TAWA COLLEGE
Issue 3
May 2019
Kia ora koutou Term 2 is a pivotal term for our senior students who are consolidating on their internal assessments and can make further progress with their NCEA results throughout the term. It is vitally important that students do not settle for mediocrity with their internal assessment results and be satisfied with simply an achieved grade when they are capable of attaining merit or excellence. On the subject of NCEA there have been new announcements made by the Minister of Education about changes to NCEA going forward. The changes are significant and as such we will hold an information evening for parents and whānau before the end of this term. One of the immediate changes are that there are now no longer any NZQA and Scholarships fees to be paid. If you have already paid either of these fees for 2019, please notify the college and a refund will be provided. Recently I received the summative NZQA data relating to achievement of NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3. Our overall achievement rates for 2018 were as follows: NCEA Level 1 NCEA Level 2 NCEA Level 3
Year 11 Year 12 Year 13
89% 85% 75%
Both NCEA Level 1 and 2 results are well above the national average for similar decile schools. I would like to congratulate Year 11 student Tamara Ruaporo Ngatuakana who recently represented NZ at the World Tae Kwon Do championships held in Germany. Tamara won an individual Gold medal and a team Silver medal at these world championships, which is an outstanding effort. Quintin Renner in Year 12 has been selected to play in New Zealand’s International Softball Academy U18 Men’s Team, which is touring Europe from May 21st to June 4th.
Two Tawa College students, Robert Sabo and Sean Bright have been selected to represent the New Zealand U17 Men’s National Football Team at the Panda Cup in Chengdu, China from 23rd May to 30th May 2019. We wish these students all the very best for these events. Tawa College was represented at the Anzac Day service in Tawa. The Blue Notes choir also sang at the televised Dawn Service held at Pukeahu. The service including the Blue Notes was broadcast on Radio NZ and the students represented the college superbly well. Following feedback from teachers, students and whānau the school will reintroduce the Subject Teacher Evenings for parents and students next term. These will be held on Tuesday 13th and Thursday 15th August 2019. Further information will be sent out to parents in this regard. Further to last month’s newsletter online enrolments are now open for students starting at Tawa College in 2020. Online enrolments are available to both in zone and out of zone applicants, and to all year levels. Please go to the college website and follow the enrolments tab. Please be mindful that there may be some teething problems along the way. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns with the process. Staffing At the beginning of Term 2 we have been joined by two new staff members. Mr Gavin Kennedy has relocated from Tauranga and is teaching English, and Mr Leandro Gomez is our new Guidance Counsellor replacing Mr Edmund Salem who left to take up a new position at Victoria University. At the end of Week 2 of term we also said farewell to a long serving member of the Learning Support Department, Mrs Sue Mitchell who will be undertaking some overseas travels in her semiretirement. Ngā mihi nui
Murray Lucas Tumuaki NCEA Pre-Budget Announcement Information for Schools Background On 13th May, the Minister of Education made a significant pre-budget announcement around NCEA. The Minister’s pre-budget announcement can be found in full at www.beehive.govt.nz/feature/wellbeing-budget2019 and had three major parts:
TAWA COLLEGE “DO JUSTLY”
fees will no longer be charged for participating in NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship, with funding instead to be provided directly to NZQA by Government the Government will fund the continued roll out of NCEA Online the Minister released the Government’s highlevel intentions following the NCEA Review.
What can we tell students who have unpaid fees from previous years? Unpaid fees from previous years no longer need to be paid, and over the next few weeks NZQA will award credits and qualifications earned in previous years where fees were not paid. If students have an urgent requirement, they can phone 0800 697 296 or email our Data Management and Learner Records team DMLR@nzqa.govt.nz at NZQA to arrange for the award.
Information about what this means for schools and a short Q&A about removing fees is below. If you have any questions about the NCEA Review, these should be directed to the Ministry of Education.
Will NZQA or schools be expected to refund fees paid for 2018 or previous years? No.
