SOUTHERN VIEW
Tuesday July 25 2017
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Linwood College
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PERSONALISED PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS
2018 Student Leaders: 1st Row: Vai Mariner, Crystal Mehlhopt, Jenna Hollis, Leeah Mullany, Sarah Moana Wooff-Smyth 2nd Row: Eden Pettigrew, Adonai Schwenke, Anaru Gray, Cole Barrie 3rd Row: Havana Aaifou, Thomas McHutchison, Sapana Kharal, William Paulden, Sean Robertson-Wright, Makayla Austin
Enrolling now for 2018 Rebuild Update from the Principal Kia ora koutou. Talofa. Kia Orana. Malo e lelei. Bula. Fakaalofaatu. Namaste and Kumusta. Greetings to our Community. I am very pleased to inform our community of two important decisions regarding our rebuild process. The school’s master-planning designers have been announced. This is the firm Architectus and we are very positive about this. www.architectus.co.nz Architectus has completed many school rebuilds and other major projects, including in Christchurch the Knowledge Centre (the Central Library) and the Bus Exchange. The lead person for our rebuild at Architectus is Carsten Auer. Carsten leads the Christchurch Architectus team. He is a Redcliffs resident and is committed to the concepts of community and inclusion which came through strongly in Architectus's submission. In Term 2, 2019 Linwood College will shift off-site for the duration of our rebuild to what will then be the former Avonside Girls’ High site. The site will be available as AGHS (and Shirley BHS) will be on their new site, formerly QE2 Park. This is a very good step for us, for while it has its own processes to work through, there are three major positives: 1. LC students and staff will not experience the difficult period of rebuild disruption. The time and energy that otherwise would have gone to ensuring learning was not affected can now be used more positively. 2.The LC demolition and building processes start with an unoccupied site and so can operate in a single stage. This means that a year comes off the rebuild timeline so the timeline we are looking at now is 18 months to two years. 3.With this considerable timesaving and there being no need for relocatables to shift us around in, there is a financial saving of approximately $1 million. This money does not leave the budget so is used to enhance what we will be getting. The Ministry of Education will ensure that LC has all the support that we need during our temporary relocation, including a transport plan for our students to the new site. We will be exploring bussing options to get our
students there. The MoE appoints a relocation manager and employs specialist movers skilled at shifting a school, everything from basketballs to hydrochloric acid. The AGHS site is safe. The buildings are mainly relocatable classrooms. AGHS has operated very successfully in them with a full academic and social curriculum. About half of the relocatables were brought in postearthquake so they are modern and warm. In fact, they are of better quality than our present LC classrooms. The site is close to us. I have timed my last two drives there: 3 min 50 sec and 4 min 10 sec, just 2.2 kilometres from the LC front gate to the AGHS front gate. While the rebuild of Linwood College is well overdue, we are also aware that the demolition of the old school will bring mixed feelings for some. And this makes sense as a school’s physical fabric contains many memories and key moments in people’s lives. How we close and honour this chapter in our school’s history, while we open another, is important to us and already is being given due attention. Nga mihi nui to our community as the positive activity of the year continues. I am always keen to meet people if any member of the community wishes to talk to me about anything. My door is open. Richard Edmundson Tumuaki-Principal
Major Production 2017 ‘Wolfstock’ The moon is high and all is quiet. Excitement is rising. The night is still. This night, 2nd August will be the opening night of Linwood College’s 2017 major production ‘Wolfstock’. This is a maverick musical written by Mary McMahan with music by Donald Woodward. A ‘Grease’ ‘Teenwolf’ mash-up with eccentric characters, great one-liners and the odd motor bike - this fun story along with the compulsory dancing and singing has all the makings for a fun, family-friendly show. The new Performing Arts learning team of Sam Boyce da Cruz and Ben Russell are bringing life back to the Linwood College productions after a hiatus. The cast of this year’s production celebrates everything that is great about being part of a Year 7 - 13 school with cast and musicians involved spanning across all age groups, collaborating and working together to present this show.
The show will have a three night run from 1 - 3 August. Tickets will be available at the College’s Payment Office from Term 3. We look forward to seeing you there.
Community Connections
Students from Linwood North Primary School visited during Linwood College’s Taster Afternoon this month. They were treated to a scene from the upcoming Linwood College musical WOLFSTOCK as well as engaging science experiments.
Heathcote Valley School students investigate science during their lesson with Helen Mora, Head of the Science Department. Science, mathematics and debating lessons taught at the College to local primary school students are strengthening ties with the community.
Regional Pool Championship Contenders Kane Tahu, Justin Howland, Shayden McKenzie and Ben Broomhall recently made it into the regional ‘Pool for Schools’ championships following trials earlier this month at the Cashmere Working Men’s Club.
Linwood College • Phone: 982-0100 • Email: office@linwoodcollege.school.nz • www.linwoodcollege.school.nz