Ashburton Courier: March 31, 2022
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
NEWS<br />
2 <strong>Ashburton</strong> <strong>Courier</strong>, <strong>March</strong> <strong>31</strong>, <strong>2022</strong><br />
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
Build customers,<br />
sales and profits<br />
withus...<br />
Delivered to all homes,<br />
lifestyle blocks and farms in<br />
MidCanterburyand Geraldine<br />
news<br />
Daniel Tobin<br />
Editor<br />
308 7664<br />
027 628 7679<br />
daniel.tobin@ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
Reporter<br />
Toni Williams<br />
toni.williams@ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
Contributor<br />
Mick Jensen<br />
advertising<br />
Jann Thompson<br />
Sales Manager<br />
308 7664<br />
027 587 6351<br />
jann.thompson@ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
Karen Gane<br />
Sales Account Manager<br />
308 7664<br />
021 510 804<br />
karen.gane@ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
get in touch<br />
Editorial<br />
daniel.tobin@ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
Advertising<br />
info@ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
CreativeManager<br />
murray.thompson@ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
Accounts<br />
accounts@alliedpress.co.nz<br />
Distribution/Deliveries<br />
mary.summerfield@ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
Office<br />
office@ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
03 308 7664<br />
199 Burnett Street,<strong>Ashburton</strong><br />
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
2388023<br />
College set to consult with<br />
community on NCEA Level 1<br />
BY MICK JENSEN<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong> College will consultwith<br />
the wider community next term on<br />
the relevance of NCEA Level 1inthe<br />
school curriculum.<br />
Once feedback has beencollateda<br />
decisionwill be made on whether to<br />
continue with Level 1ortoscrap it.<br />
The NCEA assessment systemhas<br />
been around for over 20 years, but<br />
with somesweeping changes<br />
plannedtothe secondary school<br />
qualification,Level 1has beeninthe<br />
spotlight andpartofdiscussions in<br />
the education sector over thelast<br />
three years.<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong>College principalRoss<br />
Preece said there would be no<br />
outcomes decided until the<br />
community had beenconsulted and<br />
offeredits feedback.<br />
Abig restructure of NCEA was<br />
being proposed in 2024 andanumber<br />
of schools were considering whether<br />
to do awaywith Level1, and some<br />
had alreadydone so.<br />
‘‘Ourschoolleaders have been<br />
discussing it andstaff are currently<br />
offering their feedbackonwhether<br />
NCEA Level 1should stay or go,‘‘ he<br />
said.<br />
‘‘Thenextnaturalstep is to ask<br />
parents, the wider community and<br />
Plastic welding<br />
We repair all types of plastic products<br />
andequipment.<br />
•Water tanks •Calf feeders •FuelTanks<br />
•Car bumpers •Cab roofs<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong> College’s Ross Preece<br />
businesses what they think.’’<br />
Mr Preece said <strong>Ashburton</strong> College<br />
had changed its curriculum model<br />
for Year 9and 10 studentsinrecent<br />
years.<br />
The ‘‘innovation’’ model aimed to<br />
betterpreparestudents for the<br />
future and was focused on creativity,<br />
collaboration, problemsolving and<br />
the abilitytobeeffectiveoral<br />
communicators.<br />
ARTHUR<br />
CATES<br />
LIMITED<br />
26 McNALLYSTREET,<br />
RIVERSIDE INDUSTRIAL<br />
PARK,ASHBURTON<br />
TEL 308 5397<br />
www.arthurcates.co.nz<br />
2455180<br />
GREAT<br />
RATES<br />
Therewas aglobal recognitionthat<br />
adifferent set of skills was<br />
necessary, although studentsstill<br />
needed to be literate, numerate and<br />
have core knowledge.<br />
Of the current 11 Year 9classes,<br />
seven offeredinnovationand four<br />
