Ashburton College Newsletter
12
ASHBURTON GUARDIAN, Monday, May 27, 2013
Issue 08, May 27, 2013
‘Individual Excellence in a Supportive Learning Environment’
Message from the Principal
Information
‘Individual Excellence in a Supportive Learning Environment’
NZQA Top Art Exhibition: Tuesday 28 – Friday 31 May
Kia ora and Greetings. Pausing to say ‘Thank You’ One can’t help but be impressed with the energy and ability of teenagers to fit many things into their week. This, alongside of their creativity and willingness to give things a go, continues to mark our students as quality young people who will continue to contribute to our community and our country long after they have left College. During the last fortnight we have had large numbers of students who have participated in Stage Challenge; worked alongside the visiting Tuia Group; spent a very long day visiting Otago University; practiced for Alice or Miss Saigon; and participated in the literally dozens of regular cultural, academic and sporting activities in addition to their classroom learning. With this praise of course must come the thanks to all of the staff and community members who support our students in all of these activities. Put simply, without them very few of these activities would be possible.
must feel that they are simply the re-fuelling point for their very busy teenager who appears to call in just long enough to raid the fridge and grab some clean clothes before they head out again. Not that the young people themselves would necessarily see it that way! Thai Students We recently hosted a group of 20 Thai Students and one of their Teachers for nine weeks. This was a great experience for all involved and quite a few tears were shed when they departed. We have already had very positive feedback from the organisers in Thailand. This of course is, in large part, due to the many families who hosted our visitors, and to whom I wish to publically and formally thank on behalf of our College.
Each of the thirty students with work on display gained Excellence for their work at NCEA Level 3 in 2012.
Vaughan has been employed in a fixed-term position, as teacher of Mathematics since late February. We have very much appreciated his availability and the continuity this offered classes while their permanent teacher has been on long-term leave. Vaughan is wished well as he travels overseas.
Information
The concept of the self-image was explored in a session about psychology, and students gained valuable practical tips to make changes in their personal lives through positive self-talk and affirmation.
Pictured left: Top Art Design by Maddison Cheesman, Mahurangi College.
This was followed by an introduction to the cutting edge world of nanotechnology which examined the future potential and possible pitfalls of this amazing field of science, including the ethical implications involved with its use and development.
The exhibition will be on display at the Ashburton Hockey Pavilion, Walnut Avenue. Between 9:00am – 5:00pm on Tuesday 28 May and Wednesday 29 May.
Cheers Grant McMillan Principal
Staff - Farewells
In the first session, students were challenged to question how they knew who they were and whether they actually exist in the real world, through an exploration of the work of French philosopher, Rene Descartes – “Cogito ergo sum” (I think, therefore I am). This concluded with a ‘big test’ in lateral thinking as students were engaged to consider a question from a Cambridge University interview for Natural Sciences – “How many animals did Noah take onto the Ark?”
Ashburton College is again delighted to be hosting this exhibition.
Our thanks to the clubs and the Mid Canterbury Rugby Union who are assisting us with this.
Focus on encouraging our gifted students to think about some “big ideas” in philosophy, psychology and future science.
The Conference was presented by world-renowned Lecturer and Author, Julie Arliss from the United Kingdom, in conjunction with Jeffrey Hodges, a Performance Consultant from Australia.
Top Art is an opportunity for members of the public to see the high quality of art being created in schools, and provides an opportunity for secondary students to gain an understanding of what is required to achieve Excellence in Visual Art at Level 3.
Followers of our College Rugby will have noticed that we are using local club grounds for many of our games. This is because our own rugby ground isn’t quite at a standard where we would want to play higher level competition games on it, although we will be playing some lower level and exchange games here at College.
Curriculum Related Gifted and Talented Student Conference - 2013 Carolyn Clough, teacher with responsibility for Ashburton College’s Gifted and Talented Students’ Programme, advises that on Wednesday 8 May, twenty five students from Years 11-13 travelled to Christchurch to take part in a Conference for gifted and talented students.
Pictured right: Top Art Photography by Ashley Kibblewhite, Tawa College.
Press Cup and Senior Rugby Games
Alongside is a fulsome thank you to parents and caregivers who not only help, but some days
Vaughan Matheson
Annually NZQA organises a Touring Art Exhibition featuring New Zealand’s top secondary school Visual Art portfolios.
