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Tokomairiro High School Newsletter & Community Noticeboard

Wednesday 5th February 2025

Leaving Big Shoes to Fill

She is small in stature, but she has left an enormous pair of shoes to fill.

Jean Potae is a Tokomairiro High School institution. Our records reflect that work she has worked for the school since 1989 and her roles have included Teacher's Aide / Librarian, School Secretary, Principal's Secretary, Administration Officer and most recently, Executive Officer.

In 1992, Jean and husband Bill’s daughter Rachel was our School Dux. And Head Girl.

Our school finances are the envy of the district. That is thanks in no small part to Jean’s attention to detail, meticulous nature, tenacity, resourcefulness and depth and breadth of knowledge. Staff past and present, when faced with a question - about almost anything - no one else can answer satisfactorily, will inevitably utter three words: “Let’s ask Jean”.

And they won’t regret it. Jean just knows. And she makes everything she does look effortless.

For many, Jean has been the first face they encounter when visiting the school for the first time. inquisitive nature, genuine curiosity and authentic sense of care cannot be concealed or faked. She has a way of talking to you that makes you feel safe and valued.

Jean’s last day of employment at Tokomairiro High School was 31st January 2025. While she may have officially stepped away from her role as Executive Officer, Jean’s impact on Tokomairiro High School will be felt for years to come. Her wisdom, kindness, and unwavering dedication have left their mark on our school community.

We join together to express immense gratitude for Jean’s decades of service, her tireless commitment, and the countless ways she has supported students, staff, and families alike. Tokomairiro High School is better because of her, and we will miss her dearly.

Haere rā, Jean!

New Executive Officer Appointed

We welcomed Mrs Lisa McElrea to her new role as Executive Officer on Monday.

Lisa is no stranger to Tokomairiro High School, having worked as Sports Co-ordinator, Genesis editor and Office Manager in the past ten years.

English Department

Please could all students who have attended recently ensure that all text books and reading books have been returned to school. In particular we are seeking copies of the following texts: The Land Bennett; "Shooting Stars" by Brian Faulkner and "Maus" by Art Spiegelmann.

Tokomairiro High School HORT SHOP OPEN

WEDNESDAYS1pm-4pm.

Vegetable Plants Ready for Planting Now!

School Cellphone: 027 268 3362

Office email: office@tokohigh.school.nz

New School Lunches Rolled Out

Students have now had just over a week of the new school lunches provided by the School Lunch Collective. The meals which are produced in Palmerston North, shipped to Dunedin and then heated and trucked daily to schools, include a variety of menu items which have been received quite well by our students.

In addition to Butter Chicken, Mac’n’cheese, Tex Mex Beans and Rice, pasta dishes and Beef Rissoles with potato, students have been given apples, brownie, bujha mix and pea crisps.

The menu caters for various dietary requirements and will change each term.

Dates to Remember

Thursday 6th February

Waitangi Day -School Closed

Wednesday 5th February

Monday 10th February

School Photos

Tuesday 18th February Athletics Day

Monday 24th March

Otago Anniversary Day –School Closed

Friday 4th April

Swimming Sports

Tena koutou katoa

Principal’s Update

Tokomairiro High School Newsletter...

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

Life.

BYOD agreements

The return of Mrs Wish to New Zealand, Milton and Tokomairiro High School is less than a week away. We are confident that she will be pleased with the progress that has been made in her absence!

Values scores - what do the zones mean?

Fortnightly reports will be emailed home at the end of this week. This will be the first set of reports to reflect the new 5 point scale to measure student adherence to our school’s values (Respect / Whakaute, Responsibility / Haepapa and Excellence / Hiranga) in class. Here is a brief overview of where scores sit now:

1: Intervention - the class teacher had to get involved, e.g. move student, remove student, create a KAMAR entry, phone home, etc. ANY Intervention above after warnings is a 1 or a 2 max.

2 - 3: Concern - This could look like little engagement in the learning activities and/or off task behaviour.

4 - 5: Learning - the student is learning at their full potential: following instructions, demonstrating school values, fully engaged in the day’s lesson.

Portal Access

If it has been a while since you logged into the Tokomairiro High School portal, we strongly encourage you to do so. It has also had a refresh, but all of the classic features are still there: timetable, attendance, values scores and much much more!