What this means for schools Schools should stop collecting fees from New Zealand domestic students, and students from the Cook Islands and Niue, who are entering for NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship Schools will be expected to refund any fees already collected from these students for 2019 Schools should stop processing applications for financial assistance with NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship fees, as these are no longer payable NCEA and NZ Scholarship removal of fees – Q&A Who does the removal of NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship fees cover? The removal of NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship fees will apply to all domestic students, and students from the Cook Islands and Niue, enrolled at a secondary school participating in NCEA or New Zealand Scholarship. Results reported through the tertiary pathway will continue to incur credit fees. Does this mean NZQA will stop or reduce the Administration payments to schools? No – the Administration payments will continue at their current level. These payments cover a range of tasks schools perform, with collection of fees for NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship only a small part. Will fees for 2019 be refunded if they have already been paid to NZQA? Yes – any fees remitted to NZQA on behalf of students will be returned to schools to be refunded. How should schools refund fees which have already been paid for 2019? Schools should arrange for the timely refund of fees. Where a school has already remitted fees to NZQA these should be refunded in a timely manner once they have been returned by NZQA.
Will schools still need to collect fees from international students? Yes – the removal of NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship fees only applies to New Zealand domestic students, and students from the Cook Islands and Niue.
LOCKDOWN DRILL During the school year we run emergency drills. Normally a fire drill in Term 1, lockdown in Term 2 and earthquake in Term 3 or 4. This year we will run our Lockdown drill with a slight difference – including our community in the process. On Wednesday 19th June 2019 we will be holding a school lockdown drill. The purpose of the drill is to enable staff, students and our caregiver community to participate in a lockdown drill and to understand their part in the procedure. It will also allow us to understand aspects of the procedure that are working well and others that need improvement. The time of the drill is yet to be determined. It is estimated that the drill will take about 15 to 20 minutes. Communication with the community and staff will be made through the School App. It is therefore important that the community – staff, students and caregivers are aware of this. Please see https://www.tawacollege.school.nz/emergencyinformation for information on downloading the App.
TAWA COLLEGE “DO JUSTLY”
BOARD OF TRUSTEE ELECTIONS 2019
A reminder that there are five parent representative positions to be filled on the Tawa College Board of Trustees in this election round. Nomination forms have been posted to eligible voters and must be completed and posted to the Returning Officer, Tawa College, PO Box 51045, Tawa 5249 or delivered to the school office at 38A Duncan Street, Tawa.
Other hui that have met or will meet this term: Tawa Kaitiaki Māori (Student Leadership group) Principals group Principals, DP, and other school leaders meeting to discuss future focused learning.
Nominations close at 12 noon on Friday 24th May 2019. If a voting election needs to be held, voting papers and any candidate's statements will be posted out before 29th May 2019. The poll will close at 12 noon on 7th June 2019 and results made available at school and also published in the local newspaper.
TAWA KĀHUI AKO Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi With your basket and my basket the people will live The Tawa Kāhui Ako continues to work collaboratively to enhance the outcomes for the students within our community. The knowledge and skills that individuals possess are being shared throughout the Kāhui. An example of this is the fantastic Growth Mindset workshop facilitated by Kapa Te Aho from Tawa Intermediate. Around 50 teachers attended, representing all Kāhui schools, to discuss Growth Mindset and how brain development affects mindsets. There was a positive buzz in the room, lots of discussion, and it was certainly a pleasure to see educators from different schools discussing common themes. On Monday 27th May, there will be a series of workshops for all Kāhui teaching staff (approximately 200). Each school will host workshop(s) around student learning, and teachers are free to attend one which best suits their interest or need. Another excellent example of shared practice to make positive outcomes for all of our Kāhui students.
ON LINE ENROLMENTS
Online enrolments are now accessible through the college website. All existing parents and caregivers of Tawa College students have been emailed with a link to the new online system. Online enrolments will be available to both in zone and out of zone applicants, and to all year levels. The system will require you to input information about the student, contact details, medical information etc. Particular items will need to be uploaded to the application including: Full birth certificate of student Proof of residency (power account only) for in zone applications Evidence of measles immunisation (2 doses) The Tawa College Open Evening for parents of Year 9 students in 2020 will be held this year on Thursday 13th June 2019. Details about the event are available on the college website and e2Learn.
