Waitakere College News

Newsletter Issue 10

A Structured and Disciplined Start to Term 1

This has been the first uninterrupted start to an academic year since 2019. The worldwide pandemic disrupted our 2020, 2021 and 2022 and the global warming storms in term one of 2023 flooded many parts of our community. This refreshing start to 2024 has ensured that the learning journey for our students is off to a solid start.
The key aspects of our Values; Learning, Caring and Respect, have begun to be embedded with our 1800 students. We have 400 new year 9 students and 165 new to our school students in years 10-13.
With good structure around;

Learning - with our routines in lessons on a Do Now, Learning Objectives, Mahi, and Success Criteria for each lesson as our goal.
Caring - a focus on connection with our students on safety, cultural celebrations such as Polyfest, sports, parent-teacher meetings, etc
Respect - with special attention on our expectations, standards and rules and an understanding of consequences for students to know they are valued as they work and play in our college.

We go to the term break knowing that we have set good foundations for the rest of the year so that we can all work to be 'Better than Before' (BTB).
I look forward, optimistically to the rest of the year knowing that our routines and structures are in place and that we will have the manawanui and discipline to carry them out with our students, staff, and parents and whānau.

Have a restful break.

Ngā mihi
Mark P Shanahan