16th July 2025 by Kris Simpson

Wednesday 16th July 2025

Tokyo Photo Album

Group 2 have arrived home and will be looking forward to sharing their experiences with whanau and friends. A huge thank you goes to Kris Simpson, Erica Milligan, Mary Hart and Natasha Freeman for giving their time to take our students on an adventure they won’t forget in a hurry!!

Generous Caltex Donation

Ngā mihi to Caltex Milton for their generous sponsorship of $1000 in fuel gift cards! Their support will help our tauira to travel to sporting events and activities across the region. This kind of involvement from our community truly fuels our kaupapa!

Saffron (left) and Pippa (right) accepted Blair's presentation on behalf of Tokomairiro High School. Thank you for backing us every step of the way!

Dates to Remember

Friday 18 July Nominations for Board Elections Open

Tuesday 29 July Blue Mountain Sports Exchange

Tuesday 5 August Parent Teacher Hui

Wednesday 6 August Nominations for Board Election Close

Wednesday 13 August Voting Papers for Board Elections Issued

Tuesday 19 August Open Evening

Wednesday 10 September Senior Course Selection Evening

Friday 12 September School Ball

Tena koutou katoa

Tokomairiro High School Newsletter...

SCHOOL MISSION: Inspiring Excellence in Education, in Character and in Life.

Welcome to Term 3! I hope everyone had a restful and restorative break. This is a big and exciting term; full of learning, opportunities, and special events. We’re looking forward to everything it brings.

International Connections: Our Japan Experience

These school holidays marked a really exciting milestone the first overseas school trip in many years. Two groups of Tokomairiro students travelled to Japan, visiting a Japanese school, exploring Tokyo and even enjoying the magic of Disneyland.

It’s been such a pleasure following the trip through the photos and updates shared on Facebook the smiles, the sights, and the sense of adventure were clear to see. I’m really looking forward to hearing more from the students now that they’re home. A huge thank you goes to the staff who made the trip possible and to the many whānau and community members who supported fundraising and helped turn this opportunity into a reality. It was truly a team effort.

We’re now looking forward to welcoming four students from the same school our students visited. They’ll be with us for two weeks this term and we know our kura will give them a warm and memorable visit.

Uniform: Taking Pride in Our Presentation

Thank you to all the students and whānau who continue to uphold our school’s uniform expectations; it helps build a strong sense ofpride and belonging.

This term we’re particularly focusing on jackets. As the cold weather continues, it’s important that students stay warm , but also that they wear appropriate uniform outerwear. Students are welcome to wear plain black or navy puffer jackets in addition to the school jackets sold through NZ Uniforms, but hoodies and branded streetwear are not permitted. Your support in this area is greatly appreciated. If there are any challenges in accessing uniform items, please get in touch with the school, we’re here to help.

Attendance: Let’s Work Together

If your child is away from school for any reason, please let the office know as soon as you can a quick message or call makes a big difference and helps us keep things up to date.

You’ll see your child’s attendance reflected in the fortnightly reports that come home. We encourage you to keep an eye on this and have a chat at home if it’s starting to slip.

The government defines regular attendance as 90% or higher; that’s about one day away each fortnight. When students are here consistently, they’re much more likely to keep up with learning, feel connected, and make good progress. If there’s anything getting in the way of attendance, please reach out we’re here to support you.

Learning and Progress – A Shared Focus

Term 3 is a crucial time for academic progress across all year levels. For our senior students, this is their last full term before external NCEA exams. Now is the time to:

112 Union Street, Milton Ph 417 8223 butcherymilton@gmail.com

Pickled Pork

$15.95kg Mince

$15.95kg

Crumbed Cutlets

$16.95kg

Sweet Chilli Plum Sausages

$14.95

Check us out! www.miltonbutchery.co.nz or our Facebook page!

• Track creditprogress and completeoutstanding internal assessments

• Stayfocusedinclassandseek help when needed

• Start regular revision to build confidence ahead of external

We’ll hold Senior Practice Exams later in the term, these are important preparation and will also be used for derived grades if needed. Students should treat them seriously and prepare well. Caregivers, please check in with your young person, the fortnightly reports are a good prompt. If you’re unsure where things are at, feel free to contact subject teachers or Dean staff for support. For our junior students, we’ll be undertaking mid-year literacy and numeracy testing over the coming weeks. This is an important part of tracking how students are progressing so far this year, and helps us identify where support or extension might be needed in the second half of the year. These assessments are internal and help guide our teaching and planning. Above all, this term is about consistency, effort, and ownership. Learning builds over time and together, we can help every student move forward with confidence.

Term Highlights and Key Dates

There is plenty happening this term some dates for your diary:

• Blue Mountain College Sports Exchange – This year’s exchange is at home.

• School Ball – Tickets are on sale now! A special evening for our senior students and a major highlight of the year.

• Parent-Teacher Interviews – Monday 5 August. A valuable opportunity to check in with teachers about progress and next steps.

