“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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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