TAWA COLLEGE
Issue 3
May 2018
Dear Parents and Caregivers
The Winter Sports season has commenced and I have been delighted with the positive start that the teams have made. This year Tawa College for the first time has entered an E-games team into a national secondary schools’ competition. We have done remarkably well and have qualified for the knock-out rounds. A number of our students are involved with Kapa Haka, Polyfest preparation, Music, Drama, Dance and Debating. Students through involvement in these activities learn the value of allocating time wisely.
The second term is well underway and I am pleased with the positive approach adopted by the students in the classroom, on the sports fields or singing in the choir.
In staffing we welcome Ms Maggie Jones who has replaced Mrs Angela Swank who is on maternity leave.
Over the holidays I was delighted with the contribution Tawa College students and staff made to ANZAC Day Services. The Tawa College Blue Notes choir sung at the Dawn Service at the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park which was broadcast live on Radio New Zealand and TV One. Our Head Students participated in the local Tawa service where they read a poem and presented a wreath.
Murray Lucas Principal
PARENT PORTAL & SCHOOL APP
Thank you to students and family members who attended the recent Learning Conferences. It was a good opportunity for students, parents and staff to converse over learning goals and progress to date. I want to also acknowledge family members, past pupils and caring members of the community who involve themselves in the wider life of the college, coaching, transporting and managing sports and teams and cultural groups. In the first week of Term 2, Professor Marc Wilson reported on a longitudinal survey Victoria University Psychology Department conducted with 12 schools in the lower North Island related to student health and wellbeing. The research began in 2012 with Year 9 students and finished in 2016 with Year 13 students. Tawa College was one of the 12 schools involved and Marc Wilson reported his findings recently to Tawa College staff. The findings were very encouraging and stated that students at Tawa College were generally well connected to the school and their families. The more positive connections the students make the healthier the students are likely to be both now and into the future. This week Nayland College travel up from Nelson for their winter sports exchange with Tawa College. Thank you to those families who assisted with billeting.
Parent/Student Portal: portal.tawacol.school.nz The Parent Portal was introduced in 2015 and enables parents and caregivers to access information including: timetable, notices, check contact details are correct, attendance, reports, assessment information, mentoring and fees. The Portal opened to the students in 2018 and allows student access to all the same information. Student Online Environment: https://e2learn.school.nz/ is Tawa College’s student online environment, linking to their learning through Hapara. It allows your student to have access to a number of important features from home as well as school. On the front page you will find important messages in the slideshow. The School Calendar and Daily Notices can be accessed from here.
TAWA COLLEGE “DO JUSTLY”