• Open Evening – Monday 19 August. Wewelcome prospective students and families tocome and see what our kura has to offer.

• Course Selection Evening – Tuesday 10 September. Supporting senior students and whānau with subject choices and future planning.

• Ngā mihi nui, Vicki Wish, Principal

Public Health Nurse Abby Brookland For appointments, phone 027 241 1506

Making an Appointment

If you would like to see a member of the Senior Leadership Team or your child's Dean or Teacher, please call or email the office to arrange an appointment at a mutually convenient time. Although we like to meet with parents/ whanau, we are not always available at short notice and may be teaching or working with students or other staff. The office phone number is 03 417 8620 and the email address is ths office@tokohigh.school.nz

Exhibition Showcases Talent at Toko

The Year 9/10 Printmaking class, 9/10 Digital Tech class and the Woodtech students put on a combined exhibition in the last week of school. It was great to see such a wide range of skills and ideas!

Thank you to our students for getting stuck in this

You have set the bar high!

Bible Reading for the Week

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” .” - Hebrews 13:5-6

SOUTH OTAGO’S TRAVEL PROFESSIONAL

Batik Dyeing

The 9/10 Printmaking class had a go at batik dyeing last term. The process involved many steps - planning, applying wax, cracking the wax, dyeing the fabric, removing the wax.. This was then followed by sewing the fabric to make tote bags! Some are now being used to deliver Genesis. Thank you to Mr Samson who helped with this task.

Retelling Stories is Fun!

Mokopuna at Milton kindergarten have been having fun retelling their favourite stories - creating a stage, props and taking on different roles. Mokopuna have acted out stories using puppets, visual pictures or / and acted out characters. Mokopuna have taken on different roles such as musician, actor or director. This play requires mokopuna to negotiate and collaborate, applying their working memory and mana reo (communication) skills. We have some talented mokopuna, no doubt we will see them featured in the Genesis

Early childhood curriculum learning outcome) is an important step in literacy and it sure is a lot of fun.

Letter to the Editor

Oh what a lovely footpath we have on the main street! It is nice to go down the street on my mobility scooter now it was pretty rough before!

Thank you to those concerned for doing a great job!

- from a Mobility Scooter rider.

Under 18 Netball Rep

Congratulations to Charlotte Lennon who has been named as an Under 18 Rep for South Otago Netball. Charlotte has played two tournaments, one in Dunedin and one in Balclutha. Well done Charlotte!!

Genesis Office Hours

Tuesdays 8:30-3:30

Wednesdays 8:30-12 noon

Donations to Toy Library

Toko Toy Library would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to three local Milton businesses who have supported our service with fantastic toy donations this year.

-Agricentre South Milton kindly donated a ride-on tractor with trailer, which has already become a fast favourite with our children.

-Stihl Shop Milton recently gifted us a battery-powered toy chainsaw that adds exciting outdoor-themed play to our collection.

-And Calder Stewart generously provided a kids’ tool bench complete with tools, encouraging imaginative construction play.

We are incredibly grateful to these businesses for their generosity and support. Donations like these help us continue providing high-quality, developmentally appropriate toys for children in our community. For those not on social media, we wanted to make sure this public thanks reached you!

The Toko Toy Library is a volunteer-run community service offering affordable access to a wide range of toys for children aged 0–8 years. Our aim is to support physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development through play, with memberships starting from just $15 per year. Borrowing toys keeps playtime fresh, reduces the need for storage at home, and helps the environment by keeping toys out of landfill. We even have gift vouchers available perfect for birthdays or baby showers!

We’re open Thursdays and Saturdays from 10.30 to 11.30am, located in the old Scout Hall at 9 Elderlee Street, Milton.

You can email us at tokotoylibrary@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook to see our newest additions: www.facebook.com/tokotoylibrarymilton

Thank you again to everyone who continues to support our Toy Library we’re proud to be part of such a generous community.

Windows 10 Is Ending: What That

Means for You?

If you use a computer with Windows 10, you should know that Microsoft is ending support for it on October 14, 2025 After this date, your computer will no longer receive important updates, including security fixes that protect it from viruses and hackers.

Your computer won’t stop working immediately, but it will become less safe over time especially if you’re using it for schoolwork, banking, or browsing online.

Windows 10 was first released in 2015, so a lot of computers still running it are 5 to 10 years old. Many of these older PCs may not be able to run Windows 11, which has stricter hardware requirements. That means some people will eventually need to replace their computers.

You can check if your computer is ready for Windows 11 by downloading the “PC Health Check” tool from Microsoft’s website. If your PC is too old, now is a good time to start planning ahead. Computers are often essential tools for our lives not just for learning and working, but also for staying connected.

It’s worth remembering that running an unsupported system can lead to security risks and other problems over time. Whether you upgrade to a newer version, buy a new computer, or explore other options, staying informed will help you make the best choice for your situation.

Windows 10 may still have a bit of life left in it, but it's best to act sooner rather than later.

