Term 3 - Week 5

Tēnā koutou,

On Thursday night we hosted an evening for whānau related to the literacy and numeracy component of NCEA level 1.  As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, the new-look NCEA level 1 has brought some unexpected challenges.  These challenges are being experienced nationwide.  We care deeply about ensuring as many of our Year 11 students as possible end the year with their literacy and numeracy co-requisite qualification.  The following measures have been put in place for the remainder of this year to support our Year 11 students who do not yet have their literacy and numeracy co-requisite qualification:

• All Year 11 students who have not yet achieved literacy and/or numeracy are entered for the next online testing - 9-13 September.
• English (Google Classroom) and Maths (Education Perfect) are making homework revision available.
• Whānau teachers will be working with Year 11 students who have not yet achieved literacy and/or numeracy to highlight tagged standards and emphasise their importance.
• Faculties will be reviewing achievement in tagged standards and offering further assessment opportunities where possible.
• Following senior prizegiving, programmes will be in place to support the achievement of numeracy, literacy and NCEA level 1 in general.

If you have any questions about what the above might mean for your child, please get in touch with Kris Sainsbury, our Year 11 Dean, [email protected].  Kris will be able to direct you to the appropriate person if he is unable to answer your question.

Our out-of-zone enrolment ballot will take place on Wednesday 18 September.  If you currently live out-of-zone and have a child wanting to attend our school, you will need to submit an enrolment application by 4 p.m. on Tuesday 17 September. Online enrolment forms can be found here. For 2025 we have spaces in the following year levels:

• Year 9 = 90 spaces
• Year 10 = 20 spaces
• Year 11 = 5 spaces
• Year 12 = 10 spaces
• Year 13 = 20 spaces
  
  

Next week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we will be hosting Year 8 students from our contributing schools.  It is an opportunity for these students to get a taste of what life is like at Taupo-nui-a-Tia College.  

In conjunction with Tauhara College, we will be holding parent information evenings for parents/caregivers of Year 8 students looking to make a choice for schooling next year.  
Venues as follows:

• Tuesday 27 August @ 5:30 p.m. in Taupō Intermediate hall for students & parents/caregivers of Taupō Intermediate and Hilltop School.
• Wednesday 28 August @ 5:30 p.m. in Mountview School hall for students & parents/caregivers of Mountview School.
  
  

Online subject selection will open for one more week.  On Friday 30 August we will close off the opportunity for students to select their subjects online for next year.  The process of arranging the overall timetable for next year is complex, so we need the time to pull everything together and consider the implications of the choices students have made. Please check in with your child to ensure they have made their selections for 2025 by next Friday at the latest.

This week we made public our video about the story of Tia and what it means for us.  If you have not seen it yet, the video can be accessed here. We are very proud of it!.

This term’s policy review on SchoolDocs is still available for review.  If interested, use this link to log into school docs and select current review.

Have a great weekend.

Ngā mihi

Ben Claxton
PRINCIPAL

                                                       Sporting News

Upcoming events:

Tough Guy/Gal Challenge, Wednesday 28th August, Rotorua 
Junior Netball Exchange, Thursday 29th August, Owen Delany Courts

                                                     Careers Information

Year 13 Learning Hub
Students wanting to pursue a vocational pathway can be part of our exciting Learning Hub. The Learning Hub is a 3-part programme aimed at giving students an experience within their chosen trade, practical hands-on experience through a Gateway course and a classroom theory component, giving students a “real world” understanding. Students will be in a dedicated Hub class.
Students attend a Level 3 Trades course aimed at preparing them for apprenticeships within their chosen trade. The number of credits available from the different trade programmes vary between 30 and 50+ credits. The following courses could be available in Taupo (dependent on numbers)/ alternatively they would run in Rotorua:

