Tena tatou katoa
Prom
Saturday night is Prom night! Senior students have been looking forward to this event for a long time and our Events Leaders have been working hard to make it a memorable occasion.
This year for the first time the Prom is being held at The Brackenridge resort in Martinborough. I am very glad to see it being held back in our South Wairarapa community for a change.
Parent/Teacher Evening
It was wonderful to see so many parents and caregivers at the parent/teacher evening last week. Most of you came in earlier in the year to the first of the Family Learning Conferences but I am glad that many of you also took the opportunity to meet your child’s subject teachers. I hope you received constructive feedback about your child’s learning and that between us we can help them to lift their achievement levels.
Rotary Club of South Wairarapa Martinborough Fair Trust Bursaries
Year 13 students from the South Wairarapa (Greytown south) who are planning to enter tertiary study in 2010 should consider applying for the Martinborough Fair Bursaries available from the Rotary Club of the South Wairarapa. Each year the club award two and sometimes three, of these very generous bursaries. The details for these applications, which close very soon, are in the daily notices
Barbara Kendall
A small group of Year 13 students travelled with me and Mr Tavernor last week to listen to Olympic gold medal winning windsurfer Barbara Kendall deliver a motivational seminar at St Matthews College. Year 13 students from all of the Wairarapa schools were thoroughly entertained by Barbara who explained that she put her success down to her philosophy of “passion = energy = motivation = success.”
“In other words,” Barbara said, “Decide what you are passionate about and if you choose to devote your life to this it will motivate you to excel, to want to be successful and perhaps become the best.”
Barbara reinforced this idea by saying, “choice not chance determines your destiny. Don’t sit around and wait for something to come to you. You have to decide what you want and go for it!”
Matharapa Win!
In 2009 our Year 9 team won the regional Matharapa for the first time for many years. Last week the same team consisting of Emily Jamieson, Kayden Saywell and Dan Carlisle easily won the Year 10 competition in Masterton. An outstanding win!
Theatre Sports Win!
Last week teams from the college competed in all levels of the annual intercollegiate theatre sports competitions at the Harlequin Theatre in Masterton. All represented the college with pride but the senior team consisting of Dominic Hawke, Barney Johnson, Louis Gray, Daniel Cameron and James Owens outdid themselves by taking out first place! We have competed in these competitions for many years and usually been placed but this is the first time we have won and brought home the trophy. Outstanding!
Year 10 at Whitireia Polytechnic
This week sixty Year 10 students travelled to Porirua to be shown around Whitireia Polytechnic. The staff at the polytech made the students very welcome and spent the morning showing off the fabulous facilities and courses that they have to offer.
Year 12 at the Career Expo in Wellington
Over seventy Year 12 students spent last Tuesday at the Coca Cola Careers Expo in the Queens Wharf Event centre. One of the highlights of the expo was the guided tour of the navy frigate Canterbury which was moored alongside the events centre. Ex Kuranui student Tambor Hayvice is serving on the Canterbury and some of our students caught up with him on board.
Ski Trips
The two annual ski trips are now very close.
The Year 10 ski trip dates are 20th – 22nd September for 10TL, 10BN, 10GV and 22nd – 24th September for 10WV and 10BS. Only four weeks to go!
The Year 12 ski trip dates are 13th – 17th September, only three weeks to go!
For students going on any of the trips you need to have or hire waterproof pants. This is in addition to the items on the gear list that was given out. All money should be paid in full by now.
2011 Senior Subject Selection Evening
We are currently asking students to make senior subject selections for 2011. Parents; it is vital that you are involved in this process.
Students need to put together a meaningful course of study which will lead them to their career choice, motivate them to learn and achieve and suit their learning style.
To help you to assist your child to make meaningful subject selections for next year and to help you understand the requirements of NCEA at all three levels we are holding an information evening on Wednesday 25th August in the Library.
Representatives from all curriculum areas and the Careers Advisor will be present.
Parents and caregivers of current Year 10, 11 and 12 students are urged to attend.
The meeting begins at 7.00pm.
Board of Trustees Student Representative Nominations
After serving as the student representative on the Board of Trustees for a year, it is nearly time for Kendall Charles to hand over to a new student rep. Kendall has done an outstanding job and represented the college’s students very honestly and reliably.
Nominations for elections for the 2010/11 representative are now open and will close at noon on 2nd September. Nomination forms are available from my Personal Assistant, Lisa Fairbrother.
Voting will commence on Wednesday 8 September and close on Friday 17 September.
Midterm Break
Parents and caregivers, this is a reminder that the college will be closed on Friday 3 September to give students and staff a mid term break. We are using this opportunity to allow contractors to cut off power and plumbing connections to C Block in readiness for its demolition.