the traditional model of learning.<br />
Fromnext yearall students would<br />
learn through innovation, he said.<br />
Mr Preece said attention had now<br />
turned to the relevance of NCEA<br />
Level1,which wastheprimary<br />
driver of Year11.<br />
‘‘If we do decide to drop Level 1it<br />
will create time andspacefor deeper<br />
learning and allow students to study<br />
up for amore meaningful pathway in<br />
Level2and beyond.’’<br />
Level 1did not provide entry into<br />
tertiarystudy or training, whereas<br />
NCEA levels 2and 3did and were<br />
therefore more important.<br />
Currently 87 per cent of students<br />
passed Level 1, Mr Preecesaid.<br />
He said there were arguments for<br />
andagainst keeping it and they<br />
needed to be carefullyconsidered.<br />
Adecisiononwhethertoscrap<br />
Level1isexpected to be made in<br />
Term 3ahead of two teacheronly<br />
accord days in Term 4.<br />
More details of the <strong>Ashburton</strong><br />
College consultation will be revealed<br />
in the coming weeks.<br />
Vaccine pass no longer needed<br />
BY MICK JENSEN<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong>DistrictCouncil will<br />
removethe use of My VaccinePass<br />
at all itsfacilitiesfrom 11.59pm on<br />
April 4.<br />
Councillors unanimously backeda<br />
resolutionataspecial meetingon<br />
Tuesday andwill followthe<br />
government’s leadinlifting the pass<br />
requirement.<br />
My Vaccine Passwillnolongerbe<br />
neededatEANetworks Centre,the<br />
council building, <strong>Ashburton</strong>Public<br />
Library,art gallery, museum,<br />
council chamber, MtHutt Memorial<br />
Hall and<strong>Ashburton</strong>Holiday Park.<br />
On December15council adopteda<br />
hybridapproach to introducing My<br />
VaccinePass entry requirementsat<br />
somefacilities during red and<br />
orange settings andgave chief<br />
executive HamishRiach delegation<br />
regarding future Covid19and<br />
Covid19 Protection Framework<br />
matters in thegreen setting.<br />
Anew resolution hasnow<br />
extendedthatdelegation to both<br />
orange andgreen settings.<br />
Mr Riach said council had worked<br />
hard to follow government’s<br />
directionand haddone whathad<br />
been askedofit.<br />
Council had nevertriedtosecond<br />
guessthe government scienceand<br />
would continuetobeconsistent with<br />
its decisionmaking.<br />
Covidrules werealteringall the<br />
timeand flexibilityand delegation<br />
would enablecouncil to continueto<br />
respond to change in atimely<br />
fashion, he said.<br />
Hesaid council staff would be<br />
consultedonthe newly adopted<br />
policy throughaseparate internal<br />
process.<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong> District mayor Neil<br />
Brownsaidcovidnumbers were<br />
comingdowninAucklandand were<br />
startingtoheadthe same wayin<br />
Canterbury.<br />
There had been coststoeveryone<br />
over the lasttwo years butthe latest<br />
decision to do awaywith vaccine<br />
passes was astep on theroadtoa<br />
‘‘new normal’’,whateveranew<br />
normalwas.<br />
Councillor RodgerLethamsaid he<br />
wasn’tsure if the government<br />
decision to pull vaccine passes was<br />
political or basedonmedical advice<br />
andhesupportedcouncil’s latest<br />
decision ‘‘with some reservations’’.<br />
Councillor Lynette Lovettsaidshe<br />
waspleased other councilshad also<br />
done away with passes because it<br />
wasnow timetomove on.<br />
She wanted pressure puton<br />
government to removemaskrules<br />
andtoget rid of the traffic light<br />
system.<br />
PC Repairs, Set-up and Tutoring<br />
Icome to youday or evening!<br />
NewPCs<br />
and Laptops<br />
forsale<br />
•PCRepairs/Sales •Networks/Servers<br />
•Firewalls/Security •Spyware Clean-up •Training<br />
20 YearsExperience Microso Cerfied Professional<br />
NETWORKS FIREWALLS AND PCS LTD<br />
Robin Johnstone 67 Aitken Street, <strong>Ashburton</strong><br />
P: 03 308 1440 C: 027 768 4058<br />
robinbj@xtra.co.nz<br />
2450948
Change language