TAWA COLLEGE “DO JUSTLY”
JAPAN TRIP
Chris Dang, a 2018 graduate, is now at Hannan High in Osaka. Please say a friendly konnichiwa if you see them.
Twelve Tawa College students took part in the Japan exchange with our sister school Hannan High in Osaka over the term break. It was a wonderful opportunity for students from both Tawa and Hannan to exchange ideas, to deepen cultural understanding, and to be immersed in the languages.
Kanako-sensei
Ayari-sensei
HOMESTAYS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
We are looking for families to join our existing pool of homestay caregivers. We have more International Students arriving in July for Terms 3 and 4, and possibly for Term 1 in 2020 as well. Students made lifelong friendships and memories over the three short weeks. It will be our turn to host Hannan High when they arrive in July this year. If you're interested in participating in the exchange or hosting a Japanese student, please contact Conroy-sensei or Yoon-sensei.
Hosting can be exciting, rewarding and educational. The College pays full board to host families. If you would like more information, please e-mail our Homestay Coordinator jsalter@tawacollege.school.nz or leave your details with the school office on 04 232 8184.
MUSIC DEPARTMENT
Calendar of Events for 2019 Thursday 30 May 2019 Barbershop Regionals at Lower Hutt Events Centre and Town Hall. Maiden Tawa, Acafellas and Quartets. Quartet competition begins at midday. Evening concert begins at 6pm. Tickets available from www.ticketdirect.co.nz and door sales.
We welcome Ayari-sensei and Kanako-sensei from Hannan High School into our Japanese classrooms until the end of the year. They will be assisting Japanese language learning at both Tawa College and Tawa Intermediate. They are here as part of the school exchange, where graduates get the opportunity to be assistant teachers in Japan or New Zealand.
Wednesday 12 June 2019 Big Sing Regionals at Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington. Dawn Chorus, Blue Notes and Early Birds. All day and evening event. Tickets are available for purchase at www.ticketmaster.co.nz Wednesday 26 June 2019 June Tunes in the Tawa College Hall at 7pm. All instrumental groups, choirs and choruses. Admission on the night, adults $5 donation and students – gold coin donation.
TAWA COLLEGE “DO JUSTLY”
Major Production 2019 – Anything Goes by Cole Porter Friday 26th to Sunday 28th July and Thursday 1st August to Saturday 3rd August in the Tawa College Hall. Evening performances commence at 7.30pm and the Sunday performance starts at 3pm. Tickets will be available from www.ticketdirect.co.nz Big Sing Finale Wednesday 28th August to Sunday 1st September including travelling days at the Dunedin Town Hall. Evening Gala commences at 7pm on Saturday 31st August 2019. Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.co.nz Barbershop Nationals Tuesday 10th to Friday 13th September 2019 including travelling days at the Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch. Acafellas, Maiden Tawa and Quartets who qualify. Parade of Champions, Thursday Evening. Final Notes Wednesday 30th October 2019 at 7pm in the Tawa College Hall. A selection of instrumental groups, choirs and choruses. Admission on the night, adults $5 donation and students – gold coin donation. Entertainment Books The New 2019/2020 Wellington Entertainment Book is here. Selling for $65, the new book is packed with over $23,000 of valuable offers valid through to 1 June 2020. Order from Tawa College Music Department and support their fundraising efforts this year. You can order online at www.entertainmentbook.co.nz/orderbooks/10412p) or contact mnicholls@tawacollege.school.nz. EOTC forms will be emailed to parents soon for the Dawn Chorus, Barbershop and Blue Notes members for the Regional Competitions in May and June.
TRANSITION AND CAREERS DEPARTMENT
The Careers Department have launched a new website that can be accessed on e2learn via the CAREERS tab. The website includes a calendar of events, course information, future study options including both university and other providers, scholarships, gap year information and general careers information. This is a great place to start to explore future pathways or to identify potential areas of interest using one of the tools on the site.
