Ashburton Courier: February 13, 2020

Page 18, Ashburton's The Courier, Thursday February 13, 2020
Local news at www.starnews.co.nz
Ashburton College
Individual Excellence in aSupportive Learning Environment
News
Issue 2
13 February 2020
DeputyPrincipal Message
PositiveStarttoYear
The year is off to agreat start two weeks in, as
students and staff alike settle in to the 2020
school year. The first few weeks of school are a
busy and exciting time with new students, new
classes, new courses and new teachers. Some of
these people arenew to the school,while others
mayalways have beenherebut not crossed your
path.
In particular, we welcome our new students
at Year 9and other year levels, and our teachers and support staff
who are new to the College community. The pōwhiri held on
Friday07Februarywas agreat occasion to welcomethese people to our
AshburtonCollege whānau.
PositiveRelationships
With all of these‘new’people, amajor focus within our schoolcommunity
is promoting, developing and maintaining positive, learning-focused
relationships. This includes between students ofthe same age, and
students of different ages; between staff and students; and between
teachers and whānau. Positiverelationshipsare importanttousasthey
contribute tostudents having agreater sense of belonging and wellbeing,
andresult in better learning.
Three-WayConferences
One initiative that istargeted at strengthening the relationship and
partnership between home and school are the forthcoming threeway
conferences between student, caregiver and Ako teacher. These
interviews are occurring on Tuesday 25 February with slots bookable
from 10:00am to 8:00pm.Wewant tosee as many whānau aspossible
on this daysopleaseget on to booking aslotassoonasyou areadvised
thatbookingsare open–welook forwardtoseeingyou.
Goal-Setting: Keep it in FrontofYou
Early in the year is agreat timeto set goals.Whatdoyou want to achieve
for the year? This could be anything from an academic, sporting or
cultural focus; togetting ajob, ormaking some new friends. Itcould
be afull year goal orsomething that you want to achieve inthe next
six weeks.
Whateverthe goal, youare morelikely to be successful if it remains front
of mind. To help with this, write it down. It could be on your phone,
computer or wall at home.Just havingagoal willnot howeverhelp you
to achieve it,sostart thinking about what youneed to do(actions) that
will help you toachieve your goal and make your plan happen. With a
goal, aplan, commitment, perseveranceand hardwork, youcan achieve
all mannerof success.
Opportunities Available at College
Throughout the year, many opportunities are available for students at
the College. Many of these opportunities are onshow atOrientation
morning on Wednesday 19February. This is achance for students to
get information and express interest in awide variety ofactivities that
are offered through the school, and the community for the College. I
encourage students tomake the most ofthese opportunities as it is a
greattime to trynew things,some of whichare difficult to access in life
beyond school. Inaddition, the more that you get involved, the more
thatyou arelikely to get out of your year.
Jono Hay
DeputyPrincipal •Tumuaki Tuarua
Meet OurNew Staff –Welcome
Following last newsletter’s list of new staff we are very pleased toalso
introduce:
Jack Kaa
Cleaning Staff
Information
College Office Hours Term Time
Monday-Thursday
Friday
Daniel Tew
Teacher of Technology
8:00am –4:30pm (Monday-Thursday)
8:00am –4:00pm (Friday).
College Uniform Clothing Shop
This is operatedthroughthe CollegeOfficebetween 8:30am-3:30pm,or
by request.
Families and students are welcome to view items ofclothing (secondhand,
goodquality). We also welcome good quality, clean second-hand
clothing to sellonyour behalf.
Information
Orientation Morning
ActivityDisplays/Exciting Opportunities
forStudents to become Involved
Wednesday19February
College Chessboard, 10:45am –11:25am
On this daystudentshavethe opportunitytoview forty-fiveto fifty display
stands ofactivities available, through the College and community groups,
and register interest in what they
mightlike to be involved in during
this year,and beyond.
Collegewelcomes and encourages
students joininginCollegelife, and
Orientation Day provides agreat
chance to see the wide range of
activities on offer.
Parents and caregivers might like to
encourage their student to consider
how they might like to become
involved in the many opportunities
offered by the College and
Community Groups who contribute
to the lifeand work of theCollege.
College Early Closurefor Paid Union Meeting
Thursday20February, from 1:20pm
PleasenotethatAshburtonCollege will be closedfor instruction,
from 1:20pm (the end of Period4)onThursday20February.