If you need assistance accessing the portal, please notify the school office. We can email instructions to you.

Genesis Office Hours

Tuesdays 8:30-3:30

Wednesdays 8:30-12 noon

Tiny’s Milton Butchery

112 Union Street, Milton Ph 417 8223

Topside Roast

-Plain or StuffedOnly $18.95kg

Weiner Schnitzel -Plain or CrumbedOnly $21.95kg

Onion Sausages Only $14.95kg

Just a reminder that we are CLOSED for Waitiangi Day

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

Articles and Reports

The 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.

Public Health Nurse -Abby Brookland

Available Tuesdays and Fridays at Tokomairiro High School

Phone 027 241 1506 to make an appointment.

Bring Your Own Device agreements were distributed to students last week and are beginning to roll back in. If you have not seen one yet, please ask your child to produce it to get it signed and returned.

Attendance

Please remember to contact the school office OR your child’s house group teacher via text, email or phone call when he / she will not be at school. Every Day Matters!

Signage

Believe it or not we have people stopping in front of the school to get selfies with the new light-up sign! By all means make a special trip to the north end of town after sundown to carry out an inspection. You will not be disappointed!

Ngā mihi, Bill McClure, Deputy Principal

This March, Tokomairiro High is hosting the Otago Secondary Schools Outdoor Bowls Competition here in Milton! Bowlers have already entered from Dunedin and Central Otago schools. We want a BIG presence here from our host school! If you want to join our squad, training starts NEXT WEEK. Get in touch with Mrs J ASAP.

Genesis

The Genesis is a free publication, delivered weekly to homes and businesses in Milton, and is available on the school website, Facebook or via email. The Genesis office is open Tuesday 8:30am - 3:30pm and Wednesday 8:30-12. If the office is unattended, any articles, advertising or payments can be taken to the school office or left in the secure box in the office door.

Genesis Deadlines: Advertising and Articles - Monday 12 noon. These can be emailed to the Editor at genesis@tokohigh.school.nz. Genesis is delivered FREE to your letterbox on Wednesday afternoons. Any payments or donations can be made to Tokomairiro High School, account number 03 1736 0009803 000. Please use GENESIS and your name as reference. - Carolyn Shanks, Genesis Editor

YEAR SEVEN VISION SCREENING

The Vision Hearing Technicians from Population Health, Southern District Health will be visiting your school to screen all year seven students for distance vision.

Distance Vision (Amblyopia & Hyperopia)

This determines how well your child is able to see at a distance. It involves reading an eye chart. (Not required if child wears glasses/ or is currently under care for their vision)

If you do not wish your child to be screened please fill out an opt-out slip, which are available at the school office, before our visit.

Year 9 and 10 Art

Yesterday the Year 9/10 Digital Art class had a go at a quick recreation of a photo by Mariko Mori. This class is studying Mariko Mori and will be creating digital art in her style in the future. This was a chance to go offline and use some items which were donated to the art room!

Tane Rewita posed in place of Mariko Mori, while classmates provided props and worked "behind the scenes."

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 office@tokohigh.school.nz

Bible Reading for the Week

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding ” -Proverbs 3:5

Short Term Homestays for International Students Wanted

Are you interested in hosting international students while they are studying at Tokomairiro HIgh School?

Do you have room in your house for a young person from Japan?

Are you proud of our town and country?

This is a wonderful opportunity to introduce a student to the NZ/Milton way of life and to learn about another culture.

We have four Japanese students aged approximately 14-15 from Yasuda Gakuen in Tokyo who will attend our school from 1-18 August.

If you are interested in hosting one of these students or in hosting in the future, and would just like to know more, please leave your name at the school office, phone 417 8620, or email Mary Hart directly on (mary@tokohigh.school.nz)

SOUTH OTAGO’S TRAVEL PROFESSIONAL

Toko Golf

Ladies Golf Results

Tuesday 28th January Opening Day

1st S Bearman, C Scott, D Kennedy, J McLeod 41 stb on c/b

2nd H Vollweiler, K Partridge, L Lister 41

3rd W Agnew, N Cubitt, R Reid 39

Closest to the Pin– S Bearman

Longest Putt - C Scott

News from the Trenches...