Events
Between 3:00pm - 5:00pm Thursday 30 May and Friday 31 May. Entry is free.
The day concluded with a debate of the moot “This House Believes That Free Will Is An Illusion”, which was led by the presenters. Students were invited to contribute to the debate and Ashburton College students, Brooke Maslin and Alex Dorreen presented strong arguments. The debate was won by the negative side by a narrow margin. Pictured outside Christchurch Boys’ High School, is the Ashburton College group of; Jasmine Andrada, Rebecca Armstrong, Kelly Body, Keagan Bradley, Michael Burton, Kelsey Campbell, Fergielyn Catayoc, Alex Chapman, Sam Cullimore, Ellen Dakers, Alex Dorreen, Harry Ferguson, Stacey Hopwood, Caitlin Johnstone, Andrew Jopson, Ben Lysaght, Brooke Maslin, Jessica Pelayo, Megan Somerville, Adam Squires, Vicki Squires, Bill Tallents, Maria Totolici, Amy White, Lauren Yeatman.
Ashburton District School Bus Survey Invitation – by 31 May Transport Engineering Research NZ (TERNZ) invites Ashburton District residents who hold a restricted or full vehicle driver’s licence to complete a School Bus Survey. Completed surveys will go in a draw to win a $100 petrol voucher. To complete the survey visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TERNZ_School_Bus_Survey Responses due by Friday 31 May. The research work will lead to changes about the way school buses are showing warning signs in relation to the legal speed limits throughout New Zealand. The main outcome is to make sure school bus users are safe when getting on to and off buses.
Ashburton College Board of Trustees
Senior Students’ Mid-Year Examinations: Tuesday 04 - Thursday 06 June College’s mid-year exams take place on the return from Queen’s Birthday Weekend. Please note the following arrangements: • Year 11 and 12 students: during non-exam times are released for home study over the three day period.
Declaration of Staff Election Results At the close of nominations, as there was only one valid nomination received I hereby declare Annie Lees duly elected.
Parent Election Candidate List - Receipt of Nominations Nominations for the above position have been received from – Craig Hickman, Mark Kennedy, Jennifer Phillips and Tania Rule. Sheena Tyrrell Returning Officer
• Any Year 13 student who has a Year 11 or 12 exam during the exam three day period must attend their Year 13 classes except that: - if an exam is in the afternoon, exam leave is allowed for that morning (if the student chooses); - if an exam is in the morning, exam leave is allowed for the previous afternoon from the start of lunch [1:20pm], if the student chooses. • Please note: there is one Year 13 exam being held. These students have been advised. • All other Year 13 students are expected to be in College, following their normal timetable.
Voting Papers – return by noon, Thursday 30 May.
• All students must sit all exams that their subjects have exams for, unless granted an exemption by the teacher-in-charge of the subject.
These were posted to all on the parent roll, on Tuesday 21 May.
• Students may wish to study at College and the Library is available during the day.
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As this is a postal election the voting paper is valid only if returned in the addressed envelope provided.
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If you are posting your Voting Paper back, make sure you put it in a post box NO LATER than 6:00pm, the day before the election closes. Your vote will not be counted unless the envelope is postmarked before the day of the election (30 May 2013), and received not later than five days after the date of the election.
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If delivering your Voting Paper please ensure that it is delivered to College before noon on Thursday 30 May, in the enclosed envelope.
Election Results • •
Wednesday 05 June Thursday 06 June
Votes are counted and results declared. Board takes office.
Parent/Caregiver-Teacher Interviews Years 12 and 13: Tuesday 28 May Year 12 and 13 Interviews are being held on Tuesday 28 May, at the Hotel Ashburton, from 6:00pm – 9:00pm. Where possible parents/caregivers are asked to book interview times on-line, through the School-links website: www.school-links.org.nz The on-line booking facility is open now, and will remain so until noon on Tuesday 28 May. What do you do if you don’t have internet access? Please phone the College Office to book interview times with the staff, or your child can ask their teachers at College to allocate an interview time, in each subject. ‘How To’ Book On-Line: If you have 1. forgotten your password: If you know your User Name, your password can be reset through School-Links. Type in your User Name and enter. Click on ‘forgotten your password’ and follow the steps. 2. forgotten both your User Name and your Password: Please contact the College Office – 308 4193, ext 861. 3. For further guidance on how to book, once signed in, go to ‘Events Tab’ and find ‘Help on Booking Parents/Teacher Interviews’. Interview Length of Time: Each Interview slot is for 5 minutes so please be aware of this when booking and book only the one 5 minute slot with each teacher. If you need to speak with a teacher for longer please arrange a separate appointment time with them so that we can help you without holding other families up. Please try to leave a gap between some interview times so you are not rushed.
