NEWS 10 North Canterbury <strong>News</strong>, <strong>February</strong> 9, <strong>2023</strong> Club Jubilee celebrations By SHELLLEY TOPP The Rangiora HarnessRacing Club is celebratingits 75th anniversary at Rangiora RacecourseonSaturday,<strong>February</strong> 18. The Rangiora Trotting Club, as it was initially known, wasformed in August 1946 withthe firsttrotting totalisatormeeting on the course in 1948. Before thentrotting races were held on roads aroundthe Rangiora district,with the route between the AshleyHotel and the Sefton Hotelafavourite racing track. The club'sDiamondJubilee celebrationwas initiallyplanned for August 2021, and then <strong>February</strong> 2022,but boththose meetings were ruledout by Covid19 pandemic restrictions. However, club officials are hoping Saturday next week will provetobethirdtime lucky and a big picnicstyle, familyfriendly day is beingplanned. The meeting will begin at noon and the racing highlights will include the $25,000Rangiora Classic and the $14,000 75th Jubilee Trot. ‘‘We are very grateful to our generous club stalwarts,Robin and Geraldine Wilson,for their sponsorship of the Rangiora Classic and Kurt Ganzl for his sponsorship of the 75th Jubilee Trot,’’ club president Greg Wright says. Robin, the club’s past president, has also written acomprehensive history of the club to coincide with the DiamondJubilee celebrations, and there are plans to make his work into abook. He wrote the Club officials ... Rangiora Harness Racing Club president, Greg Wright, left, with past president Robin Wilson. PHOTO: SHELLEY TOPP history using the club’sminute books and otherrecords. ‘‘You can’targue withwhat is in the minutes,’’ he says. RacingonDiamond Jubilee Day will be on the big grass track,asit would have been on the club’sfirst day of racinglast century. Entryis free, unlikethat firstday. At that time peoplehad to pay to get in andthey would have queued up at six turnstiles, mannedby officials in white coats, to do so. Most of the racegoerswould also have been dressed up for their big day out. When public social functions were few and far between, aday out at the races was considered an importantsocial event which peoplealways dressed up for, but these days raceday protocolisfar more welcoming and the dress code casual. In those days,womenwouldnot have been allowed to drink alcohol in the barsoncourse, and only men drove in the races. Afar cry from the club’s Diamond Jubilee meetingwhen a special race just for women drivers will be held. The TeamTeal drivers are racingtoraise awareness and muchneeded funds for ovarian cancerresearch during six weeks in <strong>February</strong> and March at various race meetings nationwide including Rangiora on <strong>February</strong> 18. Women play abig role in race driving these days and many of the drivers included in the Team Teal fundraiser will also be driving against the men at Rangiora and the other meetings involved in the fundraiser. The clubwill also be holding socialfunctions on Diamond Jubilee Day for its members including two special veterans, Denis Power, who has beenaclub memberfor 73 years,and Russell Stalker, 72 years. ‘‘Theyhave beengreatstalwarts of the club,’’ Greg says. Literacy progress By DAVID HILL Local Democracy Reporter Kaiapoi High School is hoping to ‘‘get ahead of the game’’ on proposed newliteracy standards. The schoolhas been participating in aMinistry of Educationpilot of proposed new literacy and numeracy standards. ‘‘We are so gladwejoined it earlyonbecausewewant to get aheadofthe game,’’ principal JasonReid said. ‘‘It gives you an inside view into the criteria andwhat is required of our teachingstaff and to knowwhere the challenges are for our students.’’ The pilot involved around 40 percent of Kaiapoi’syear 10 students,with students achievingthe curriculum levels 3to4atthe start of the year. The aim was to bring the students up to aliteracy ‘‘pass’’ at level 5, principal JasonReid says.‘Anonlinetool,easTTle, was used to track thestudents’ progress, alongside the pilot assessment.Data collected was passed on to the Ministry of Education. Mr Reidsays the proposed model, as acorequisite, would have adetrimental effect on students earning NCEA qualifications. ‘‘Every school we have discussed this with, who are also in thepilot, share the same concerns.’’ He says therecould be merit, if new literacy and numeracy standardswere introduced, in assessing students at year 9and 10. Students who ‘‘passed’’ couldthen concentrate on NCEA in later years, leaving schools to concentrate on bringing the remaining students up to the required levelinyear 11. The trialis continuing this year,and if adopted all students will need to pass the literacy and numeracytestsasacorequisitetoNCEA qualifications. Whilethe literacy and numeracystandards were focused on high school students,MrReid says learning needed to startatprimary school. He was grateful for the strong relationships with local primary schools in Te Kāhui Ako Kātote (Kaiapoi learning cluster). Kaiapoi North School is one school which has embraced structuredliteracytogive childrenahead start. ‘‘It all startsatage 5,’’ principalJason Miles says. ‘‘It is essential for childrento develop foundational skillsin literacy as it gives them the confidence to give things ago.’’ The school’s approach revolves around phonetics, or sounding out letters and words, whichultimately leads to improved spelling, writing, and reading. Mr Miles is the New Zealand Principals Federation vicepresidentand aspokesperson for LiftingLiteracy Aotearoa. Publicinterestjournalismis funded by New Zealand on Air. Races start at12.00pm Free Admission –Country racing atit’s BEST! Full Bar and Cafe Services available. Gas BBQ’s only Entry off both West Belt and Lehmans Rd 2554041 AirFilterCleaning SPECIALISTS We areproud to be the longest established filter cleaning business in the South Island. 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