Paid Union Meeting
I hope that your children recently brought home my letter informing you of the Post Primary Teachers Association paid union meeting on Wednesday 25 August. Classes will end at 12.15pm and buses will depart at 12.25pm.
NZQA Fees
A reminder that the fee of $75 must be paid by 3 September. Application forms for financial assistance are available from the office and reduce the fee to $20. September 1st is the cut off date for financial assistance applications. Any NZQA fees unpaid by 3 September must be paid direct to NZQA and will incur a $50 late fee. NZQA will not release any official results to candidates who fail to pay entry fees. They will do so when the entry fee and the $50 late fee have been paid.
Andrew Newton
Andrew Newton, world famous hypnotist, is coming to Kuranui College with a 2 hour show on October 10. This show is a fundraiser for our three sports teams travelling to Secondary Schools tournaments. The show starts at 7pm and tickets are only $20 each. Get your family and friends together and have a night of laughter.
Tickets will be on sale soon so keep this date free!
Year 9 Garden Design
In Term 1 and 2 the Year 9 horticulture class was involved in a garden design project competition in partnership with Farmlands Greytown to help develop a new garden design for their store front. The year 9 class had to come up with their own design plans and research what plants/materials they wanted, as well as stick to a $400 budget. This was an Education for Enterprise project. Last week Farmlands met with the Year 9 class to present the winning designers with a much appreciated $100 cash prize. Congratulations to Tyla Hart and Alastair Waddell on a winning design which will be built/planted by the Year 9 class on the 9th and 10th of September.. Thank you to Farmlands for being involved with Kuranui College and providing a great opportunity.
Good luck to …
· The boys 1st XV rugby team who play Taita College at Kuranui in the Wellington premier 4 semi final on Saturday at 1pm
· The boys 2nd XV rugby team who play Wairarapa College Gold at Kuranui on Saturday in the semi final of their competition at 10am
· Our three sporting teams travelling away to their respective Secondary School tournaments from 30 August – 3 September. Senior A Netball team travel to Wanganui, Boys 1st XI Hockey team go to Whakatane and the Girls 1st XI Hockey team travel to Stratford.
From the Sports Desk…
Girls Netball: The Junior A team are at the top of the table with a couple of games to go in section play with finals day on 11 September. The other teams are unlikely to make finals playoffs, but are looking forward to finishing the season in a positive fashion. Go for it girls!
Boys 1st XI Hockey: Continued their winning form with a 14-2 win over Wellington College with Darren Dingle making his long awaited debut as a kicking fullback and goalie… even our team was confused!
Girls 1st XI Hockey: Had an excellent win over Tawa, 3-2.
Girls 2nd XI Hockey:
Rugby 1st XV: won by default over Newlands College and now play Taita 2 at Kuranui this Saturday for a place in the finals with the kick-off at 1pm. Come along and support the boys!
Rugby 2nd XV: won by default over Chanel and also gain a semi final spot
Girls Rugby: Under the guidance of Miss Lindsay Turner the girls had 2 wins in the Wairarapa.
Boys Basketball: Two games were played with a win over Wairarapa College in the first game. Tiredness showed in game 2 with a loss to Rathkeale.
Boys Soccer: Lost their semi-finals match to Rathkeale 2nd XI, 5-1.
Girls Soccer: Coach Tony Moule was very pleased with the teams 6-0 win over Makoura in their final game of the season.
Sports Subs: There is still a large of amount of money still owing for subs. Your urgent attention to this would be appreciated.
Mr Donald Yee
Sports Co-ordinator
Congratulations to …
· The following students for their achievements in the UNSW Global Educational Assessments: Emily Jamieson – High Distinction in Science and Distinction in Computing Skills, Nathan Wride with Distinction in Computing Skills and Dan Carlisle with Credit in Computing Skills.
· Emily Jamieson who also received a Certificate of Credit in the Australian Mathematics Trust Challenge and a Certificate of Distinction for the Australian Informatics competition. WOW! Well done Emily!
· The senior Theatre Sports team who won the recent Wairarapa intercollegiate theatre sports competition!
· The Year 10 Matharapa team for blitzing the competition!
· Lauren Crimp, placed third in the recent Wairarapa Intercollegiate Senior speech competition.
· The following students who gained merit endorsements to their NCEA Level 1 Certificate qualifications. These students were awarded Silver Honours badges in assembly last week:
2008: Bridget Kershaw, Raegan McGregor
2009: Jason van Zanten, Lauren Crimp, Francesca Silver, Aleisha Bain, Renee Cheeseman, Shaun Collings, Keith Finlayson, Rowan Pemberton, Charlotte Taylor and Daniella Clancy.
· Rebecca Holden who had her NCEA Level 2 Certificate endorsed with merit in 2009.
G Shepherd
PRINCIPAL