Articles and Reports

Genesis relies on articles and reports supplied by the community to fill our pages. Please email these to genesis@tokohigh.school.nz so we can share what is happening in our area.

A few more photos from Tokyo...

Openifsignsareout

Wednesdayafternoons

Tokyo Skytree

Above: Group 2 in the only outdoor area at Yasuda Gakuen Junior & Senior High School -

Right : Group 1 takes in the view from the Tokyo Skytree

Right: Takeshita St, famous for fun, food and shopping!

Tokomairiro High School

HORT SHOP

Waihola/Clarendon Women`s Institute

Our June meeting was held on the 18 June in the Waihola Hall. There was a good number of members plus three members from the Mid Otago Federation also present. The motto given was " Don`t assume someone knows you love them, be sure to tell them- better yet, be sure that you show them".

News from the Trenches...

Toko Golf

Cutlers Monthly Medal & Putting - 5th July 2025

1st B Sheath 81 - 15 - 66

2nd D

3rd N

5th

Putting M Scott 26

Longest Putt 9 & 18 B Sheath

Two’s J Day, D Weyer and D Gold

Home Pennant - 8th July 2025

Just remember bribery is a crime people!!! As an example a RSA member was convinced our Bacon and Egg Pie competition was held last Saturday instead of this Saturday!!! When informed this person was a week premature, she offered to bribe me with Pie if I kept my mouth shut. Tut tut!!! So come along this Saturday with your concoction with our Celebrity Judge confirmed.

I don't normally mention RSA member’s names due to legal action being served against me, but Max Taylor has nailed the Pick The Score last weekend with his correct selection. So it starts again this week. Along with the winner of the Corporate Couch Lammy Moana. Don't call him on Sunday. Jackpot joker starting to get up in value so get along with your entry. Also we are looking for expressions of interest for breakfast for AB vs Argentina test.

Now Big Dawg Brendon Sheath is looking at taking the double with Super Rugby and NPC Comp. He reckons the only threat is from his Mrs, which to be fair, accounts for a few things. So get stuck in and get your name listed.

- Private Spike Pike

2nd July 2025

Winner: Loraine G

Euchre

9th July 2025

Loser: Raelene Raffle: Lorraine D (Owaka)

Winner: Dawn (Owaka)

Loser: Cath Raffle: Lyn

Toko Rugby Report

Worst phrase in footy is ‘Game of two halves’, but this was completely appropriate for semi final vs Clutha on Saturday. Clutha came out absolutely perfect for the first 25 mins helped by some inept Toko tackling which allowed soft tries to be conceded. This lead Toko facing a Himalayan type of deficit 31-7 at half time. Whatever was said at half time should be bottled and sold on Temu for $9.95 a bottle, we'd make a fortune. Toko dominant in all phases and the score was 34-33 Clutha with 10 mins left and Toko being roared home in front of a feverish crowd of supporters. Toko unfortunately conceded a final try to make full-time score 41-33 Clutha.

This concludes the 2025 season with the highlight being the 125th celebration. It's been a fantastic season with many highs and fabulous progression. New coaches Josh Harrex and Dylan Bungard have installed a great team culture. Here's hoping everyone is back next season. Toko Club is in a strong position with outstanding talent coming through in the Junior Rugby Teams and the Toko Seniors are also bringing on a lot of excellent junior players getting them ready for premier rugby.

On behalf of the Toko Club thanks to all our amazing sponsors and supporters who ensured the Club rooms were always at capacity on a Saturday night. Let's make 2026 better again.

The Judge

Once the business was completed members heard a full report about the WI Conference and AGM held in Palmerston North in May. Arrangements were made to visit Toito - The Otago Early Museum on the 21st July, leaving from the Hall at 10.15am. Lunch to be had at the Museum, after we have seen the Eden Hore collection of Haute Dresses. Contact the Genesis Office for more information about advertising. Just email genesis@tokohigh.school.nz

1st Lisa Day 31 Stb

2nd Raewyn Devlin 30 Stb

3rd Margaret Cain 27 Stb

9 Holers Sealed Holes Noeline Cubitt 41 nett

Closest to the Pin Pam Keddell

Milton Sub Assn Indoor Bowls

There was no Interclub this week due to the Lawrence pairs. As I have not had the results I can not report on this other than Doug Joyce and Steve Crow coming Sixth.

The South Otago Fives were played on Wednesday night, Glenledi had a clean sweep beating Lawrence in the fours and singles and Finegand in the triples and pairs.

The Milton Country Club won their fours against Waitapeka and Triples against Moneymore, while Moneymore lost their fours and singles against Paretai and won their pairs against the Country Club.

With two rounds left in the competition Katea are way out in front with 81, Paretai in second on 65 and the Country Club on 56 sit in third.

The South Otago pairs were played on Saturday, with Country Club member Peter Grant teaming up with Christine King from SOT&C. They were runners up, losing their final 10-6 against Stephen and Shona Preddy.