Nor'West News: February 09, 2023

NEWS
14 North Canterbury News, February 9, 2023
Stars luring overseas students to Oxford
By DAVID HILL,
Local Democracy Reporter
The lureofthe stars is helpingbring
internationalstudents back to North
Canterbury.
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MattDoocey
MP for Waimakariri
Kaiapoi Office
03 3270514•kaiapoi@parliament.govt.nz
137 Williams Street
RangioraOffice
03 3107468•waimakariri@parliament.govt.nz
Level 1Conway Lane,188 High Street
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Oxford Area School is amongseveral
schools busy gettingtheir international
programmes back in full swing after Covid
restrictions.
The school’s observatory is provingto
be amajordrawcard.
Germanstudents Lana Hoehn (15)and
Mike Schuck (16)said they could not wait
to visit the observatory.
‘‘I readabout the observatory in the
brochure, so it was one of the selling
pointsfor me,’’ Mikesays.
Attending highschool in Hanau, asmall
city nearFrankfurt, Mikesays he is keen
to experiencelife at arural school.
‘‘I wanted to get closetonature, so
outdoor education wasabig part of why I
chose to comehere.’’
While Mikewill spend two terms at
Oxford, Lana’s visitwas just four weeks.
It meant stargazing opportunities were
limited, with the observatory’s winter
programme not due to start until April.
But principal Mike Hartsuggested
some solarobserving (of thesun) could be
arranged before Lana returned to
Germany.
Lana said she is enjoying the laid back
lifestyle in Oxford.
‘‘New Zealand is beautiful, the people
are so friendly and the school system is
good here.’’
Lana and Mike saidthey were
impressed with the variety of subject
choices and the ‘‘friendly teachers’’.
Lana comes fromAnsbach, aruraltown
in Bavaria.
Mr Hart said the school is pleased to
have its international programme back in
full swing after hostingagroup ofeight
students from rural Brazilonashort stay
in term three lastyear.
Six international students havestarted
the school year at Oxford, including four
Global appeal ... Oxford Area School accommodation co­ordinator Mary Chisnall (left)
and international director Charlotte Davis (third from right) and their international students
Kanae Yamaguchi, Yumi Aoto, Sakura Ishii, Lana Hoehn, Sora Kitamura and Mike Schuck.
PHOTO: DAVID HILL
from Japan.
Enquiries continued to be strong and he
wasconfident the school would returnto
having up to 20 international visits.
Group visits were alsoconfirmed from
Thailand nextmonth and Japan in June.
‘‘The Thai group will be immersedinto
our classes, experience kapahaka and
visit the observatory,’’ Mr Hart says.
An astronomy programme was being
arranged for the Japanese group’s two
weekstay.
Local schools were keen to hear from
prospective homestayfamilies.
Rangiora High School relaunched its
international programme in termthree
lastyear, with 15 students arriving in term
three.
PrincipalBruce Kearney saidanew
international director had been
appointed and 30 studentsfromJapan
and Europe had started the new school
year at Rangiora.
Amajor drawcardwas the equestrian
programme run by Comcol North
Canterbury.
Mr Kearney saidschools had learned,
from the Covidperiod, not rely on the
incomefrom international studentsto
fund teaching resources.
Proceeds wouldgointo ‘‘nice to haves’’
such as new musical equipment,hesaid.
Rangiora New Life School has begun
the yearwith six international students
from Japan and Germany.
Principal StephenWalters said he
hoped groupvisits would return next
year.
Kaiapoi High School principalJason
Reid sayshis school is slowly rebuilding
its international programme and
reconnecting with overseas contacts.
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