Term 1 - Week 6

Tēnā koutou,

We had another awesome week at kura (school) this week.  The students have now settled quite well into the routines of secondary school life and there is a good sense of calm around the campus.  We held our first house assemblies for the year this week and I was impressed at the standard of behaviour in both sets of assemblies - Tauhara and Ruapehu houses on Tuesday and Ngauruhoe and Tongariro houses on Thursday.  Our assemblies are formal occasions and we are making a concerted effort to teach exactly what we expect in this space, and in other areas around the school.  We have also laid down the wero (challenge) to our head students and house leaders to get more of their voice in assemblies moving forward.  Although a formal affair, we want students to look forward to these occasions.

This week, during our regular Wednesday morning professional development slot for our teachers, we were able to identify students who need the most support to accelerate their progress in reading, writing, and numeracy.  Each faculty met to identify these learners and plan for how they will support these students. Unapologetically, you will hear us talk about reading, writing, and numeracy a lot this year.  The rigours of NCEA, especially the new NECA level 1, in the senior school has meant we have had to review what our teaching of reading, writing, and numeracy looks like in the junior school.  We have implemented a school-wide action plan for literacy and numeracy and there are many actions which will be included to support this action plan.

The new NCEA is having significant implications for our teaching and learning across the school. To support caregivers of Year 11 students in their understanding of NCEA Level 1, we will be hosting a presentation at 5:30pm Tuesday 18th March in the school hall. While NCEA has been our national qualification for over 20 years, Level 1 changed significantly last year after a review, and consequently there have been adjustments this year. Wide spread adjustments to Level 2 and 3 are scheduled to be phased in from 2028. 

We have scheduled whānau interviews for all year levels in Weeks 8 and 9 of this term: 
Monday, 24 March, 3:30pm - 4:30pm  -  Face-to-face interview
Wednesday, 26 March, 3:30pm - 4:30pm - Face-to-face interview
Monday, 31 March, 3:30pm - 4:30pm  -  Face-to-face interview
Wednesday, 2 April, 3:30pm - 4:30pm - Online Google Meet interview
Bookings will close at 3pm on the school day prior to the scheduled appointments.
This is an opportunity to meet with whānau teachers and discuss pastoral, extra-curricular and academic goals.  It is always a valuable time to co-construct progress and future learning steps, so we strongly encourage you to attend. 
You will have received an email with instructions on how to book an interview. If you encounter any difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

To help streamline our Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) processes and make it easier for parents/caregivers to provide consent, we use an online system for approvals. Once you have completed each consent form at least once, your details will be pre-populated for future use, saving time and effort.
There are three types of consent forms:

• Blanket Consent – This covers your child for local community-based events throughout the school year. These events are usually curriculum-based and typically take place during the time allocated to that subject in the timetable. You will still be notified about such events, but no additional consent will be required. This form is mandatory for all students.
  
• EOTC Consent (with water activities)
• EOTC Consent (no water activities)
  

Forms 2 and 3 are required when an event involves a greater level of risk than usual school activities and/or extends beyond the time allocated to that subject in the timetable, including:

• Adventurous activities
  
• Hazardous environments
• Events outside of our township
• Overnight trips
  

If you have not yet completed the Blanket Consent Form, please do so as soon as possible. If you need assistance, your child’s Whānau teacher is available to help.

Emergency Procedures Drill - Tuesday 18th March
As part of keeping our school safe we need to be able to respond safely and quickly to a range of emergency situations. We work alongside an independent company, Harrison Tew who specialises in emergency management planning for schools, whose procedures have been successfully implemented in hundreds of schools throughout New Zealand.
As part of maintaining our emergency procedures in our school, specialised training is being conducted with our staff and students on Monday and Tuesday of next week.The students will receive information on how to respond in an emergency directed at their respective age groups through a junior and senior assembly on Tuesday. We will then be conducting a lockdown exercise under the guidance and support of Harrison Tew during period 2.
During the exercise, you will receive a notification from the school, so it is important that your emergency contact details are up to date and correct. The notification will emphasise that this is an exercise/practice and will explain that all updated information will then be posted on the school website and our Facebook page.
In a genuine incident, should you become aware of a lockdown or evacuation at the school, can I please ask that you do not attend the school or phone, as we will not be able to respond.  Your presence or contact may make it more difficult for us or the emergency services to manage a situation. If you would like any further information regarding this drill, please contact [email protected]