Students are also welcome to visit the T8 careers resource room at interval or lunch time to browse through brochures and collect information on a range of careers and tertiary providers. Upcoming Events May 16th ARA Institute of Technology Information Session (at school) May 17th Massey University Information Session (at school) May 20th PHIMS Hotel Management Presentation (at school) May 21st & 22nd First Foundation Scholarship Information Evening (offsite) rd May 23 Women in Aviation Presentation (offsite) May 23rd Otago University Information Evening (offsite) st nd June 21 & 22 Wellington Careers Expo (offsite) July 4th Victoria University Year 12 day (school trip) July 11th University of Canterbury Information Evening (offsite) Further information on these events can be found on the careers calendar on e2learn. Scholarships Scholarship information and search engines can be found under the Careers tab on e2learn. First Foundation Scholarships are open for Year 12 and 13 students to apply for. These are for students that are the first in their family to attend university (including parents) and who are faced with financial hardship. http://www.firstfoundation.org.nz/ PwC Scholarships open on June 11th. The PwC Scholarship is extended to students who can demonstrate they can problem solve and have the ability to think outside the box. We are not only looking for Accounting students, we are keen to see those studying IT, Economics, Languages and Science to name a few. We look for alignment between choice of study and our business areas which include Assurance, Deals, Consulting, Tax – Corporate/Private Business and Legal. Ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou katoa. The University of Otago, Māori Health Workforce Development Unit applications for the Otago REACH (Realising Educational Aspirations for Careers in Health) Scholarship are now open. This scholarship is for Year 13 Māori secondary students interested in a career in health and is hosted by the University of Otago.
TAWA COLLEGE “DO JUSTLY”
The Scholarship covers; flights, accommodation, food and activities over 3 days. The main requirement is that students have an aspiration in a career in health. Studying science subjects at Level 2 and 3, and their involvement or interest in Te Ao Māori will strengthen their application. However, we strongly encourage all students with aspirations in health. Applications close 15th of June, 2019. http://www.otago.ac.nz/mhwdu/tearahauora/#reach Email kwiltshire@tawacollege.school.nz for further information regarding this scholarship. Careers Advice Students can make appointments to see either Mrs Wiltshire or Mrs Rogers by emailing kwiltshire@tawacollege.school.nz or krogers@tawacollege.school.nz or by dropping into T Block.
COMMUNITY EVENTS and NOTICES
A group of parents together with Tawa College and Tawa Intermediate are working together to organize a community Manaaki night. The event would be for students, whanau, teachers, schools and the community centered around health and wellbeing and would be based around the Tawa College Careers Expo format of interactive booths. The event aims to provide information, strategies and ideas to help with a sense of connectedness and working together to provide support for ourselves and each other. For anyone wanting to contribute or join us at one of our meetings please email the Tawa College Principal’s Secretary on secretary@tawacollege.school.nz
Star Courses There are a range of STAR taster courses available for Year 12 and 13 students to find out more about industries they may be interested in. See Mrs Gillum in T12 for further information.
TAWA COLLEGE COMMUNITY EDUCATION
PARENTS AS DRIVING COACHES One Thursday night - on 23 May from 7pm to 9pm This seminar is run once per year and is a must for all parents and caregivers teaching anyone to drive or supervising a learner or restricted licenced driver. Development of the adolescent brain is critical when it comes to learning to drive. International research confirms parents can play a significant role in shaping and influencing the executive functions required of adolescents when learning to drive a motor vehicle. This two-hour session provides tips on the learning to drive process and driving techniques to ensure their family members commence on a path of lifelong safe driving. Fees: NZ$20, Enrol on line www.tawacomed.co.nz/Course,Teaching-someone-todrive,1665 or at the college office New classes are available on www.tawacomed.co.nz Judith Havill: comed@tawacollege.school.nz Community Education Coordinator
Home Stay Families Required Tawa Intermediate School hope to host 20 students from China in July. If your family is interested in providing accommodation and becoming a home stay, please let us know. We are happy to take your requests for information and expressions of interest. A fee of $40 is paid to each family per night/per student hosted. If you would like to know more, please contact Coralee Grantham at Tawa Intermediate on 232 5201 or email coralee.grantham@tawaint.school.nz.