This is forthe purpose of aPaid UnionMeeting,for all teachers whoare
partofthe Post PrimaryTeachers’ Association (PPTA).
ThePPTAexecutivehas authorised everyPPTAbranch throughoutNew
Zealandtohold aPaid Union Meeting, in order to give feedbacktothe
TeachingCouncil of Aotearoa New Zealand
on proposed Teacher Registration feeincreases.
Themeetingisheld under the provisions of Section 26
of the EmploymentRelations Act2000.
Supervision, by non PPTA members,willbeavailable at Collegeuntil
3:05pm for students unable to makealternativearrangements.
School buses will run at the normal afternoon time.
AkoInterviews/College Closure–
Tuesday25February
Please note that the College willbeclosed fornormalinstruction on
this day, in order to hold Akointerviews forall year levels.
These interviews provide opportunity for students to share information,
plan andset goals,with theirAko teacherand parent/caregiver.
Theinterviews will be held at Ashburton College,
from 10:00am-8:00pm.
Familiesare to book theirinterviewtimes on-line,
and this information will be providedinthe nearfuture.
Allstudents/families areexpectedtoattend.
Events
International Students’Day Trip
International Director Michelle Hosking said that 2020 has started off
extremely well fortheirDepartment and International students.
On Friday 31January Michelle said the International Department had the
pleasureoftaking internationalstudentsnew to College, to thepicturesque
Lake Tekapo to experienceoneofNew Zealand’s finest tourist spots.
Internationalstudentsstarting at College thisyear,todate,have come from
Japan and Argentina. They have been warmly welcomed into College and
well-supported by their buddiesduring athree dayorientation programme
designed to ensurethatthey hadapositive starttothe year.
An aspect ofthe trip to Tekapo was the helicopter and fire-fighter action
where personnel were continuing to actively fight the persistent fires in
Burkes Pass. Huge quantities of smoke highlightedthe size of the task.
As always,Lake Tekapo wasstunning despitestrong winds, withthe
groupvisiting the Churchofthe
Good Shepherd (pictured left) and
taking on the steep three-hour
loop trackclimbtothe summit of
Mt John andsiteofthe Mt John
Observatory. Fromtherethey
enjoyedthe 360 degree stunning
viewsencompassingLake Tekapo,
the Southern Alps and the
The day was finished off
experiencing the Jumpernaut,
Aqua Drop and relaxing in the
hotpools. Michelle said it was
areal pleasure seeing current
AshColl students making sure
the new students had avery
positiveKiwi experience.
Mackenzie BasinFlat.
Events
Pōwhiri –Manuhiri Welcomed to College
This annual important event in the culture ofthe College took place on
Friday 07February, in front ofthe newly refurbished Whare Wananga.
The pōwhiri was originally scheduled forWednesday 05February but was
postponed due to weather and resulting wetgrounds.
Welcomed were Year 9students,new students at other year levels and new
staff (the Manuhiriorvisitors).
(Pictured above): The Manuhiri, accompanied also by Ako teachers, being
called forwardontothe campus.
The welcome made on
behalf of the Tangata
Whenua (hosts), those
who have previously
been welcomed and
who belong to the
College, was made in
Te Reo bythe Principal
Ross Preece (pictured
right).
(Pictured left): The
College kapa haka
group,with kaikaranga
(Caller) Michelle Brett
of the Hakatere Marae,
calling the Manuhirion
to the campus.
This was
followedby
the Tangata
Whenua
singing of
the waiata
Whakatakate
hau.
Responding,
forthe
Manuhiriwas
Matua Tiipene Philip (pictured above), College Head of MāoriDepartment.
Following this the Manuhiri’swaiata, Tutiramai wassung.
At the conclusion, the Tangata Whenua invited the Manuhiri toapproach
them forhongi. (pictured below):
Presentation Appreciation
Apresentation was made byRoss Preece toBrenda Leonard and to
Damian Peeti at the conclusion of the pōwhiri (pictured below, left and
right):
In highlighting our newly
restored wharecarvings warm
acknowledgementwas made
of Master Carver,the late Vince
Leonard, who craftedthe whare
carvingsovertwenty-sevenyears
ago. Inrecognitionofhis work,
andofwifeBrenda’s sharing his
time with theCollege, aliving
plantwas presented.
An additionalpresentation
wasalso made to Damian in
recognition of his co-ordination of
therestoration of the carvings;his
skill,dedication and commitment
to theworktoensureanoutcome
fitting of the venue.