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Please Note – Teacher Only Day: This Friday 31 May The second of Ashburton College’s three scheduled Teacher Only Days will be held on the above date (the Friday preceding Queen’s Birthday Weekend). Notices were distributed to students Tuesday 21 May 2013. The focus of the day is engagement of Māori student learners. The day is being organised by The University of Canterbury and will be held at the Hakatere Marae. The remaining Teacher Only Day for this year is scheduled for Thursday 14 November (prior to Christchurch Show Weekend).
Ashburton College Year 9A Netball Team – Mother’s Day Raffle Result 1st
Emma Neumann;
Exam timetable and instructions will be issued to each student this week. This information can also be accessed on School-links.
Senior Students’ Mid-Year Examinations: Tuesday 04 - Thursday 06 June College’s mid-year exams take place on the return from Queen’s Birthday Weekend.
For any process information please contact the Returning Officer, Sheena Tyrrell, 308 4193, ext 812.
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• Students are required to wear uniform when attending exams.
2nd:
K Herbert;
3rd:
Symone Hart
All winners have been notified. Thank you to all who supported our raffle, and special thanks to the following businesses: Robbie’s Bar & Bistro, Ashburton Trust, Christine Jack Beauty Therapy Clinic, Unichem Ashburton Pharmacy, The China Shop, D N A Hairdressing, Searle’s Allenton Pharmacy (Ashburton) Ltd, Countdown Foodmarket, New World Ashburton.
Please note the following arrangements: • Year 11 and 12 students: during non-exam times are released for home study over the three day period. • Any Year 13 student who has a Year 11 or 12 exam during the exam three day period must attend their Year 13 classes except that: - if an exam is in the afternoon, exam leave is allowed for that morning (if the student chooses); - if an exam is in the morning, exam leave is allowed for the previous afternoon from the start of lunch [1:20pm], if the student chooses. • Please note: there is one Year 13 exam being held. These students have been advised. • All other Year 13 students are expected to be in College, following their normal timetable. • All students must sit all exams that their subjects have exams for, unless granted an exemption by the teacher-in-charge of the subject. • Students may wish to study at College and the Library is available during the day. • Students are required to wear uniform when attending exams. Exam timetable and instructions will be issued to each student this week. This information can also be accessed on School-links.
Billets Required – Can You Help? On Monday 08 July Ashburton College is hosting two rugby teams (46 players and 5 staff ) from Armidale School, New South Wales, Australia. The players are Under 17. College has had an exchange relationship with Armidale School over a long period of time and we look forward to hosting them again. The group arrives on Monday morning, plays two games of rugby on Monday afternoon against College teams, and leaves on Tuesday morning. Billet homestays are required from after the games on Monday afternoon. If you can help us by hosting a billet or billets please contact the College Office, 308 4193, to leave your details and we will be back in touch. Or email on admin@ashcoll.school.nz If you are a community member, rather than a College Parent or Caregiver, and are interested in billeting we would be keen to hear from you also.