Annual Street Appeal raising funds to continue providing food, meaningful activities and community to people in need. On the 14th June, 2019, over 200 volunteers will collect at 20 sites around the Wellington region, fundraising for the Compassion Soup Kitchen’s Annual Street Day Appeal. The Street Appeal plays a vital role in raising both funds and awareness to assist the community in the challenges they are facing, such as housing deprivation, addiction, poor mental health, food insecurity, and social isolation.
TAWA COLLEGE “DO JUSTLY”
“Without a sense of purpose and belonging, it is hard to call somewhere home” – says a Soup Kitchen guest. The Compassion Soup Kitchen provides a safe place where people are known, welcome and wanted.
Give sleep a chance… Lack of good-quality sleep is a huge driver for stress: it has a negative effect on memory, concentration, cognitive function, and decision-making.
The Soup Kitchen offers kai (around 30 breakfasts and 60-80 dinners six days a week, from Monday to Saturday), social service support, access to technology, meaningful activities, and a sense of community to our capital’s most marginalised and vulnerable. Two social workers walk with guests by supporting them to have their mental and physical health needs met: in arranging accommodation, access to financial entitlement, and finding employment opportunities.
One of the fastest ways to improve sleep is to limit screen time before bed. Issue a household ban on devices at least an hour before bedtime. Turn off the wifi, if need be. Earlier in the evening, insist everyone uses night-time mode on their devices, which swaps the blue light for a warmer glow. It’s also worth switching your children’s night lights to red ones as red has the least impact on melatonin production.
Please support us at our next appeal to ensure this important service and continue its mahi supporting vulnerable Wellingtonians. An hour or two of your time to collect for us at one of our sites around the city is greatly appreciated. For more information, please contact Paula Jones 04 282 1951, Volunteer Coordinator of the Compassion Soup Kitchen.
SIX WAYS TO RAISE A RESILIENT CHILD Want to help your children deal with stress and adversity? It’s easier than you think and can help our children navigate the stresses of daily life. While we may not be able to remove all their challenges, we can help them build resilience - the ability to overcome difficult experiences and be shaped positively by them. Our brains respond to the information around us, so resilience can be taught, modelled and nurtured at any age. Have one-on-one time with each child, without distractions… Resilience comes from relationships; children need nurturing. It’s not a magical inner strength that helps kids through tough times; instead, it’s the reliable presence of one, supportive relationship, be it parent, teacher, relative or family friend. It’s quality, not quantity that counts. Ten minutes of fully focused attention is better than an hour when your mind is on other things. If you’re on your phone at the dinner table, you’re teaching them it’s OK to always be distracted. And that they are not important enough for your sole attention. Make bath-time, car journeys, meals, queues count. Chat, listen, talk about your feelings and encourage them to express theirs. Once these one-toones become regular, your children will know they always have a safe space to open up.
Get out and exercise… As well as keeping them physically fit, exercise will increase children’s resilience. It actually strengthens the brain. Regular physical activity teaches our stressresponse system to recover more efficiently. Put on the radio before dinner and dance around in the kitchen. Join your kids doing squats, star jumps, bear crawls or frog hops. Walk the dog together or go for a family bicycle ride. Teach delayed gratification… Resilience means understanding you can’t always have what you want as soon as you want it. It’s an important concept to pass on in the age of Amazon Prime, Spotify, Netflix and Uber. Psychology teaches us that people who can accept delayed gratification lead happier, healthier lives. Without the ability to defer pleasure and reward, our kids are losing an important skill for their wellbeing. One of the best ways to teach it? Playing board games. These require impulse control, turn-taking, and mental flexibility. They exercise the prefrontal cortex, the rational part of the brain involved in decision-making, emotional regulation and, yes, resilience. Board games are also a good way for you to model resilience by being a good loser. But there are no shortage of other ways to encourage delayed gratification: learning a musical instrument; listening to whole albums instead of skipping from track to track online; mastering a new sport; even watching a TV series together week by week, instead of bingeing in a couple of sittings. Eat the alphabet… Nutrition has a significant impact on mental health. Good-quality food changes the composition of our gut bugs, which helps send calm signals to the brain. Poorquality, highly processed food sends stress signals instead. A diverse diet, rich in fibre, will lead to greater diversity in our gut bugs, which in turn will help make us more resilient, and anxiety and depression less likely.