• Electrical Pre-Trade Foundation
• Construction
  
• Automotive Engineering
  
• NZC in Automotive Engineering
  
• Farming & Agriculture
  
• Barbering
  
• NZ Certificate in Make-up and Skin Care
  

The Gateway component is designed to give students a “workplace experience” within a local business organisation in their chosen trade. Here they can get an understanding of the day-to-day work life routine of their trade and also participate in the work life culture. There are units of work that are completed as part of the Gateway experience. Students also gain 12 Level 3 credits by completing the health & safety in the workplace course.
The in-classroom theory component of the course consists of 5 unit standards covering topics such as career planning, employment relations and personal financial management. There are a total of 16 Level 3 credits available within the in-class component.
Students need to select 13HUB when making their course selection.
See Mrs Trent in the Careers Office for further information.
 
Mercury Apprenticeship Programme
Mercury has recently re-introduced a four-year apprenticeship programme for people looking to build a career within the mechanical or electrical trades. They are looking for four apprentices (two mechanical and two electrical) where the successful applicants will work towards achieving a Certificate in Electrical Trade (Level 4) or a Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Trade) (Level 4). This programme is open to school leavers (who have achieved NCEA level 2 literacy and numeracy) or those looking to embark on a new career path. The start date is flexible based on the successful candidate’s availability. Link: https://careers.mercury.co.nz/jobdetails/ajid/5h2u8/Apprentices-Electrical-Mechanical,36060.html
 
Advance Education Medical Industry Pathway Summit
Considering a career in the Medical Industry? Want to get first hand insights about the workplace reality and income potential from different roles from those who are working within it? The Medical Industry Pathway Summit is FREE for students and has just gone live. It involves interviews with active medical professionals who share their journey, industry insights, day to day realities, income expectations at the various stages, and insight into the roles they serve. Link: https://www.advanceeducation.nz/medical-industry-pathway-summit
 
School Leaver Scholarship Closing Dates
Just a reminder that the following school leaver scholarship application closing dates are coming up:
31 August - University of Waikato
1 September - Massey University and AUT
2 September - Victoria University

Upcoming Course Planning Sessions
University of Cantebury - 11 September
University of Otago - 23 October
Please register with Mrs Trent in the Careers Office
 
University of Auckland Course Planning
To assist prospective students in preparing for their first year with us, we have recorded comprehensive course planning advice for all our 2025 undergraduate programmes, except for Law. Information regarding the Law programme will be finalized in the coming weeks, with the planning video expected to be completed by the end of August. We aim for this resource to be invaluable for students in planning their first year, selecting courses, and staying informed about all enrolment details. Go to: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/study/study-options/undergraduate-study-options/information-for-parents/course-advice-2023.html

Upcoming University Open Days
AUT University Open Day – 24 August
The University of Auckland – 24 August
The University of Canterbury – 30 August

University of Auckland Open Day 24 August
Get a taste of your future. Explore our vibrant campus in the heart of Auckland, meet staff and students, and get a feel for what Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland is all about. Register at: https://manawa-mai.ac.nz/register?utm_source=OpenDay-page&utm
 
AUT Open Day 24 August
Don’t miss the chance to explore your study options at AUT’s open day. Attend information sessions, discover our world-class facilities, and meet our academic staff who can help you make the best decision for study in 2025. Register now: https://www.aut.ac.nz/live?utm_source=marketo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bms-aut-live-2024&utm
 
Toi Ohomai Open Days
Toi Ohomai have Open days coming up as follows:
Tauranga Campus - Saturday 24 August - 12pm to 2pm
Rotorua Campus - Saturday 31 August - 12pm to 2pm
 
Studying Health Science or Biomedical Science next year?
MoneyHub has published a detailed guide for Year 13 students planning to study Health Science or Biomedical Science at Otago or Auckland University. Our detailed guide has been prepared by two top-performing 4th year Auckland Medical School students and is the first of its kind in New Zealand:
https://www.moneyhub.co.nz/tips-for-studying-biomed-and-health-science.html
 