The Bay of Plenty Athletics championships were held on Wednesday this week and two minivans worth of students took part representing our kura (school).  The official results will come out today but unofficially, Zene Erasmus in Year 10 broke a 41 year old Bay of Plenty record for the junior girls’ javelin by 42cm!  An outstanding achievement for Zene and our school.

Have an awesome weekend!

Ngā mihi

Ben Claxton
PRINCIPAL

Sporting News

Netball Trials:
Monday 17th & 18th March, 3:30-4:45pm Juniors + 5:00pm-6:15pm Seniors 
 
Upcoming events 
BOPSS Triathlon Championships -Tuesday 18th March, Ohope

                                              Careers Information

                                                    
These University visits have been booked for the College to date.
They are at lunchtimes (12:50 - 1:40pm) in D16.
Parents and caregivers are welcome and they are very informative about what degrees and qualifications they offer and how the University system works and the benefits of higher learning. Any Yr 12 and 13 student can attend these information sessions.
 
17th March - Canterbury University
24th March -Toi Ohomai
3rd April - Otago University

Kia Ora!
 
As we move forward into 2025, our team would like to thank you for allowing the opportunity to provide quality, comprehensive on-site mobile dentistry to your child.
 
Our mobile clinic will be on-site at the school for from Monday 24^th – Friday 28^th March 2025 
 
As a registered mobile dentalcare provider, Absolute Mobiles is committed to ensuring all students under the age of 18 have access to FREE comprehensive dental care. Our team of experienced dentists take pride as we play our part, providing oral health services, helping to empower and improve the smiles and wellbeing of the adolescents of Taupo-nui-a Tia College .
 
What is your child entitled to?
 
All students up until their 18th birthday (who are eligible and meet the criteria) can access FREE comprehensive dental care. The dental care is provided on-site at Taupo-nui-a Tia College  so your child's experience is as seamless and convenient as possible.
 
 These services include:
 Examinations
Radiographs (if required)
Preventative treatment such as fluoride application and fissure sealants
Scale and Polish
Restorative treatment (white fillings)
Non orthodontic extractions
Root canal treatment
Increased awareness of good oral health practices
 
 How Do I Enrol the service available to my child?
Enrolling or declining the service is simple! Simply click the link HERE !
 
How Do I Decline the service available to my child? 
Already have your own dentist? Simply click the link HERE !
 
Already enrolled your child to our service? 
Great! We look forward to providing quality dentalcare to your child!

 Want to learn more, have any questions?
 email [email protected] 
 
Thank you again on behalf of our team,
Absolute Mobiles

HUT BUDDIES WANTED!!
 
Want to make a positive difference for outdoor education at your school…?

Our school is a member of the Central Plateau Schools Alpine Charitable Trust (CPSAT), which administers Memorial Hut on Mount Ruapehu.  The Trust is looking to assemble a group of 10-15 outdoor education enthusiasts from member school communities keen to help maintain and develop this unique outdoor education resource.  “Hut Buddies” will be invited to:
 
Volunteer for a hut check-up roster – a good excuse to enjoy a walk or ski while you’re up there!
Help with “spring” cleans and working bees, typically held once or twice a year. 
Support fundraising efforts and leverage relevant networks.
 
In return, Hut Buddies will enjoy great company amidst breath-taking views, connect with fellow outdoor and education enthusiasts, and have the opportunity to hire Memorial Hut after school / education group bookings have been locked in.  Most importantly, Hut Buddies will help ensure this unique outdoor education resource remains available for their own children and for future generations. 

For more information about Memorial Hut, CPSAT trust, and how to become a Hut Buddy, please read the attached flyer.