at 7pm.

Netbooks
The netbooks promised for all year nine students are in the college and so far one class has been issued with them.

We will progressively roll out the devices as the teachers of year nine classes are trained in their use.

Parents, as I signalled earlier in the year, you will be asked to contribute financially to help subsidise the college’s lease costs of the netbooks. Initially this contribution was set at $100.00 over the year but a very generous parent has contributed a considerable sum of money to reduce the cost for families. As a result, the cost I am asking each parent to contribute over the year will be $90.00.

Shortly information about the netbooks, a contract and a set of guidelines for the use of the machines will be sent home. This package will also include suggestions of how you might organise to pay the $90.00 to minimise the strain on your household budget.

By early term two all students will be using the netbooks in most areas of their learning. Our trial with a year 10 class in 2009 demonstrated the very real benefits a personal computer can make to a child’s learning. Greytown Primary School, which is now in its second year of issuing laptops to all of its senior students, is convinced of the advantages they bring to learning. They report significant increases in engagement levels, measurable increases in students’ willingness to write and read and very real gains in overall achievement levels.

I am attending a conference in Melbourne in the April holidays which will focus on the use of information technology in education. I hope to return with fresh ideas on how we can best use the netbooks to help to enhance all aspects of your child’s learning.

In Australia, the NSW government has issued a netbook to all state secondary school students. In New Zealand, Kuranui College is the only state secondary school that I am aware of to fully adopt what is now being called mobile or m-learning.

Sandals

I am reliably informed by Hannahs, No 1 Shoes and Postie Plus in Masterton that they all have a full range of sizes of roman sandals in stock.

We extended the deadline for girls to purchase the correct sandals until these shops brought in more stock. I now expect all girls who wear sandals to immediately comply with our uniform code. There will be a uniform check in assembly on Tuesday 10 March.

Second Hand Uniform Shop

I am looking for a parent volunteer to operate the college’s second hand uniform shop. Carol Freeman has performed this task tirelessly for a number of years but she no longer has children at the college and wishes to relinquish the role.

The shop usually opens one lunchtime a week and there is also some additional work involved in receiving second hand goods to sell, pricing etc.

If you are interested in helping out please contact me at the college.

Reel Science Film Festival

The Royal Society of New Zealand is promoting a competition in which students are asked to make a two minute film on anything to do with science.

A free workshop to help Wairarapa students get started on the competition will be held at the Wairarapa Rural Education Centre (Reap House) in Masterton on 19 March from 4 – 5pm.

For more information and to register go to Reel Science Film Festival

From the Sports Desk
Athletic Sports - A large turn-out with our athletes competing in both track and field. The highlight of the day was John Churton’s record breaking 1.71m in the Under 16 boys’ high jump. This record was previously held by Tony Wilson with a 2005 jump of 1.69m.

John Churton in full flight at the Intercollegiate Athletics

Swimming Sports - A total of 13 swimming records were broken on the day. Congratulations to Sam Pepper (5), Katrina Simmonds (5), Hannah Hammond (2), and Grace Hammond (1) WELL DONE.

A big thank-you to our helpers Shavorne Simmonds, Chris Hicks, Jenny Roberts, Bernadette Saywell, Phillip Dunlop, Fred Hammond, Helen Hammond, Glenys Harris, John Renor and Liz Pepper. Your outstanding help along with our college staff and all our swimmers who competed made this day a memorable and successful one.

Intercollegiate Athletics - Kuranui College was the venue with close to 400 athletes competing in the track and field events. The grounds were in immaculate condition, a credit to our groundsman, Mr Redwood. It was a great evening of competition with some creditable performances by Kuranui College athletes. Well done to all of you.

Sports Notice board- If you play or want to play sports you must view the Sports notice board. Information includes signups, cancellations and coming events. The notice board is located out side between the office and staff room.

Sports Gear- Buy, sell and exchange… if you have gear that’s not being used and you wish to donate it to the college, see Mr Yee at the Sports office.

Winter Sports Coaches/Managers - Still required for Junior Boys and Girls soccer and Junior Boys Rugby, if you can help in any way please contact Mr Yee on (06) 30 49116 , Extension 728.

Mr Donald Yee
Sports Co-ordinator


Board of Trustees Election
Nominations are invited for the election of five (5) parent representatives to the Board of Trustees. A nomination form and copy of this notice will be posted to all eligible voters. Additional nomination forms can be obtained from the college office.

Nominations close at noon on April 23 and may be accompanied by a signed candidate’s statement. The voting roll is open for inspection at the college office and can be viewed during normal college hours. There will also be a list of candidates’ names, as they come to hand, for inspection at the college.

The poll closes at noon on May 7.

Grey Tuck 

Returning Officer


Statements
Enclosed in the postal copy of Korero is the first financial statement of the year. It includes the Donation of $55 per student or $100 per family and individual subject fees. The $7 turf fee is a levy set by the BOT to meet the maintenance of the turf and is charged to all students doing Physical Education. The College relies on most families paying their donation and subject fees cover the costs of materials students use and take home from class. The Board of Trustees sets the fees as low as possible to make them affordable to families and in fact they are amongst the lowest fees charged in NZ Secondary Schools.


Parents Association Volunteers
As part of the Jubilee celebrations the Parents Association are manning the bar and need your help. This is a great way to join the party at no cost to you while supporting the Parents Association fundraising. If you are available on the evening of Friday 2 April and / or Saturday 3 April we would love to hear from you. Please contact Jo at the office – Ph 3049116.


50th Jubilee Reunion
The Jubilee plans are going very well. We’d like you to attend if you are a past student or teacher so get your registration forms in quickly. Registrations close on 25 March. We are holding a Food Fair on the Saturday and some of your children may be involved holding a food stall. A letter will come home next week. Please support this as it is a great way for them to fundraise for sports activities. If you have any queries please contact Trish Heming 3049116 or email


Welcome to….
Isabela Silva from Brazil and Valeria Porras from Costa Rica. This brings the number of International Exchange students in the school to seven.


G Shepherd
PRINCIPAL