Must-Know NCEA Resources for Year 11-13
Looking for quality NCEA preparation resources? MoneyHub offers over ten invaluable tools to guide students towards achieving merits and excellence. Perfect for gearing up for internals and externals. Explore now: https://www.moneyhub.co.nz/resources-for-ncea-students.html
 
Fees Free Study
The Government has announced that Fees Free for the first year of study or training will finish at the end of 2024. A final-year Fees Free scheme will replace it, starting from January 2025 with the following parameters:

• Learners entering their final year of study or training from 1 January 2025 and who have not received first-year Fees Free may be eligible for the new final-year Fees Free scheme.
• Learners entering their final year of study or training from 1 January 2025 and who have not received first-year Fees Free may be eligible for the new final-year Fees Free scheme.
  
• Repayment will be made after the learner completes their qualification, with refunds starting from 2026.

Thinking about University
Universities New Zealand—Te Pōkai Tara’s 2025 Thinking about university? resources are now live at www.thinkingaboutuni.nz. This has information on all the undergraduate degrees and majors New Zealand’s eight universities are offering for 2025. 
 
2025 Keystone Trust Property and Construction Tertiary Scholarships
Keystone Trust Study Awards are the premier industry scholarships offered to students taking up studies for a career in the property and construction sector and we are inviting applications from 1 June until 1 September 2024. Students can apply for both a Study Award and the Keystone Trust and C3 Construction scholarship provided they meet the necessary criteria for both.
A Study Award offers a recipient:

• a scholarship of $5,500 per annum for up to three years for tertiary study/ textbooks/course costs/accommodation ($16,500)
• industry mentoring and networking opportunities
  
• a first-year study buddy with an existing Keystone Trust student
  
• introductions to our industry sponsors
  
• workshops, site visits and paid internships
  
• pastoral support through our dedicated Student Liaison Manager
  

Mobile Health Group | Hauora Taiwhenua Rural New Zealand Health Scholarships
Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network is partnering with Mobile Health Group to offer our rural youth financial support in their pursuit of health studies. The four scholarships (with at least one targeted at Māori/Pasifika students), each valued at $5,000, will be offered to any rural secondary student entering their first year of full-time undergraduate study in Nursing, Medicine, or allied health-related courses at any New Zealand Universities, Polytechnics, or PTEs. Supporting the rural youth in these communities is a crucial solution to reducing the rural healthcare worker shortage. The closing date for applications is 5pm, 30th September 2024. For more information on how to apply and the eligibility criteria, see:
https://htrhn.org.nz/news-media/scholarship/
 
Survey & Spatial NZ Scholarship
Survey & Spatial NZ offers an annual scholarship of $1000 for school leavers intending to enrol in a tertiary surveying or spatial qualification. Students within the Tauranga, Rotorua, Whakatane and Taupo region can apply, with a 31/12/24 closing date for applications. See the notices in Career Central for more information and an application form.
 
Scholarships
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.
 
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

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
  
CV Writing and Interview Preparation
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!
 
Money Guide
MoneyHub has crafted a comprehensive guide for students, designed to provide essential tools and knowledge for building a healthy relationship with money. Explore it here: 
https://www.moneyhub.co.nz/money-in-a-nutshell.html
 
Gateway
Gateway provides structured workplace learning across a range of industries. Senior students are provided with opportunities to try out potential careers, gain experience and build links with workplaces that could lead to potential future employment. We still have spaces available, specifically for Yr12 and Yr13 students. See Nicola Thomsen in the Gateway Office to register your interest.
 
Any business wanting to host a student for work experience?
Every year we are funded to put out 70 of our senior students on voluntary work experiences. From these work experiences come some amazing things….... confidence, a sense of belonging, the knowledge that they can add some value, learning about industries that they know very little about and sometimes the opportunity of potential employment. Everything that is learned on a work experience contributes to a future decision and learning work ready skills are vital for life beyond school. Do you know a business that would like to host a Taupo-nui-a-Tia College student for a 10-day work experience? If this is something that you would like to know more about, please contact Nicola Thomsen, Gateway Coordinator, e-mail: [email protected]