Transition Department News Liaison Visits:
Various tertiary institutions and community groups visit the College during our Year 13 Forum on Tuesdays, to share information with students about courses and programmes they offer. Year 12 students are welcome to attend also, but need to register their names at the Transition Office before the visit. The following visits are scheduled for the next few weeks: Aoraki Polytechnic (Automotive Trades,; and Health and Education) - tomorrow, 28 May Lincoln University – 04 June Otago Polytechnic – 11 June Defence Careers – 14 June, at 1:20pm in T12 George McDonald (Head Boy 2012) – 25 June NZ College of Early Childhood Education – 02 July
Year 13 Dunedin Tertiary Trip 2013 – Links With Former Ashburton College Students Greg Jones, Head of Senior School, advises that the annual Dunedin Tertiary Information Day visit to Otago University and Otago Polytechnic took place on Monday 13 May. Day’s Programme Thirty nine Ashburton College students endured a 5.00am start so they could attend presentations, activities and tours that were scheduled throughout the day. The Halls of Accommodation tours were popular as students were able to see first-hand the facilities on offer, comparing room sizes and distance from lecture theatres, and just to get a general feel of what might become their home away from home for nine months of next year. While the various departments ran presentations and seminars at specific times, all were represented in the Student Union building throughout the day so that students could make enquiries and have questions answered related to courses on offer. Careers Update Teachers Greg Jones and Ron Carlson attended a Careers update which relayed changes in programmes and new courses at both providers. This was held at Arana Hall where a number of Ashburton College students are accommodated each year and the facilities are indeed very good. Former College Students, from 2012 In Arana this year are 2012 Head Girl Sam McLay and Dux Olivia Quinn and it was great to catch up with both of them and learn of their experiences, progress to date and general transition from school life to tertiary life. Both are working very hard in their First Year Health Science Programme and they have had many late nights revising work and preparing for assignments. Their advice to current Year 13 students is to ‘work hard and enhance your learning skills this year’. They also reinforced the message that University personnel have been promoting for some time ‘that the quality of the NCEA credits gained (Excellence and Merits) is more important than the quantity of credits as an indicator of success’. Support from Former College Students Of special interest is the help that Sam and Olivia receive from former Ashburton College students. Last year Nic McIntosh, a third year Medicine Student, came to College and offered to provide help and tutoring for free to this year’s First Year Health Students. After Olivia made contact, the Study Group was arranged and has met once or twice a week. This has proved to be of tremendous help to those involved and all are clear that it has benefitted both their understanding and marks. Fellow former student Jared Corbett has also become involved. This really is an outstanding gesture from these fine young men as they have donated the most precious commodity needed – time. As always a number of past students made their way to the bus departure point to say hi, have a quick catch up and just to be remembered as a proud Ashburton College graduate.
2013 Polyfest Celebration Marg Macpherson, English teacher and Pasifika Committee Chairperson outlines that, on Tuesday 14 May, thirty six Ashburton College students proudly represented the College at Polyfest 2013. The event was held in the CBS Arena in Christchurch with sponsorship by Creative NZ enabling free attendance for audience supporters. This was College’s third time performing at Polyfest and each time the quality of the College students’ performance has significantly built on that of the previous year. This year our students left the stage confident that they had delivered a performance equal to those of most of the twenty one schools represented at this event, and this perception has been reinforced by the many congratulatory comments from members of the audience. In order to achieve this success our Pasifika students committed to an intensive programme of preparation and rehearsal which included holiday sessions and many lunchtimes. Leadership by students such as Choreographer Thywillbedone Saofai and senior students Finau Fakapelea and Sala Touli, was instrumental in the creation and performance of an item that incorporated elements from a range of Pacific Island cultures. The students were also greatly appreciative of the help of family members and teaching staff who made significant contributions to this very successful celebration of Pasifika Culture in our College and in the wider Canterbury community. Ashburton College will also be represented by seven Pasifika students from Years 9-13 who are competing in the Pasifika Speech Competition to be held at Shirley Boys’ High School tomorrow night, 28 May. The theme for this event is: ‘Fafaga fanau i upu ma tala. Tautala i lau gagana’ or ‘Feed the children with words and stories. Speak your language’. We wish them well and are very proud of their hard work and achievement.
Air Pistol Shooting – Training Day with Greg Yelavich On Friday 10 May Greg Yelavich made his annual visit to the South Island to help with fine-tuning the pistol shooting skills of our three most experienced air pistol shooters – Jordan Belpadrome, Braden Kell and Josh van Mierlo. This year, the students were hosted by the Christchurch Pistol Club at McLean’s Island. Greg Yelavich coaches the New Zealand team and it is a fantastic opportunity for our students to get some one-on-one time with him. Greg Yelavich, MBE, has the distinction of having won more Commonwealth Games medals, in pistol shooting, than any other New Zealander.