Ashburton Courier: October 07, 2021

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Ashburton College Individual Excellence in aSupportive Learning Environment News Issue 33 7October 2021 Message From ThePrincipal Looking Ahead to Term Four Whilst there was the earlier interruption to the term via Delta there isadistinct feeling of ‘thank goodness these holidayshavearrived’. This vibe has been created byacombination of College exams,plus the demands of tryingtowrapup much of our internally assessedmaterial. For both staff and students the break is achance to recharge the batteries before Term Four sprints past. At least, this year, schools have five weeks with senior students before they start exam leave, rather than the three weeks which had been originally scheduled. Our planning for the Year 11 and 12 Prize-giving and the Year 13 Graduation Ceremony is well underway. However, unless we are at Level 1there will berestrictions to consider. Like any large organisation we arealso planning howtoacknowledge our students’successes in the eventofany changed COVID restrictions. NewBuild Progressions Ournew buildisunderway, although we don’thave the finalisedMaster Plan, duetosome considerationsstill to be finalised. However, we do know that the first block ofour new build will utilise the land that encompasses the old Swimming Pool site, the adjacent Horticulture Block and the existing Phoenix Pre-school land. With this in mind, the Pre-school will relocate to the space infront of the former MidCanterburyNetballPavilion, andpassers-bywill noticethatwork has startedinthis area. We will share the Master Plan with our wider community, once this is finalised. Asother schools will attest, property planning is aprolonged process. Changes at NCEA Level1 At this stage, the Ministry ofEducation is still intending tointroduce, through its NCEA Change Package, major changes toNCEA Level 1for 2023. This work started in 2019. There are some significant changes being signalled. These include: a reduction inthe number of subjects available, and areduction in the numberofstandards available in each subject, plus therequirementthat everysubjecthas both an internal and an externally assessed component. However, this does not mean an exam in all subjects, aswork insome subjects can also be assessed by portfolios or written submissions. Through the Teacher OnlyACCORD Days,staff areworking collaboratively with other schools in preparation forLevel 1implementationin2023. Many of thesenew assessments will be trialled in 2022 by some schools throughout New Zealand, and our staff have the option of providing feed-forward to NZQA on their proposals. There are further reforms/ tweaks proposed forLevels 2and 3infollowingyears. College Roll Growth Our latest Ministry ofEducation GMFS (Guaranteed Minimum Formula Staffing) noticerecognises that our College roll continuestogrow. Students have made their subject choices for 2022 and weare working to ensure that wecan continue to offer these choices, and against new teacher appointments. The challenge isthat every secondary school in New Zealand isgoing through exactly the same process and there isan under- supply of teachers in manyareas. Retirementand Best Wishes to Ron Cresswell Ron Cresswell has announced his retirement from his Deputy Principal position, effective from the end of this year.‘Crez’isalegend for many of ourstudents. Hethoroughlydeserves the right toretire andtospend more time on his woodwork projects, photography, interests, and with familyand friends. Iknow he willbemissed andall of us wish him well. Ross Preece Principal •Tumuaki Staff -Farewell Annabelle Simpson Annabelle hasbeen apartofthe College’s Physical Education Facultysince thebeginning of 2020, teaching Physical Education andHealth. She has beenavalued and hard-working member of thePhysical Education Faculty, and significantlyinvolved in the resource preparation and teaching of the Year 12 Senior Health Programme, arelatively new pathway option forstudents. Meanwhile, her background in Personal Training supported her teaching capabilityinthe Year 13 Sport and Exercise PerformanceCourse. TheFacultywill miss her inputand sense of humour. We thank Annabelle forher contributionsatAshburtonCollegeand wishher well in her new position at Avonside Girls’High School.The increased time created from not having to undertake the daily Christchurch to Ashburton andreturn commutewill doubtless be appreciated. The AshColl Way Appreciation Year 13 Awards and aNew Award With the Year 13 Graduation Ceremony approaching quickly, details around some ofthe prestigious awards presented at that event are outlined in this newsletter, indicating opportunities for student successes to be acknowledged. There will be additional information and recognitions in forthcoming newsletters, including after the Year 13 Graduation Ceremony and the combined Year 11 and 12 Prize-giving. InDecember we will be acknowledging theachievementsofYear 9and 10 students. Of particular note is the outstanding historical and current community supportAshburtonCollegereceives into the availability ofthese awards forstudents. TheDux of AshburtonCollege This top