It's already February if you hadn't noticed and it's full bore at the RSA coming up. So many massive events, I haven't got time to dally around First up commencing Friday 14th February is our Super Rugby comp which has attracted huge support in previous years and I'm convinced 2025 will be the best year yet. Already there has been huge interest in willing entrants looking at knocking off the NPC Champion. So make sure you register. I'd be surprised if we don't get over 50 entered as the prize giving is a major highlight of the year. On Saturday 22nd February we are holding our Annual Fishing Comp with funds going to Otago Rescue Helicopter. Already we have magnificent prizes lined up so we will see how reigns supreme in terms of big catch. We will be open from 11am on Thursday for Waitangi Day so we won't be running our usual Thursday night raffles. Already our Joker Draw is going quickly and it's possibly to hit the maximum level in only around 4 weeks time or so. Just goes to show the level of interest in 2025 which has been superb. Make sure you have paid this year's subs to gain maximum benefit.

Finally our President seems to have a knack for eating tomatoes with more of a green tinge as opposed to red colour.

This correspondent was struck down by vehicle issues hence I didn't quite get the full gossip this week, however I have some trusty lieutenants who have kept me informed. Where else would you rather be than at RSA Milton??

- Private Spike Pike

Clutha Panel Repairs

• Chassis Straightening

• Structural Repair Centre

• Panel/Paint Repairs

• Plastic Welding

• Free Quotes/ Loan Cars

• Latest technology equipment & training for late model vehicles Insurance work for all major insurance companies

NOVUS agents for all vehicle glass requirements

8 Frances Street, Balclutha Ph 03 418 0192

Saturday 1st February Saturday vs Tuesday Ladies

1st M Cain 80 points

2nd H Vollweiler 67 points

3rd R Devlin 65 points

4th W Agnew 57 points

Closest to the Pin - No 9, L Lister.

Genesis Classifieds ...

Tokomairiro Waiora Inc.

Position Vacant:

Kaihautū Practice Leader

Based: in Milton, South Otago.

Permanent role: (40 hours per week), permanent position.

About us:

Tokomairiro Waiora Incorporated (TWI) is a Kaupapa Māori health service provider, with the objective of improving wellbeing for individuals and whānau through co-ordinated access to health and social services. It is based in Milton, and serves the Tokomairiro and wider South Otago rohe.

About the role:

• The Kaihautū / Practice Leader is responsible for overseeing the day-to-dayoperations.

• The Kaihautū / Practice Leader will foster a supportive environment for staff, drive service quality, and collaborate with external partners to improve whānau outcomes.

• Facilitate external/internal collaborations with key stakeholders.

Skills and experience:

• A Social Work degree (BSW), or equivalent, additionally a business or management qualification is desirable

• Advantageous is a background in Whānau Ora Navigation practice

• Strengths-based leadership, with the ability to collaborate with other organisations across the sector to achieve mutually agreed goals

• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills and ability to communicate complex ideas to a variety of audiences

• Ability to plan effectively, work innovatively and an understanding of tikanga Best Practice

• An understanding of Tokomairiro / South Otago Māori community dynamics

• An ability to work across generations of whānau and demonstrate an understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its application within a kaupapa Māori rural health provider

• Experience working with Iwi and kaupapa Māori organisations.

A job description is available by contacting: contact@tokowaiora.co.nz

Dave & Carolyn McDiarmid E: admin@cluthapanelrepairs.nz

To apply for the position, email your CV and accompanying cover letter to: contact@tokowaiora.co.nz

Applications close: 5pm, Friday 21st February 2025

Noting, if a preferred candidate has been identified before the closing date, the vacancy will close.

Free pick up and delivery from Milton and surrounding areas.

Genesis Classifieds ...

Toko Rugby Football Club Inc.

Invite you to the 125th Club Registration Night for in-person registrations at the Club rooms

Wednesday 12th February 2025, 6 - 9 pm

*Please bring your device, phone or laptop

The 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.

Public Notices

Milton Volunteer Fire Brigade

Pig N Barrow Raffle

1st Toni Marr

2nd Mal Stevens

3rd Rachael Allan

Thank you for your continued support.

Thanks to Tiny's Milton Butchery and Milton Hammer Hardware.

Articles and Reports

The 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.