TAWA COLLEGE “DO JUSTLY”
Persuading kids to eat more healthily can feel like an uphill battle, though, especially if they’re fussy, so this is not about becoming a top chef – just trying a few tricks that can really benefit them emotionally. I like to challenge the whole family to “eat the alphabet” over 30 days. I think it’s a realistic goal to consume 26 different plant foods in a month: A for asparagus, B for banana, C for chickpeas, and so on. It turns healthy eating into a game, and encourages children to try new foods. Turn it into a competition and see who can tick off all the letters first. Model gratitude Instead of pestering your children with questions such as, “How was school?” and, “What did you do today?”, teach them to reframe their day. The following is a game I learned from a friend, who played it with his daughter over dinner. Everyone must answer three questions: 1) What did someone do today to make you happy? 2) What did you do to make someone else happy? 3) What have you learned today? I love this simple exercise for how it helps us all find the positive in every day. It teaches gratitude, nurtures optimism, and recognises kindness. It doesn’t matter what may have happened at work or school, or how stressed any of us may have felt when we sat down at the table; the whole mood seems to lift once we’ve played this game. I learn things about my kids that they’d probably never have thought to tell me otherwise. Try it. It might just become the highlight of your day. Acknowledgement: Dr Rangan Chatterjee, author of the Stress Solution
We would love to have you join our volunteer team for this event. For 2019 we have the following opportunities: Sunday 23 June: Bag Packing - Westpac Stadium We will be packing the goodies bags given to all runners at the finish line Shift 1: 9.00am – 1.00pm Shift 2: 9.30am – 1.30pm Saturday 29 June: Race Registration - Gazeley Volkswagon, Kent Terrace, Wellington We will be registering all runners ahead of race day and handing out numbers. This role requires a high level of concentration and accuracy! Full Day: 8.30am – 6.00pm includes lunch provided Half Day: 8.30am – 1.30pm Half Day: 1.00pm – 6.00pm Sunday 30 June: Event Day - Westpac Stadium Jobs are a mixture of working in the recovery area (handing out drinks/fruit etc after the finish line, general support etc) and bag check area Shift 1: 6.00am – 12.00pm Shift 2: 7.00am – 1.00pm Shift 3: 8.00am – 2.00pm Shift 4: 9.00am – 3.00pm For more information and to sign up go to: https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/getinvolved/fundraising/wellington-marathon/volunteerregistration-wellington
UPCOMING EVENTS (can be subject to change)
Please refer to the e2Learn website May 2019 Friday 24
Volunteer for the Heart Foundation at the Gazeley Volkswagon Wellington Marathon 2019 The Heart Foundation is the official charity partner for the Wellington Marathon again for 2019. As part of this partnership we provide volunteers to work at the event, to raise money for the Heart Foundation Wellington Branch.
Tuesday 28
Board of Trustees Nominations close at midday Year 12 & 13 Health Conference
Friday 31
Teacher Only Day – LoopEd
June 2019 Monday 3 Tuesday 11 Thursday 13 Thursday 20 Friday 21 Tuesday 25 Wednesday 26
Queen’s Birthday School Closed Big Sing Regionals Open Evening from 4pm Survivor Challenge Careers Expo - Offsite Sports and Cultural Photos June Tunes Concert 7pm, Hall
TAWA COLLEGE “DO JUSTLY”
TAWA COLLEGE “DO JUSTLY”