RONGOTAI COLLEGE

PRINCIPAL’S NEWSLETTER

Week 2, Term 4, 2018

I would like to welcome you all back I would also like to point out that COMING EVENTS to what is an extremely important Junior Examinations for Year 9 and Thursday 1 November Term 4. 10 students are scheduled to start Board of Trustees’ meeting 6pm in on Monday 19 November. An the Mackay Library The term is already in full swing, and examination timetable will be issued

Friday 2 November it has to be: our Year 11, 12 and 13 shortly, but your son can begin his Last day for selected seniors who students have only one further preparation for these important qualify for study leave week at school in which to increase exams by ensuring that all his notes their knowledge and skills in are complete and up-to-date. Tuesday 6 November Testing day for Year 9 students for preparation for the important final Teachers will be giving students 2019 NCEA examinations. It is important advice on what material will be in that all our seniors make use of the the exams over the next few weeks. Wednesday 7 November time ahead to ensure they prepare NCEA External exams begin thoroughly for the exams, Thursday 15 November maximising their chances of Tamatoa Christmas Concert academic success. ACADEMIC

Monday 19 November NEWS Pasifika Parents’ Asosi meeting For parents of Years 11-13 students, 6.30pm in the staffroom we have included a report on your YOUTH PARLIAMENT

son’s academic progress. These end- Congratulations to Jamal Fiso who Monday 19 to Wednesday 21 of-year reports are an important November has been named as the Rongotai Junior Examinations signpost and highlight current levels electorate representative for the of achievement, behaviour and Youth Parliament for 2019. Friday 23 November effort. Reports are also now posted Teacher Only Day on the Parent Portal. As a family, The six-month Youth Parliament Wednesday 28 to Friday 30 November you should discuss the contents of programme provides an opportunity Year 10 Camp the report, and take the opportunity for young New Zealanders to discuss

to go through it carefully with your what is important to them as Youth Thursday 29 November son and help him to make any Board of Trustees’ meeting 6pm in MPs, and to actively work on topics the Mackay Library adjustments to his study programme and issues they are passionate for the upcoming NCEA external about. Wednesday 5 December examinations. Seniors return for assembly Junior impromptu speech competition As part of the report we have Thursday 6 December provided an update on your son’s Prizegiving. Last day for junior students. current standing with regard to credits he has earned towards his Friday 7 December Teacher Only Day NCEA qualification. Of course, you can also keep track of his current Friday 14 December progress through the Parent Portal School office closes on our website.

To help all our students prepare for their upcoming examinations, some 2019 TERM DATES Study Skills material, looking at a range of revision techniques, Term 1 Monday 28 January to including a blank revision timetable, Friday 12 April Term 2 Monday 29 April to is available on our website. This Friday 5 July material will be valuable for all Jamal Fiso with M.P. for Rongotai, Mr Paul Eagle Term 3 Monday 22 July to Friday students from Years 9-13.

27 September Term 4 Monday 14 October to Friday 6 December

Jamal will work closely with  Make sure that your son has We will be celebrating the Rongotai MP Paul Eagle, who set his routines from now until achievements of 2018 at our announced Jamal’s selection at the the time of examinations. It is Prizegiving on Thursday 6 school assembly on 19 October. a good idea to do the same December. Details of Prizegiving things at the same time each will be included in our next day e.g. meals, chores, and newsletter. NCEA EXAMINATIONS and STUDY. Make sure your son STUDY LEAVE has filled in his Study Leave All Year 11-13 students are As in previous years, examination Timetable and help him to expected back at school after the study leave will only be given to keep to the times on it. exams finish, on Wednesday 5 students sitting two or more NCEA  Help your son to organise the December, as we prepare for external examinations and who are information he needs to study. Prizegiving and farewell leaving likely to achieve their qualification His teachers will have given staff. this year, or who have already him a clear indication of what gained the qualification. Students to study for each Standard. sitting fewer than two external Help him to organise this examinations, or who are unlikely to information. achieve a high of external  Ask your son to get out the CULTURAL credits, will be expected to be at notes he has been given in his school as usual during this time, classes and help him organise NEWS working on internal standards or them. revising in all their subjects to attain  Ask your son questions about the number of credits required to what he has learned. PERFORMING ARTS & get their NCEA qualification, as part Explaining something to CULTURAL ASSEMBLY of our “Qualifications Attainment someone else is a good way to We celebrated the success of Programme”. Once the qualification confirm what you have students in a range of activities at is gained, they will then be granted learned. study leave. A letter will be sent our annual Performing Arts and  Encourage your son. informing you if your son will be Cultural Assembly on Friday 19 Confidence comes from having expected to be at school as part of October learned material and then the Qualifications Attainment remembering it. Once your Programme. The following students were son has gone through this presented Honours awards at the process he should be confident Senior students who have been assembly: that he can cope with the granted examination study leave examination. will have their last day at school on Dominic Coffin Music