academic award goes to the student attaining the highest overall academic result at Ashburton College for the relevant year. The outcome is based on results inInternal Assessments and in the College Exams, which are used asproxy for students’External Assessment Grades. TheProxime Accessit This award isthe Runner-up to the Dux presentation, to the student with academic results secondplaced forthe relevant year. TheFooks Memorial Award This is giventoanoutstanding male student, who has been prominent in academic performance, leadership, and extra-curricularactivities. With appreciation to Margaret Bean of the Ashburton High School OldPupils’Association, for the information and photo. Herbert Henry Fooks, known as ‘Bertie’, had a number of ‘firsts’tohis name. He was afirst day pupil of Ashburton High School, being number 17 on the roll; the first old pupil to graduate from Canterbury University College (as it was then) in 1984 with aBachelor ofArts; and in 1910 was elected the first President of the Old Pupils’Association. In his lifetime he was the Ashburton Borough Engineer and Town Clerk; Secretary for anumber of organisations, including the AshburtonVolunteer Fire Brigade, the Golf Club and theLawnTennis Club. Sadly,hediedprematurely in February1911atthe age of 41, of pneumonia. Significant public recognitions were made to the quality, contributions of and the values he exhibited in his life. The following year, on27June 1912, amemorial tablet presented by the High School Old Pupils’ Association was unveiled to commemorate his life. Described as a’handsome, glittering brass tablet’itwas prepared to perpetuate the memory ofits first President and to ‘inspire succeeding pupils with love for their school, devotion to their duty and zeal in the cultivation of all qualities and exercises tending to the making of trueand honourable men. On this roll of honour shall beinscribed annually, the name of the pupil who shall be deemed most worthy to have earned the distinction by pre-eminence in scholastic attainment, and manly outdoor sports, bypossession of the qualities of manhood, truth, courage, and devotion to duty, and by the exhibition of moral force ofcharacter and the instincts of leadership’. For the next fifty years the boy judged most worthy was tohave his name inscribed on it. (It must be said that itwas certainly aman’s worldback in that time!). This brass tablet is now inthe College’s Auditorium Foyer and, while the wordsofthe annual awardhavechanged,the spirit of the originalaward liveson. TheRotaryClub of Ashburtonhas been the sponsor the above three awards formanyyears,and their supportofthe College is very much appreciated. TheAshburtonHigh School Centennial Trust ROMcDowell Crystal Trophy This is awarded to afemale studentwho has been prominent in academic performance, leadership,and extra-curricularactivities. The Ashburton High School Centennial Trust Fund was established following the Ashburton High School Old Pupils Centennial held in February1982,which wound up theircelebrations with surplus funding. Theobjects of the Trust were to invest andaccumulate the monies forthe benefitofPost-Primary Education in the Ashburtonarea. In August 2002, after the sudden death of Owen McDowell it was suggested,and approved by the Trustees,thatOwenMcDowell’s name be associatedwith this presentation. Owen McDowell was Principal of Ashburton College from 1968-1988, with his contribution to schooling in Ashburton and to the community at large being considerable. Itwas noted also that the Trust benefited greatly from his vast amount ofwork and direction given since itsformation in 1984. New Award-TheRobinGrigg Agricultureand Horticulture Memorial Award This is anew awardthisyear,available to astudentfromone of either AshburtonCollege or Mt Hutt College,donatedbythe Grigg family in memoryofRobin Grigg. Robin farmed Barrosa Station, in Mt Somers,for thirty-seven years.Hewas aChairman of the Federated Farmers’Mid Canterbury branch, and gave considerable input into districtplanning. Robin had many off-the-farm interests, including square-rig sailing and trekking (including on camels), which took him to all corners of the globe.Hesailed around both Cape Hornand the Cape of Good Hope,and even went on aRussian Nuclear Icebreaker ship across the Arctic. Robin spenthis lateryears in Christchurch. Robin Grigg also knew many ofthe trials and tribulations that farming brought. Amanda Hewson (nee Grigg) has advised that, on behalf of the Grigg family, they wanted to give a young person some support, offering an opportunityfor astep in the direction of achieving their goals. The recipient ofthe Robin Grigg Memorial Prize will be astudent who is already passionate about agriculture; aperson who is driven, hard-working and innovative, much like the late Robin Grigg. Amanda is currently on parental leave but has taughtatAshburtonCollege since2011. Information Reminders: NCEA and College Internal Exams – Please Note Datesand Arrangements NCEA External Exams • End of Year external exams will now start two weeks later, commencing Monday 22 November and running through until Tuesday 14 December. • External Portfolios inArt, and Design and