Wairarapa College Newsletter Volume 3, June 2017 Dear Parent/caregivers Upcoming Events We won! That was the news that we had won Stage Challenge this year. We are absolutely thrilled. A large team of students from Year 9 to 13 and their teachers Ms Houliston, Ms Senior and Ms Fawcett had travelled down to Wellington to participate in Stage Challenge, June after many months of hard work. From the dress rehearsal we could see that we had something special but our students really pulled it together after a very long day. They drew Fri 9th - Y11 PITA the short straw and ended up being the last act performing and so our students had to wait Fencing course until after 11pm to perform, however, instead of this being a draw back they used it to build 12th - 16th - their energy, with an amazing outcome. We are very proud of all those who have been Assessment week involved in this, not only because they won but also because of the hard work, the dedication, Tues 13th - ICAS the many hours of rehearsal and the passion that has gone into this production. writing As a school we would like to acknowledge you as parents and say thank you for your support Fri 16th & Sat 17th - with teacher only day on 22nd May and in our efforts to consider where to from here with our curriculum and our timetable. The visits to schools from Christchurch to Wellington and the Careers Expo Bay of Plenty were very beneficial. On our teacher only day it became clear, right from the Fri 16th - Wed 21st - start, that all of the schools we visited were very focused on how they can be more student Y10 Spirit of Adventure centered. For us, as a school, this aligns very well with our vision to be a thriving, student Sat 17th - Quiz/Auction centered and future focused school, so our discussions on were extremely productive. We have established some directions for how we, as Wairarapa College, are going to become Mon 19th - Y12 Geo trip more student centered and staff are very keen to begin working on this. to Wellington Tues 20th - Paraparaumu This process evolved out of our own self review as a school at the end of 2016. We have known and understood that there are things in our school that need to change so that student exchange at Waicol outcomes can be improved. We were well aware of this before we had the visit from ERO at Fri 23rd - Y11 Pasifika in week three of Term One. We have been informed by ERO that the school has been placed Tues 27th - Open Day / on a short review cycle. Although this can be a challenge for some schools we are very Night pleased with the positive feedback that we have received from ERO on the new directions that we had already established and we are looking forward to their support for us as we work Fri 30 - PNGHS Sports through a time of change and renewal as a school. We know that their support and their help Exchange will be pivotal in moving forward. They have already provided us with excellent feedback and advice and guidance around what we can do to improve our outcomes for our students. July We look forward to continuing to work with them. Mon 3rd - Great Kiwi The beginning of winter sports signals an exciting but also an exhausting time for our English Competition students. A lot of our seniors are involved in many different activities at the moment, from Thur 6th — Fri 14th - sport through to cultural, their school work and some of them have part time jobs as well. With their exams coming up in a few weeks, it is probably a good time to remind parents of Australian rugby trip the importance of helping their young people to manage their world by ensuring they get Fri 7th - Interhouse plenty of sleep and good food and that they are not over taxing themselves. Throughout the singing beginning of the sporting season I have enjoyed being able watch a number of our students Junior & Senior reports play rugby and football. It is always great to see them extending themselves and striving to out be the best they can be. We don’t always win but I am impressed with the character and determination shown by our students when they are playing, regardless of the outcome. We are very lucky at Waicol to have such a range of activities for our students to be involved END OF TERM TWO with. This week we also have Big Sing and fifty three of our students will be involved in that and it also is also a truly outstanding event. We are very grateful for the support of parents and members of our community, in roles as coaches and managers. This allows us to provide such breadth for our students and ensure that they have every opportunity to experience success in any capacity. Shelley Power, Principal Congratulations to: Former Wairarapa College pupils on gaining positions as Training Captains for Qantas Airways. Sam Booth a pupil from 1992 to 1996 and Josh Bennetts a pupil from 1993 to 1997 have both untaken intense training for these positions. Sam and Josh both followed a career in flying after leaving Wairarapa College. To achieve this position in their thirties is a credit to them both and a wonderful reward for their hard work. Well done to them both. Former Wairarapa College students in the Black Caps. It is not very often that two former students from the same school play together for the Black Caps. Ross Taylor and Seth Rance have done just that in the May Tri-Series in Ireland. Ross Taylor attended Wairarapa College in Year 9 and 10 before he moved to PNBHS. He played in 1998 and 1999. Seth Rance played 1st X1. Cricket at Wairarapa College from 2002-2005. He captained the team in 2005. Vania Mason competed in the Wellington/Wairarapa team at the Equestrian Nationals in Whangarei. The team finished in 4th place. Jeremy Thurston also competed at the nationals in the games and came in 4th. Fantastic achievements in horse riding. Malaga Pasifika Planning for Success On 30th May the following students took part in a Careers Planning for Success facilitated by Careersnz and staff from Wai Coll and Makoura College. Jacob Cavubati, Mathieson Griffin, Seira Manesa-Anae, Destiny Mila, Beyonce Neemia, Anisha Satya and Eteri Tafa. Three of your students attended the Wairarapa Kapa Haka Academy during the second week of the school holidays They were; Polly Walker Ekin Te Mataki-Waaka Carleigh Cocks Three tutors from one of Aotearoa’s most successful senior kapa haka group, Te Waka Huia, were brought into the region to work with the students. Te Waka Huia have won Te Matatini many times. Rawiri Toia Kereama Te Ua Alexia Greening The group received tutoring in voice projection, choreography, poi and haka over the three days which culminated in an excellent performance to whanau on Friday evening. The three tutors commented on the fantastic commitment and attitudes of our young people. We are very proud of the hard work they put in over the three days. Big thank you to the following sponsors Carters Masterton for supplying some stain for our PITA class who have been making the farm look much better. Subway Masterton for sponsoring the WAICOL UFO’s football team with a play of the day voucher. FROM THE HEALTH NURSES. BLOOD DONORS DAY was held in the College Hall on May the 17th with a record turnout of Wairarapa College students signed up to be donors. This was our tenth year as a Donor College and once again our students behaved impeccably and took this seriously. We were so proud of them all. We had 72 students sign up to be a Donor on the day. 62 Units of Blood was taken which was amazing. Our goal was 60 and WOW we did so well. 9 students were deferred due a cold, new piercing or not meeting the goal weight to height ratio. I hope these students will sign up again. To all our new Donors please carry this on now, THE NZ BLOOD SERVICE NEEDS YOU ALL . COLDS / FLU Please stay at home if you have either of these. 24 to 48 hours at home, with rest, sleep, water and whole- some food is the best cure for either of these aliments. We are to come into the colder months now, so please get that school jacket out, umbrellas etc so you are not sitting in a classroom wet. A reminder also if your puffer jacket gets wet, hang it up to dry ASAP as the smell of old wet jackets is not pleasant in a classroom. Former College House Manager –Sandy McNicol Sandy McNicol sadly passed away on April 20th in Australia. Sandy, with his first wife Sue managed College House between 1996-1997. Sandy also taught Geography and Sue was our first on-site nurse. He was also number 722 - All Black. Our condolences to family and friends. The Ball The Ball was a huge success, thanks to the hard working Ball Committee. The theme was ‘Ville de Lumieres’ and the hall was absolutely sensational. The behaviour of the students was outstanding. With a French flavour to the evening, glamorous students danced the night away or participated in the many activities on offer. A big thank you to all those who supported the evening and made it such a huge success.