Friday 2 November. NCEA Tyrone Daniel Music There are some excellent websites examinations begin on Wednesday Hamish Goodhue Music for tips on how to study, such as 7 November. The time between Ethan Makisi Music www.how-to-study.com. Another classes finishing for these students Thomas J Moore Music website that I would recommend, and exams beginning should be Lufi Lene-Isara Polynesian Club which has on-line practical help with considered as “revision leave”, Luke Purves Polynesian Club revision techniques and methods, is Hyrum Siau Letoa Polynesian Club rather than an early start to the https://getrevising.co.uk/make. Tayla Tamaiva Polynesian Club holidays! Christianlee Tutaki Polynesian Club Study It (www.studyit.org.nz) is a Steven Va’a Polynesian Club HELPING YOUR SON TO STUDY website which

I have included a copy of the NCEA contains revision material related to We also gave awards for examination timetable and an NCEA English, Mathematics and Community Service to the following examination study timetable with Science. students: this newsletter to help you assist your son to use his time wisely. Our teachers have also made Ethan Makisi Gold Award Please ensure you mark his revision material available by Georgio Toulis Gold Award examinations on his calendar and sharing through GOOGLE docs. that he comes to school at the right time for his examinations. Teachers are also running study and revision classes for students, both Whether your son is in Year 9 or during normal class time, during studying for NCEA, he should have a lunch times and after school. Please Study Timetable for the time leading encourage your son to seek help up to his exams. Extra Study from his teachers in areas where he Timetable blanks can be is unsure. During study leave, downloaded from the college teachers are available in their website. normal timetable slots to give Ethan Makisi is congratulated by Mr Carter revision help. The following suggestions are useful ways to help your son to study: Congratulations to Shannon Lucas who was named the Outstanding Maori Sportsman of the Year and received the Findlay / Ryan Trophy. NEWS

As we approach the end of the SCHOOL INVOICE Also included with this newsletter is school year, many of our summer codes are getting underway again. an invoice for payment of a range of This term, Rongotai is pleased to be SPORTS ASSEMBLY fees and the school donation. Thanks to all those families who able to offer athletics, We celebrated the success of have paid the fees and donation. (social), , croquet, floorball, students in a range of activities at Your fees and donations are , rugby 7s, and water our annual Sports Assembly on important as our Operations Grant (juniors). Thank you again to all Friday 26 October. from the Ministry of Education the parents and volunteers who barely covers our running expenses, have put their hands up this term The following students were making your annual donation and have made these offerings a presented Honours awards at the essential for us to continue offering possibility. assembly: a quality education for your son.

With exams just around the corner, Henry Hollis Badminton Finally, with NCEA exams and Junior the importance of regular exercise Finn McClure Basketball exams coming up, I would like to and physical activity becomes Ben Robertson Basketball emphasise that it is now the time for evident and while it may seem that Jaylin To’o Basketball your son to really push himself, could be a distraction to Ezrah Vaigafa Basketball firstly to achieve his qualification, academia, there is plenty of Sam Mycock Cricket but also to concentrate on getting evidence to suggest that exercise Robbie Spooner Croquet the highest level of achievement improves brain function and Bruno Ferguson Fencing possible – boys should be pushing academic performance. Evander Tere-Rongotaua for Excellence grades and being ‘the Flag best they can be’ in their academic Basketball Ioritana Tusa We would like to congratulate the achievement. Liam Fisher Floorball Senior A basketball team, who Jackson Lewis Floorball qualified for the National premier Tim McKibbin Floorball tournament finishing an admirable Louis Scott Floorball Kind regards, th 10 in the country. Shaun Lane-Turnbull Football Shannon Lucas Futsal Sam Marsters Golf The Rugby Sevens team participated Tim McKibbin in the College Sport Wellington Sajan Patel Hockey Regional Sevens Competition, over Evander Tere-Rongotaua Kevin Carter the long weekend, finishing in third PRINCIPAL place behind Scots College and St Albert Stanley Sailing Patrick’s College Silverstream. Karl Gollan Dylan Jackson Softball Che Pulepule Surf Life Saving Che Pulepule Swimming Christianlee Tutaki Rugby Ezrah Vaigafa

BOARD OF TRUSTEES STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE

October sees the changeover of Student Representatives on the Board of Trustees. Ethan Makisi has represented students on the Board this year. He has done an outstanding job of bringing student views to the Board and representing students in the decision making process. The governance of our school is enhanced by young men such as Ethan and their perspective on progress and school initiatives.

The election for the Student Representative on the Board of Trustees has been held and Jamal Fiso of Year 11 was elected as Student Representative for the coming year.

Jamal will attend his first Board of Trustees meeting on 1 November. We are looking forward to his perspective and input in the coming year.

RONGOTAI COLLEGE 170 Coutts St, Kilbirnie, Wellington www.rongotai.school.nz PO Box 14-063, Kilbirnie, Wellington, 6022 www.facebook.com/RongotaiCollege PHONE: +64 4 939 3050 FAX: +64 4 939 3060 EMAIL: [email protected] www.youtube.com/RongotaiCollegeNZ