Principal's Welcome 

25th January 2021 (Monday)

Ngā mihi o te Tau Hou

Happy New Year

Welcome back to returning students and whānau, and a warm welcome to those joining our college for the first time in 2021. I hope you have all enjoyed a relaxing summer break.

A new school year will soon be underway and I hope the uncertainty of the past twelve months is behind us. There are a huge variety of opportunities for students to be involved in at the college, from the school production of “Bye Bye Birdie” to summer and winter sports, and much more. The opportunities lost last year have shown what an integral part of school life they are. There have been valuable lessons learnt from 2020 about looking after our own wellbeing and the importance of consideration and working together. It is important that these are not forgotten.

NCEA Results

Congratulations to all our students on their NCEA results. We don’t have a full set of data from NZQA yet, but the preliminary data looks positive. It is vital that all Year 12 and 13 students attend the Subject Confirmation Day on Thursday 28 January so that their courses for 2021 can be finalised and any necessary changes made. If students do not attend we cannot guarantee them placement into their desired courses.

Science Block (Dykes Building)

Construction of the Dykes Building has been completed and we look forward to Science classes being able to use the block. This is very exciting as it is a wonderful facility. Special thanks must go to members of the Science Faculty who have returned early to move equipment and set up the classrooms.

The Dykes Building will also be home to students and staff from the Sommerville School. For too long, students with learning needs have been unable to attend school in their local community because the facilities were unavailable. We warmly welcome Sommerville School onto our campus and look forward to working together.

School Startup

Opposite and overleaf are the various details for the start of 2021. You can also access this information on our website. Please contact the school office if you have any questions.

Annual Goals

In 2021 the college’s annual goals are:

• Deliver the full IB Middle Years Programme

 We will deliver the full IB MYP across years 9 and 10, including the year 10 community project and introducing interdisciplinary units. The programme will be rigorous, inclusive, and flexible to meet the learning needs of students.

• Implement a school-based Year 11 programme

 We will develop a school-based learning programme that is rigorous and flexible to better prepare students for levels 2 and 3 NCEA, and NZ Scholarship.

• Further promote student wellbeing and the values, skills and knowledge that underpins it

 We will develop student skills and knowledge to support their hauora by promoting values and wellbeing through a schoolwide framework.

New Staff

Due to a number of staff movements, I am pleased to welcome the following new staff to the college. Following the retirement of Mr Praveen Chand at the end of last year we have appointed André Worsnop as Deputy Principal (Curriculum). André is currently Head of the Arts Faculty at Diocesan School for Girls and will join us at the start of Term 2.

Deputy Principal

• André Worsnop                     to start Term 2

Support Staff

• Andrea McComish                  Accounts Receivable Administrator

English

• Zoë Rogers                              Assistant Faculty Leader
• Madeleine Blackmore            Teacher
• Suvishka Singh                        Teacher

Languages

• Abbie Law                                Assistant Faculty Leader/Spanish

Science

• Hannah Falconer                     Teacher

Music

• Marija Dimitrijevic                    Itinerant Music Teacher

Ngā mihi nui 

Gordon Robertson

Principal

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