Visual communication deadlines willalso be pushed out by twoweeks. Level3Visual Art; Levels 1-3 Technology andLevel 1DVC – ChangedSubmission Dates With the extendedlockdownand subsequentdisruptiontolearning,NZQA has extended the time available toschools to develop and collect relevant candidate evidencerequiredfor external assessmentfor subjects/standards whereevidenceissubmitted. Thedeadline forthisis10November 2021. Forthcoming Events Please note: dates are as at the time ofpublishing. Alterations, due to anyCOVID-levelrestrictions will be advised to relevantgroupsassoonas details areknown. October 02-17 Term Holidaybreak 02-04 CANCELLED -NationalSecondarySchools’Road Cycling,Timaru 03-09 Fijian Language Week 11-14 CANCELLED -NationalSchools’MTB Championships,Blenheim 12-13 CANCELLED -SISS Cycling Track Champs,Invercargill. 12-15 CANCELLED -Fuji XeroxNZSS Netball Championships, Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua 16 Relayfor Life–StudentExecutiveand Staff 18-20 Year 11 Outdoor Education, Hanmer Springs 18-21 Year 9/10 Matesand Dates 19 Year 12 Animal Handling Group 1, Mayfield 20 Year 12 Animal Handling Group 2, Mayfield Full College assembly Tbc Year 9Smart$presentation Tbc Year 10 Smart$ presentation 21 Year 12 Business Studies Market Day, Chessboard 25 Labour Day–Public Holiday End-of-Year and Senior Prize-Giving Dates We remind families that, due to the startofNCEAexamsbeingpushed back,ithas beendecided to also move back the following dates: SeniorStudentPrize-givingDates2021 • Year 13 -Wednesday10November,7:30pm, AshburtonTrustEvent Centre • Year 11 and 12 -Monday 15 November,7:00pm, Ashburton Trust EventCentre Last dayofschoolattendancefor Senior Studentsasfollows: • Year 13 last dayofschool Thursday11November • Years 11 and 12 last dayofschool Wednesday17November Last dayofschoolattendanceand Prize-givings forJuniorStudents: Please noteslight changes to these dates, and achange from previous prize-giving times. • Year 9 Thursday 09 December:Prize-giving 5:30pm, CollegeAuditorium • Year 10 Thursday 09 December:Prize-giving 7:30pm, CollegeAuditorium Forthcoming Public HolidayDates: Labour DayHoliday Monday25October CanterburyAnniversaryDay Friday12November
Ashburton College Individual Excellence in aSupportive Learning Environment News Issue 33 7October 2021 Events Gifted and TalentedProgramme for College Students In June thisyear, threeof our Year 10 studentswereselected to attend the Gifted andTalentedprogramme at the NewZealandMarine Studies Centre in Dunedin. Ella Rickard, Rose Vannini and Darcy McCully joined sixteen other students from throughout the lower half of the South Island in three residential camps based at Portobello. Carolyn Clough, Co-ordinator of the College’s Gifted and Talented Programme said that, during their time at the Marine Studies Centre, the girls worked ingroups with amentor from Otago University toplan, carry out and reportonascientific investigation about the marine ecosystem. Ella and her group were interested in the change inbiodiversity in the Otago Harbour, in response tostressors such asroadworks and dredging. They surveyed the biodiversity intwo locations, using baited underwater cameras and compared this to data taken in previous years. In both locations,therewas asignificantincreaseinbiodiverse life. Roseand her group investigated the feeding preferences of green-lipped mussels in relation to microplastics. Microplastics (plasticsthatare 0.05mm or smaller) infect the marine ecosystem from industrial waste. They found thatmusselsare morelikelytoconsumemicroplastics if the plastic wasdirty and, also, ifitwas mixed with phytoplankton (their natural food source). However, mussels did consume some microplastics in all trials, which highlights theimpactofthis wasteinour marine environment. Darcy andher group looked at habitat preferences in triplefins –fish that are animportant part ofthe diet for many marine animals. They set up different habitats intanks and videoed the fish torecord the time spent in each habitat type. Whilst it was clear that triplefins prefer ahigher density habitat, the resultsoftheirexperiment were inconclusive, andmoredatais required. Thegirls allreported thatthis wasafun andengaging learning opportunity, and thatitwasgreat to meet andworkwith students fromotherschools. Appreciation Thank youtothestaff at theNew Zealand Marine Studies Centreand to the parents who transportedthe girlstoand from the camps Purple Shirt/Non-Uniform DaySupporting Mental Health Awareness Easterlin Faamausili and John Magyaya were the main organisers of Mental Health Awareness Week at AshburtonCollege. Easterlin said they were very passionate about this sinceitgreatly affects the youth of today. They brought the idea of support tothe Student Executive and then set about planning it all. Non-Uniform Day Theofficial colour forMental Health Awareness Week this year is purple, with all students encouraged to wear something purple. Last Friday was also non-uniform day with agold coin donation requested forMental Health support, and abake sale wasorganised to raise money for the Mental Health Foundation. Activities and Donation Appreciations Easterlin