Term 2 - Week 1

Tēnā koutou,

Welcome back to term two!

There are heaps of events/activities for our students to look forward to in term two - cross country, our senior ball, spirit week - just to name a few.  Classroom activity will also heat up for our senior students with many NCEA assessments due this term.  The first round of the reading, writing, and numeracy common assessment tasks will also take place at the end of May.

I have inserted the blurb about our new straight skirt into the main body of the newsletter this week.  This blurb has been in our newsletter for a while now, but it is important information to reinforce.  Starting from Term 2, 2024, we are excited to announce the addition of a straight-style skirt, alongside our current skirt, which is available for purchase via our website, as part of our school uniform options. With the introduction of this new skirt, the older style straight skirt, which has not been available for over six years, will no longer be a part of our uniform. From Term 3, 2024, it will be considered a non-uniform item.  The new straight-style skirt is now currently listed on the Argyle website which can be viewed here.                                                                                                                   

We want to highlight that Year 12 students who currently own the older style straight skirt will be exempt from this change. We understand that requiring them to purchase a new skirt for just two terms would be unfair. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we strive to enhance and update our uniform options to better suit the preferences and needs of our students.

On Thursday afternoon it was wonderful to see so many students and their whānau engaging in the first round of our subject/parent interviews.  It is afternoons like these which reinforce to me how important it is for us to be in community with each other.  You would have heard me say before that our effectiveness relies on the support and feedback we receive from our community.  We realise there were only limited slots available to see our teachers, but I know they also really appreciate being able to connect with you and your children.

We welcomed a group of new staff members (and welcomed back a familiar face or two) to the Taupo-nui-a-Tia whānau at the beginning of this week.  Our new staff and their respective roles are listed below:

• Cacey Wilkinson - Enterprise Studies
• Mark Lukkasson - Social Studies
  
• Amanda Fox - English supported learning
  
• Megan Astridge - Canteen
• Emma Ord - Teacher Aide
• Rita Pereira-Itieli - Teacher Aide
• Katie Schuler - Bay Trust
  
  

At the end of last term we had 28 students embark on a trip to France.  I was able to follow their adventures via the instagram page that was set up, and by all accounts it was a fabulous trip and a great learning experience for the students.  A massive thank you to our French teacher, Christine Feuillade, and our History teacher, Roger Gregory for planning the trip and guiding the students through.  Another massive thank you must go to the parent helpers who supported the students on the trip as well - Renee Tukua, Suzy Harris, and Laura Rojido de Pazzelli.

You will have probably seen in the media that the government's ‘phones away for the day’ policy has come into effect for the beginning of term 2.  Thankfully, we have already made good progress in this area since the beginning of the year.  Our students have responded well to either leaving their phones at home, leaving their phones off and away in their bags, or dropping their phones off to our student office to be looked after for the day. We still need your support with encouragement and reminders about this policy at home.  If you still have questions about the government’s policy itself you can read more here.

Ngā mihi

Ben Claxton
PRINCIPAL

                                               Careers Information

Upcoming career presentations for students:
NZDF on Monday 6 May at 12:50pm in D16
 
Looking for a part-time job? Check out MoneyHub's newly updated Student Jobs guide! With over 60 employers and valuable job application tips, find your next opportunity here: https://www.moneyhub.co.nz/student-jobs.html
 
Looking to learn a trade or explore apprenticeships? Check out MoneyHub's comprehensive guide, a must-read for anyone considering an apprenticeship. Visit MoneyHub's Apprenticeship Guide to learn more:
https://www.moneyhub.co.nz/apprenticeships.html
 
Discover MoneyHub's invaluable resources for CV writing (https://www.moneyhub.co.nz/cv-template-students.html) and interview preparation (https://www.moneyhub.co.nz/common-job-interview-questions-students.html). These tools are designed to empower students in their job application journey. Explore and step into the job market with confidence!

MoneyHub has compiled a comprehensive guide to scholarships for students planning to start university in 2025. Available at MoneyHub Scholarship Guide, this resource lists scholarships from all universities, along with exclusive opportunities for Maori, Pacific, and International students. The guide, updated regularly, includes application tips and deadlines, helping students easily navigate the scholarship process.

                                      Sporting News
   
Winter sports!
 
Netball is starting this weekend with our 9 teams playing between 12:00pm-3:00pm down at OD Court, come along and support. 
 
Rugby, Netball, Football and Hockey are starting next week!
 
Keep an eye on facebook for sporting draws!

Are you looking for a rewarding opportunity to open your home to international guests and create meaningful connections across cultures? Look no further!
We are seeking warm, welcoming families to join our homestay program and become ambassadors of hospitality in our community.
Hosting international guests can be financially rewarding (our allowance is $300 per week, to cover food and transport costs). Earn supplemental income while enjoying the enriching experience of hosting and building relationships with people from diverse backgrounds.
In term 3, we are welcoming our new international students.  Some are staying for two term, others for a year.
We are looking for families who like to host:
Y12 female student  who has a passion for mountains, plays football and does athletics.
Y12 Boy  who is very active and likes to participate in sports and outdoor/cultural activities. Triathlon, mtb, football, rugby
Y12 girl who likes to experience the outdoors and is looking for a warm welcoming family.
Y12 girl who likes to cook and bake who descroibes herself as a friendl, happy and reliable person.
Y12 girl, active christian, she loves playing and listening to music, board games and spending time with friends. 
If you have a spare room and a passion for hospitality, we invite you to become part of our homestay family. Whether you're a single individual, a couple, or a family with children, your warmth and openness are what matter most.
We will allow families to host up to 2 students ( from a different nationality).
You can rely on full (24/7) support from the college in this exciting journey.
To learn more about becoming a host family, please contact [email protected]. We love to have you on board to support our school’s biggest “fundraiser”.