advised that the ‘Student Executive members painted shirts with purple painttoshowour unityasateam, and our supportfor Mental Health Awareness’. (Pictured above): The Student Executive and House Captains as aunited group for‘Mental Health Matters’. The Executive Members also painted encouraging messages on the front of their shirts forstudents who maybestruggling with their mental health. (Pictured right, leftand right): DeputyHead Students Easterlin Faamausili and Alex Rielly,showing their slogans. Thepaintwas kindly donatedbyResene ColorShop Ashburton. Keyinformation provided by Deputy Head Girl Easterlin Faamausili Bake Sale at Lunchtime TheBake Sale held at lunch time wasverysuccessful,with items being sold out beforelunch ended. New World Ashburton kindly donated ingredients and Countdown Ashburton generously gave us $60 tospend on any other ingredients we mayneed. The help gained from these three companies: Resene, New World and Countdown showedthe community’ssupportfor something so important to our youth today. TheStudentExecutiveand College community would liketogiveabig ‘shoutout’tothem fortheir help! (Pictured above, left and right): Two of the key bake sale organisers – Easterlin Faamausili and Gemma Taylor, set up ready for customers, who came in their droves as pictured above right and below. (Pictured above,lefttoright): Darcy McCully,Ella Rickardand Rose Vannini. StudentExecutive Fundraising Continues for Relayfor LifeMid Canterbury – Te AraToioraaHakatere Raffle Fundraiser TheCollege Student Executiveiscontinuing theirfundraisingfor the MidCanterburyRelay forLife, to be held on Saturday16October. Thepublic can takepart in this raffle by contacting aStudentExecutive membertheyknow or by scanning theQR Code and donating to their page. Staff Donations Meanwhile,the College Staffhave beenundertaking their fundraising projects also –online, and aBake Sale mostrecently. Tentsatthe Event The Staff and Student Executive will have their tents side-by-side in the AshburtonDomain on the day. Thereis, of course,nofundraising competitionbetween the twogroups! Theraffleisscheduled to close Thursday14October. Second Sausage Sizzle Fundraiser forRelayfor Life The second of these two barbecue fundraising opportunities was held last Friday, at the endofterm. Following the Relay for Life event we will be able toprovide the total fundraising achieved by the Student Executive. The Student Executive and Heads of House team (pictured above, back row, left toright): Sam Holland, Ellie Lawn, Shrina Afu, Emily Wilson, Maddy Wilson, Taylah Burrowes, Milli Sullivan, Easterlin Faamausili, Alex Rielly, Gemma Taylor, Lauren Taylor, Tia McCallum, Drew Porter, CatAnderson. (Front row, left to right): John Magyaya, Marlese Schoonderbeek, Brie Rudolph, Jacob Swan, Ben Middleton, Olivia Lill, Thomas Patterson, Malachi Drye,GeorgieCartney. Otago Junior Mathematics Competition Twenty three College students entered the first part of this competition in April, with the top 15% of students in each school then gaining admittancetothe second partofthe competition which took placeinMay. Acting Head of Faculty Mathematics Liz Cabout advised that the first part was an online, short answer and multi-choice problem-solving assessment. The second part was awritten assessment where problems needed to be solved with clear working and mathematical reasoning. This competition is targeted at very mathematically able students. Second partofthe Competition Year 10 student Luke Hay and Year 9students Henry Prouting and Torry Wilson-Brown were selected toparticipate in the second part of the competition, in May. Certificates ADistinction Certificate was awarded to any student who achieved in the top15% in eitherthe first or the second part. Merit Certificates were awarded tostudents who achieved in the top 50% in either the first or the second partofthe competition. Overall Results Distinction: Luke Hayand HenryProuting. Merit: Year 9 students Ben Jurd and Torry Wilson-Brown; Year 10 students Hector Diamante, Steven Harris and Ella Rickard. If YouNeedHelp WhereDoYou Go? Easterlin emphasised that, hopefully as aresult of highlighting Mental Health Awareness throughout College, any students who are struggling with their mental health feel encouraged to speak out to aloved one or a professional to get some help. She said this was only asmall event but they were pleased that the whole school wassoon-boardwith this cause. Mental Health is a big issue, with one in six people who are suffering with Mental Health being in the 10-19 years old age group. If youare wanting to talk to anyone,thereare counsellors at College: • MsHosking hg@ashcoll.school.nz • MrShepherd sd@ashcoll.school.nz • Mrs Bayley ba@ashcoll.school.nz • MsMcConnochie mg@ashcoll.school.nz Or –you could choose to talk with aloved one. From the StudentExecutive: Theimportantthing is that youdon’t struggle in silence because therewill alwaysbesomeone willing to listen and help. (Pictured above, back row,lefttoright): HectorDiamante,Ella Rickard, HenryProuting. (Front row,lefttoright): Luke Hay, Steven Harris, BenJurd. (Inset): TorryWilson-Brown.
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